The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-03-13
Xural 5nteQigenfs.
A Case of Barratry-Wm. q. Pike sue. the
Merchants Insurance Company for $40 900.

Merchants Insurance Company for 900.
A suit was instituted yesterday, in the Fourth
District Cou-t which promises an interest from the
singular circumstances connected with it which s
owned by few legal causes II seems, according
70 the petition Of the plaintiff, Mr.. VIM. S. Pike,
of Pike, Lapeyre & Brother, that some time in
March. 1867, Hawes Bowen, of this city, made
an assignment of their effects TO their creditors
who chose Mr. Pike as assignee. Amongst the
effects then transferred to Mr.. Pike, for the ben.
eft of the creditors, was the steamer William
Tatee. This steamer Mr.. Pike fitted up aud sent
TO Galveston, there to load with cotton for New
York. March IL, 1867, he insured the vessel in the
Merchants Mutual Insurance Company for $40 900.
In April, 1867, the Tstee left Galveston for New
York. On her voyage, the petition states, while
near Key West. the captain VIM. Stanton, having
made an agreement with certain Florida wreckers,
first bored hole in the boat and then
ran her upon the rocks. The wreckers got
her of the rocks and took her to Key West,
where they instituted suit against the boat Efor
salvage which salvage was alloWed by the admi-
ralty court, though some of the sailors were ex-
cepted, they having been proved TO have agreed
with the captain for the destruction OF the vessel.
The VIM. Tatee then pursued her voyage to New
York, but had hardly arrived there before tbs
solu1v qf the cotton caused nei = Ncgsst.Hn -
Pike then states that one Of the perils insured
against by the insurance company is barratry OF
the master and mariners of the vessel, and tnst
az the seizure and sale of the boat in New York
was caused originally by the barratrous conduct
of the captain in running the boat on the rocks
and thereby damaging the cotton, to pay for
which damage the boat was sold, the insurance
company is answerable TO him for the full amount
of the policy effected, which was $4,000.
This petition was fled yesterday. The answer
of the insurance company is to come. The case
will be a very interesting one when 1t comes up
for trial. Hays & New and ]. Ad. Rozler are
attorneys for Mr.. Pike.
Fires.
About two o'clock yesterday morning the paint
shop of II. A. Harding, on Baronne street, be-
tween Poydras and Lafayette. was discovered to
be on FIRE. The persons making the discovery,
Messrs. Francis Broudau and John Nolan, at once
called upon Pstrolman Gamer, who, breaking
open the door, found that a lighted candle, left
upon a desk, had burned down, and communicated
its flame TO the desk, part Of which, together
with an account book, had been thereby destroyed
In the shop was also found man named L. Brown,
who appeared to be under the influence of liquor,
but who was nevertheless arrested by the two
gentlemen giving the alarm, and confined upon
| charge of arson.
A fire broke out about quarter past twelve
O'Clock yesterday morning in Agiers, in the rear
| of twostory frame house, located on the river
| bank. owned by MIR. Mayo, and in. charge OF
| Mr. Louis j. White, although vacant at the time,
| the furniture having been removed to this city
| some DAYS since. The river police are said to
have rendered good service In keeping off thieves
| from the property threatened. The building is
| reported TO have been insured in the Enterprise
Insurance Company.