New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-19
MUTINY AT SEA.
REVOLT AND MURDER ON THE JEFFERSON
BORDEN.

MURDERED AND THROWN EXTRAORDINARILY
OF AN ATTEMPT TO ENTRAP THE CAPTAIN-THE
MUrINEERs STARVED INTO SUBMISSION.
lFRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRIBUNE
| LONDON, May S.-Profound sensation was created
in the early part of the present week by brief tel
cgraphic announcement from Plymouth that an
American vessel had been met bound for London, on
board of which was disabled mutinous crew. The
mutineers had. it was stated murdered the first and
second officers, and the captain had only saved his
own life and the lives of those under his charge by
his courage in the use Of firearms. The arrival of
the ship Jefferson Borden in the Thames with the
American flag flying at half mast but too truly con-
irmed the telegraphic dispatch, and the details
which were gathered from those on board on the
ships arrival al Gravescnd disclosed tragic story,
such is now happily but seldom heard, even from
Eastern
The Jefferson Borden, a large three-masted
schooner. was commanded by Capt William Patter-
son. and she left New Orleans for London calling first
at Boston, early in March, with cargo of oil cake
The captain was assisted in the command of the ship
by his brother Corydon T. Patterson, first mate and
his cousin, Charles H. Patterson, second mate. lie
had also board his wife. Previous to leaving
New Orleans the crew augmented by the add
ton of three men, who hailed from sailors lodging
house in the city, kept by man named Pruckey,
and to whom the captain agreed to pay the port
price of $40 for the voyage. The then
composed of nine hands, including the captain and
two mates. The Jacob Lumber,
Swede who generally acted helmsman; Henry
Akin of Bremen, the ships cook; a boy, Henry
Mallliende, and the three wounded mutineers,
Miller, Clew and Smith. The frst-naned Miller is
a Russian Finn age 33, by whom the disturbances
seem to have been principally instigated. The sec
ond, Clew is Young English sailor, only 20 years
g nj Naf OH I'M
land; and the third, William Smith, is an American
% years of age. These men have all been seamen
considerable time Miller having been first mate of
ship. Heavy weather experienced after leaving
Boston, and in few days the man Miller appears to
have been guilty of serious misconduct, for It
is recorded by the log that he placed in irons by
order of the captain for period of As hours. He
however seems 10 have repended OF his misdeeds
for on the 18th of March, the following entry APP
pears in the log signed in the presence of two Wit
nesscs, by the recently liberated prisoner
l. George Miller do hereby acknowledge that I have
done in refusing todo my lawful duty when called
10 do the same, aud by using indecent anu dls
TO answer them when they spoke ana oy daihg any Oh
them TO strike | called upon Others OF the crew
to assist me- and endca' ored 10 persuade hnf 70 a'S
and officers by saying that carried revolver
and asking If the ship were insured
After expressing his sorrow for thus acting the
this misconduct in future shall expect to be tried
as one committing revolt or mutiny on the high
seas" Ii would thus appear that the thought of
disturbance was present very early in the mind OF
the man Miller, aud from statement made and
signed by the EnglishmaD, Clew, it would APP
pear that he and Smith were the instiga-
tors of the disturbances At midnight, on
the 10th Of April, according to the statement made
by the captain and cook, the mutiDy really began
The ship WAS then, the captain estimates, in about
latitude 2}o w. by longitude 40 NJ, or about 600
or 200 miles from the British coast. The two
mates had already been murdered before the captain
became aware Of the position of things. About |
o'clock he SAYS, he was awakened by Millers knock
ing at his door and shouting to him to to the
forecastle 10 see a man who had broken his leg On
openipp the door he observed Miller standing with
one hand behind his back and countenancc that
did not at all events betOken peace. Tie asked him
who il was who was hurt and receiving the vague
reply 90 do not know, but come and see he IN
qured where were the mates, but before he could
receive a reply, his wife who appeared to have sns-
picion that something wrong, warned him from
within the cabin not go. Fortunately he did not or
at all events he did not venture forth till he was armed
with revolver. Meanwhile, finding that the mates
were not in their berths he drew his conclusions that
something serious had happened. The ships cook,
who had been called from his bed by Miller, went to
the captain and inquired what was the matter All
that the latter could tell him was that the mates
were not in their cabins. The cook thereupon went
on deck, and when Miller and the other two men had
gone TO the forecaste he went forward as far AZ the
deckhouse where the bcrths of all the able seaEnen
were situated. Seeing the Russian and Smith talk
ing together he asked again, Where are the
mates n to which the only reply he got was another
request from Miller to come forward and see the man
with the broken leg. He emphaticaly refused
to go forward, adding: Don't fool me.' Seeing
nothing of the officers of the ship and noticing the
demcanor of the men, he was satisfied that revolt
was being arranged, and he at once informed the
captain who now came forward armed as above
stated and called upon the men to submit to his aIi-
thority. The only reply he received was q shower
of missiles hurled at the officers quarters at the
stern of the ship Bottles bolts pieces of cast iron,
portions of smashed grindstone, were made use of
by the mutineers. In response to this, their first
sign of open warfare the captain fired his revolver
This caused the men to withdraw to the deck
house for shelter. The men showing no
DISPOSITION to emerge from their shelter,
the captain held consultation with his
faithful ally Akin, the cook, aud with his
assistance collected all the available firearms
three REVIEWERS and dOuble-barreled gun-and
made ready for renewed attack The men, how
ever, did not emerge from tiieir quarters and at
o'clock in the morning, when day had broken. and
singuarly enough perfect calm had succeeded the
boisterous weather that had attended, them without
intermssion from Boston, the captain crept thther
and finding the men all cozing, he hit upon the
happy expedient of nail; up the deck-house door
They did not offer any opposition to this course,
but persstently refused to surrender themselves,
and declared they would not yield submission
to the captain Capt Patterson, though in this dire
extremity and suffering an anxiety which can easily
be IMAGINED, acted apparently with great mercy.