The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-12-20
Thc Murder ON board the Brig helen U.
RhinneY.

To the Editor Of the Press:
was six miles distant from the brig Helen o.
Phinney when the killing of the seaman took
place, but arrived at the scene shortly after and
from the statement of the men at the time, as
well as at the trial before the court in Montevideo
and also before the American Consul am quail
fed to state that the report taken from New
York paper and published in your paper Nor
day morning is so dis orted and embellished as to
bear no semblance to the truth. The report has
but little to say Of me except to imply that
svmpathized with the act by imputing to me the
use of phrases never heard SO used. I could
had "croaked" as do not know what the word
used in that sense means.
The facts of the case briefly stated are these.
Three men, including the deceased, were scraping
down the main mast, being suspended by q
triangle. While doing the work the triangle was
being lowered by the mate and ore man. The
mate in lowering, was waiting for the word slow
enough" or "belay," but not getting the word
lowered it too much when the deceased cried
out "What in hell are you about" This, Of
course. called forth a reprimand from the mate
whereupon he was told to go to hell. Then the
mate ordered him down from the triangle to put
him off duty till came on board. After he had
come down some words passed and the two
clinched, the mate being unarmed Tut the sea-
man having in his hand the knife with which he
had been scraping the mast. While they were
scufaing another seaman came to the assistance
of the first man and attacked the mate A third
seaman who had been off duty ten or twelve
days with sore hand came out of the forecastle
at this point and was proceeding aft with the
evident intention of assisting the others when he
was stopped by the steward and told to 20
forward. The talk that ensued between these
two men attracted the attention of the second
mate who was forward of the forward house at
work. He ran aft and found the two Austrians
on top Of the mate with their knives in their
hands. The mate who was underneath was I'M
armed. The second mate seized one of the men
and hauled him off, and then took hold of the
other to haul him off. After liberating the mate,
he got up and was walking aft when one of the
men who began the trouble made plunge at the
mate with knife, just as the steward was com
ing out of the cabin with a pistol in his hand
The mate lodged the knife receiving only slight
cut in the back. At this instant tho steward fired
shooting the assailant in the head. The decease d
had not received any blows from any weapon
Whatever. The blood did not flow from dozen
cuts as reported nor from one cut The only
scar about his face or head was made BY sthe
bullet which killed him. He was not beaten over
the head by billet of wood or, by a Delaying
pin. We had but two on board the ship and they
were both in use in the catheads where thew
could not be moved.
Instead of the matter being hastily inyesti.
gated by myself and friends, went ashore and
informed the consul OF, the affair. The consul
ordered all the men ashore for an investigation
with the exception of the steward but when he
was subsequently, sent for he had escaped. But
on the testimony of all. of US, before the Captain
OF the port, the Criminal Judge, and the Ameri-
can Consul, we were dismissed.
The next day we sailed for Buenos Ayres but
before sailing the other two Austrians deserted.
Thirty-two days after the steward disappeared
he reported to me for duty at Buenos Ayres, I
then reported the case to the Consul there and he
investigated the matter then, and after issuing
certificate of immunity for the steward ordered
him on board finding no charge against him.
MY reason for taking him was that by the laws
OF the United States we give bonds for the return
OF all seamen taken out of the country
Now this murder took place not on the high
seas but in the port of a foreign country where
they alone have Jurisdiction, and was sur
prlsed on my arrival in New York at the arrest
OF the mates and steward also.
! wish to say one word in regard to the crew
which was shipped in Boston, which consisted of
three Germans and three Austrians, the latter
not understanding English except a few profane
phrases which this class of foreigners always
pick up first. On the passage out the mate in
formed me that this man Jack, as he is called,
had some dan gerous weapons as be detected him
sharpening knife with blade from 10 to 16
inches in length. We searched his chest and
found in it two large knives and one pistol which
left in the hands of the American Consul at
Montevideo. He was dangerous man and
we were obliged to keep a close watch over
him.
In regard to the steward who has been with me
three years, wish to say that he has always
been peaceable man and has never before been
"a sAS~SAS va DooiN ChiPs AlO Hau uO part III
fomenting the trouble and in doing what he did
acte from sense of duty.
1t is very unpleasant affair to be, as l am
even distantly connected With, but trust that
am well enough known in Portland to have this
statement received as the true account of the
affair. WILLIAM r. BoYp.
Having seen several sensation reports of the
amentable occurrence on board the brig Helen
D. Phinney, at Montevideo, I desire to state in
Justice to Capt. Boyd (who has sailed many
voyages with me as mate and second mate, and
'or the past ten years commanded one of nv
7essels), that know him to be very kind and
humane man in every respect. In many cases
have known him to divide his own clothing
with the sailors, who are in many cases nearly
destitute, and when he could i'll afford to do 40.
am fully satisfied that the reports of the New
York sensation press are doing him great in
Justice. Capt Boyd has been resident of this
'ity for many years and bis reputation has
always been above reproaeh. He is stictly
temperate man and does not allow any liquor
IN board of his vessel, and is not capable of
my such inhumanity as the published reports
would imply. j. S. WINSTON.
San, Sherk; tale Of the woods of Maine. by
George II. Devereux, New York. Hurd g.