The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-12-23
A HEROIC SAILOR.
A Whaling Voyage Abandoned 60 save the
Victims of a Privuteer.

lips VS.. the United States, the opinion
of the court was delivered by Judge
Jewell as follows: This is claim made
by the owners of the bark Richmond for
compensation for the use of the said
vessel and damage for consequent loss of
the &c catch of the same. 1t appears
that the bark Richmond was III the
month Of June, 1865, in the Northern
Pacific ocean, near Behring straits, pur-
suing the whaling business. The Con-
federate cruiser Shenandoah had cap
tured large number of whalers, and
among them the bark General Pike.
The others had been burned and the
General Pike spared, and the officers and
crews of the other vessels, to the num-
ber of 252, placed on board of her for
conveyance to the nearest port which
they might be able to reach. The last
of these captures was on the twenty
eighth day of June. On the first day of
July the captain of the Richmond felt
himself compelled to take on board of
his own vessel portion of the officers
and men from the General Pike, under
circumstances fully detailed by him in a
statement annexed to the petition, which
is rs follows. He also added the state
ment of the master:
We lefl Honolulu in the bark Rich
mond, bound on whaling cruise to the
Arctic ocean. While in the prosecution
of such, on our arrival in the vicinity of
Behring straits, we camo up with q
whaleship on fire; not knowing the
cause of it 1 began saving such articles
as L could from the wreck, as she had
Il lr,f ,,,fS tho Il a fol ~
over the side found could save many
articles valuable to the use of my own
bark, and rs the wind was against me |
was not losing much time by SO doing.
While doing this ship came to me with
all sail set, steering to the southwark,
hailing me as she passed by and telling
me there was u pirate close Mt hand, at
the same time advising me to flee rs he
was doing, for probably all that remain
ed would be destroyed. But on due
consideration 1 determined not to leave,
for L would as quickly lose the ship as
to go without oil 1 came to the conclu-
sion 1 would await southerly storm OF
foggy spell usual at such times of the
year and take advantage of the oppor-
tunity and get through the str it's in
spite of the Shenandoah, as it proved to
be. My experience in those waters
would enable me to do this.
While waiting for favorable oppor-
tunity to do this we raised sail in the
north coming toward us. A few hours
after the ind died away, and boat was
lowered from het and came in pursuit
of us. Coming alongside 1 was sur.
prised to see so many faces of ship mas
ters. They had been taken by the
Shenandoah and put on board the Gen
eral Pike. They stated they were
crowded and suffering from want oi
room, etc. They all joined in begging
me for the sake of humanity to relieve
them. l went on board of the Genera
Pike to see for myself, and found they
had not misrepresented the matter.
next returned to my own vessel, consult
ed with my officers and came to the con
clusion that we ought to relieve thom
L then told the ship masters and pris
oners that if they still insisted on m,
taking a portion Of them and woulc
give me the same in writing with thei
signatures, which was agreed to an(
signed by all the ship masters, 1 dar,
not do otherwise. Under such condi
tions had to submit They put OF
board of mo tifty-two me-, and will
those l sailed for Honolulu, thereb,
losing my season.
(Signed W. P. Weeks, Master.
STATEMENT OF MASTERS.
Az SEA, July 1, 1S65.-We, the un
dersigned, do solemnly swear that on
ships were burned by the pirate Shenan
doah, and we are placed, with our crews
on board of the bark General Pike, 25.
men, all told, and being afraid OF sick
ness on account of the crowded state o
the ship, we requested Captain Weeks
OF the bark Richmond, to take some O
our men, which he kindly consented t,
do out of humanity's sake.
Q. G. Robinson, Captain bark Gypsey
Huson Winslow, Capt. bark Isabella
W. II. Phillips, bark Catharine.
F. 5. Redfeld, brig Susan Abagail.
Jas. NJ. Clark, bark Nimrod.
P. 81. Cooley, bark VIM. @. Nye.
VIM. Benjamin, ship Gen. Williams.
H. NJ. Crowell, bark Gen. Pike.
The conudct of the master of the Rich
mond, as shown in this statement, in re
fusing TO flee from the Shenandoah, say
ing he would "as quick lose his ship a
to go without oil, supporting his decla
ration by his action in remaining, and il
finally yielding to the considerations O
humanity, what he would not yield t.
fear, is worthy of the highest praise
His desire of making a cargo of oil wa
greater than his fear of capture by tn
Shenandoah. What fear could not con
strain him to do, feelings of humanit,
did. After careful examination of tn
necessity he voluntarily abandoned hi
own adventure to save the lives of th
officers and men put in peril upon tn
overcrowded General Pike. Nothin,
more honorable or praiseworthy ha
been shown in all our hearings. Ca
tho court make compensation for tn
loss thereby incurred2 We are com pell
ed to say that under no view of the &C
of Congress creating this court can W
find authority so to do. The claims ad
missible before us must be such as di
rectly result from damage caused by tn
so-called insurgent cruisers. In tw
cases heretofore considered by us wher
vessels We're captured by the Alabama
and the crews of other vessels put o.
board for transportation to a port of dis
charge, we have awarded compensation
for such compulsory service, but bot
these vessels had been actually captured
Here there was no capture. The petitio
must be dismissed.
WOman's Devotion.
In PHILADELPHIA, when the iury in th