The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-03-10
THE SHIP FANNY TUCKER.
Attempt OF a Rescued Crew to Enlimidate
her Captain.

The voyage of the ship Fanny Tucker of
Wiscasset, Capt. Joseph NJ Roberts, which
arrived at Boston Thursday from Calcutta,
was somewhat eventful, and came near being
attended with tragic result. The ship sailed
from Calcutta on the oath of last September,
with valuable general cargo The officers
and crew, mostly Englishmep, numbered %,
and the Captain was accompanied by his
family, consisting of his wife and a lady COM
panion and daughter. On the 22d of October,
at O'Clock p NJ, when in latitude GO N. long
itude 85a E., Capt Roberts fell in with the
English ship Kate Gregory, bound from Cal
cutta to Point ST. Gail, which was on fire and
past all hope Of saving. He laid by the burn
ing vessel two days, and then took off the
officers and crew, consisting of fifty-one per-
sons. Nothing was saved from the burning
ship, but Notwithstanding the large increase to
his passenger list, Capt Roberts provided we'll
for the rescued crew, and all went on we'll
until the 18th of November, when Capt.
Roberts began to observe signs of discomfort
among the officers and crew of the Kate
Gregory. The Fanny Tucker was at this time
in 2l' S. Ion. 61o E. The crew of the British
ship attempted mutiny, being headed by the
captain and mates. The former demanded of
Capt. Roberts that he should change his course
for the Isle OF Mauritius, thera to land himself,
his officers and crew. This Capt. Roberts de-
clined doing, as it would take him considerably
out OF his course. Anticipating trouble he
called his men aft and placed guard on the
poop deck to watch the movements of the NAL.
contents. He went to his arms-room where he
had twelve muskets and two brace of pistols,
and had the weapons put in good order.
The English captain, up to this time, was
ignorant OF the fact that there were any arms
on board. AS soon as he and his men dis
covered this fact they fell back and made no
offensive demonstration for fifteen days. AT
the end of that time, during which Capt.
Roberts treated the captain of the Kate
Gregory like gentleman, the latter demanded
that the Fanny Tucker should run ahead of
an English ship in which she was in company.
and he and his crew should be set adrift in the
night in the boats of his ship
10 set men adrlft on the high seas is grave
offence and punishable with death, and not
wishing to incur the risk of being hung, Can't.
Roberts refused to comply with the demand.
He talked with the mutinous captain, warning
him of the consequences if he persisted in his
conduct, and Kept him under restraint until
the vessel arrived in Algoa Bay, Cape of Good
Hope, when, on the Goth Of December, the
rescued men were landed after being on board
~ days. Capt. Roberts gave his consent to the
landing OF all the personal effects of the officers
and crew of the Kate Gregory, but retained
the boats as the property of his ship until the
salvage should be paid There were three
Roberts was on shore the English Captain wept
ON board with some of his men and took awav
the boats by force The facts were reported
to the Collector, who stopped the sale Of the
Doats and they were left in charge of the
United States Consul.