The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-15
THE FIRST OFFICER OF THE
GREECE.

HERALD reporter yesterday saw Mr.. r. Il.
Hubbard, formerly second of1cer OF the Greece,
but at present the first Oficer. His statement is
important In view Of the reports which are afloar.
REPoRTER-The morning after the transferral OF
passengers, ETC., were You on deck when Officer
Buck went on board the Europe with his salvage
crew.
Mr.. HUBBARD was ordered by Captain Thomas
to have the boats manned and take charge OF
them while Officer Buck was getting ready. He
had begged the Captain to tow the vessel into har-
Dor. but he had refused saying that he was too far
from shore to go back. Officer Buck then begged
the Captain to let him take the vessel into port as
he said he believed he could do it, and the Captain
finally consented to let him do so.
REPORTER-You were then in close proximity to
the boats when they were lowereda
Mr.. HUBBARD-Of course had to be and sup ,rin-
tended the lowering of both the boats. After the
volunteer crew (they were all volunteers; we
had not the right, in such heavy sea- to order any
one to go.) had got in Oflicer Buck came up and
waited his chance to jump IN. While DONG so
number OF the passengers and officers crowded
around MIN, shaking him by the hand and saying
'Goodoy, Buck Seeing his chance ne Jumped
In and pushed of.
REPORTER-Did any OF the Frenchmen offer to 70
in either OF the boats?
Mr.. HUBBARD-Not one of them asked to go. I
certainly know, for everybody knew that l was the
officer In command ef the boats.
REPoRTER-Where was Captain Lemare at this
time?
Mr.. HUBBARD-He was standing on the after
deck, surrounded by his officers. Neither he nor
any one OF Them asked to be allowed to enter the
boats tried to. 1t Is distinct iasehoOd for Le-
marie to say he was kept back for he did not
come within twenty yards OF either OF the boats
REpoRTER-How do you think these reports first
Mr.. HUBBARD-l believe that young George Mac
kenzie the son Of the agent OF the French line and
came on board and asked me II ] would allow him
TO take Mr.; Bucks room with his friend Mr..
Phoenix. as they said they were gentlemen. one
day when went into the room to wind up the
chr0nOmeter, which was placed there, found Mac
kenzie writing very busily. He had several sheets
OF paper before him, and when came In he made
sudden movement to cover them over. One fell
on the floor and he put his foot upon 1t. This
rather surprised me- and when the Captain several
days after told me the story which was concocted
about Lemarie being pushed back, from the
have since found out that the writing he was so
careful to cover was an account OF the voyage,
which was printed by q New York paper to-day,
might expect from the son OF the agent OF the line.
In 1t was the charge about Captain Lemarie. The
states he saw the action OF First Ofcer BUCK,
while all the time he was asleep below, and only
Europe. His statement, therefore, was an evident
RRpoRTER-would you, If you had been captain
or the Greece, have dared to stop the captain from
going on board his vessel
Mr. HUBBARD.Certainly ! would have
narsa we na %p0s Su right to rsuss
any one permission to go on board another ship
In our boats. The Frenchmen, when they came
aboard the Greece, had let all their boats drift
away. so that they had not single one at their
disposition. should not have dared to forbid any
OF thep going III their own boats, though they did
not offer to go on any. The Europe was an aban-
doned vessel. The French Captain did not leave a
single artcled officer on board to take charge OF
ner so that any vessel coming along had right to
take her in tow ana claim her as prize, 80 that
even mad the Captain been pushed back, as falsely
stated, the action would have been pcrecey legal.
She was q prize for any one going on board. when
| he mad gone aboard the Europe the day before to
| ask If the Greece could not have some or the
| Europe's provisions Captain Lemarie said ! have
| no command over my men they won't stand by
me, and can't get them TO do anything.