The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-08-05
THE GOV. MORTON CASE.
,y,a, ia said About IL Around Row

and The destruction Of that vessel have excite
ON much comment. Those directly intereste
are loud III their expressions Of disgust at th
obsrees made against the cargo, and those VIII
made the charges claim that they are perfect
legitimate. The case has excited so much al
tention that BsHeoRAF reporter made 1t hi
bnspess Yesterday TO look about and gather whs
be could on the subject.
Al first there was strong disinclihsliun ON th
part Of those who knew most TO speak 1T all upol
the subject, but after awhile this wore away an,
more loauacits was shown.
| The arst person interviewed was Mr.. d.
wursburgsr, the chief deputy marshal.
Repcrter.-Mr. Wurzbufgsr, l dropped In 10 gel
| YOU about the Gov. Morton case. There are man,
flying reports
aestts ABOUT THE STREETS
relative TO the charges on the cotton saved from
the vessel Dan you tell me anything about them
Mr.. Wnfsbafger-I can tell you that thess
charges did not come from the marshals office
sir. The cargo WAS sold for something 1vel
t2g, 600, and II was almost consumed by the
charges against II thai Under the Law. have TO be
rAtB BEFORE BoFbisa.
The appraisers bill was one dollar per bale for
appfaiaing. The towboat bill WAS about $4,000.
and the HtsV6uvfH'S SbbD5 OF Ul0fes Inc Dnly
Tie marshal inesiffed against the cotton was a
little over $500 fur Insurance, which Insurance was
transferred over 10 the purchasers OF the cotton
after the auction sale.
Hep.-Do you know anything about The seizure
of the vesselY
MIR. Wufzburgef- The mention came into our
Office and the usual formalities were compiled
with. It was
ttfsf THE SAME
AZ ID every case.
The reporter next visited Capt. Davis, who
commanded the ship Gov. Morton.
Reporter ! have called on you TO
make a statement regarding the alleged high
charges made against The damaged cargo on your
chip.
say anything. You come across the street and
see Capt. Ivy. II he ssys 10 will be ell right, I'll
make 4 statement. Ny testimony will show sv-
ervthipg up, ~ l will be, doubtless, cross.
examined.
re,sd to take your cotton and guard II for about
oneahalf Of that charged by the Atlantic
Pfese2
Capt. Davis-1 don't want to say anything about
that, or anything else.
The reporter aud The captain then adjourned
over 10 Capt. ", The popular average adinster.
Capt Ivy exhibited the protest OF the captain
made at The time Of his arrival here after the dig
astef, and he alluded 70 the opposition made TO
bonding the wreck. That every obstacle was
In cash had to be raised TO cover charges.
The following il the testimony Of Capt. Davis,
taken yesterday.
Capt. Davis testified attn master of the Gov.
Morton, and WAS for yesr before the fire, and
continued until her destruction In regard 10 all
the affairs Of the Are, / dssire TO make full
statement. took mp the ship for arimsby with
a full cargo of cotton. with quick Dispatch We
loaded III about fortnight. We wanted about
lao bales to Gil the ship, which We did not gel.
The last portion OF the cotton Was not screwed
III, but simply rolled In.
We put on the matches aud they were not
caplked We had considerable eordage which
was temporarily stored away. When | got the
crew on board intended TO have them store the
cofdage in the hstehway, The hstchways OF the
Gov. Morton are different from thoss OF ordinary
ships. On the trip down the river slept WE'LL
We left on Saturday afternoon aud arrived at
the passes Sunday and anchored at Pilot Town.
On Monday night II was 80 hot in .he cabin vas
obliged to sleep on deck ! slept there up to the
time OF the FIRE. The Thermometer stood SO TO
ST. After Monday 10 went up to 81 In the cabin.
On Tuesday | told the mate TO stow the cord
age. After the crew had filed the hatchwsy
with cordage, / told the mate TO leave the hatch
way open 10 ventillate the ship and cargo. On
the I'd OF July | was sleeping on deck, when the
mate cried out that the ship was on fire. We ran
forward aud alarmed the crew. The pumps were
manned and hose rugged, and we fought the fire
as long az we could.
whei, Jaw that it was no use | told the men
10 put the matches on and to make the ship as
tight 40 they could with tsrpaulips Then | told
them to prepare the boats and to bring all their
baggage eff to be ready TO leave. rang the
BELLS and sent off rockets for assistance.
A boat from an Italian bark came TO our az
,istanoe with ten men and they got off the ships
,kiff. They were afraid the mainmast would fall
md went off about 300 yards The mate then
vas leaking and If we didn't get of soon we could
lot leave At all. The rowlock Of one OF the boats
,oud not be found and we had TO tow IL.
Ia consideration OF the condition OF the mates |
,oat told him not TO go TO the shore but to the |
lark. l got the skitf, with tive men, from Pilot |
Town to tow the boat with me and the baggage |
shore to the Telegraph Station. / tried to get |
omebody TO take care Of the baggage but could |
Ind no one. was left destitute and alone with |
he carpenter. The skih left me and was not |
bio to get off. II was after daylight. The ship |
lad been towed at this time oh the flats by The
Jerry.
Capt. Burdick came mp to the Perry and said he
santed to scuttle the ship, and asked for an axe.
.fter he returned told the second mate to 60 on
card and let go the starboard anchor. which he
id. We then went around the ship, aud re-
named there until the Heroine came there. They
'ere pumping on the ship. The Heroine took
osition alongside the Perry, ran her hose over
Or and began pumping. attempted TO direct cot
apt. of the Perry told me had nothing to do
ith Il. that they had charge OF "thst little
hing"
At noon the ship was filled with water and the
re under control; when sthe Ocean came up
said nothing to Capt. Mcclellan, and he went
n. Afterwards the Rio Grande came to the
aip was Ashore when she came rending mos
ages; after she arrived / asked Capt. Burdck
hat she was there for, and he said che had been
ant there. considered the ship saved before
lat time. On the 3D. there was barge with men
ischarging the cargo and the mate kept . tally.
One Of the barges with 348 bales was sent over
} the telegraph wharf, and felt anxious about
and sent dispatch over that line and ID was
over delivered. also afterwards learned that
70 had been sent me which never received.
A second barge was towed to the same wharf,
nd during the change Of boats 1T took fire. an d
was put out. In the meantime the ship was
wed to the city. They didn't stop for me and
wed her straight mp.
A man named Dick stayed on board oil the
me until everybody was driven off. The men
,t into my rum locker and stayed there until
10 liquor gave out. Dick drank until it was
,ne.
The reason left the ship when did, was the
port that the mato male that the boat was