Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-07-03

| Blenker, chief clerk; Frank Perkins, second
clerk; Henry Bumgardner, mate; Henry c
Smith, second mate; Lewis Quick, first engi-
| neer; Cyrus Graham, second; Lem Gray and
| William Flowers, pilots. Captain Crane hal
been on the river long time, and this /!
the first serious accident that ever oc
| Cured to a boat under his command
| Before the war Captain Crane was on the
| Woolford, Baltic, Golden Gate, Indiana
| Bee, Jennett-all sidewheel steamers in the
| St. Louis or Mississippi and tributaries
Since the war he has commanded the steam.
ers Minnehaha, David White, Adam Jacobs
| Belle Memphis, City of Cairo, and Capito
| City. He Is one of the most efficient and re-
| liable steamboatmen in the Union, and
| worthy gentleman, who commands the re-
| spect and confidence of the public. The Cap
| itol City cost sixty FIVE thousand dollars, and
was valued at forty-fve thousand.
TIE ELEVATOR BUILDING.
The elevator building, which was destroyed
was also owned by the st. Louis packet com.
pany. Work on this building was com.
| menced November 8, 1871, and was COM
was one hundred and twenty-five thousand
dollars. The Inflated steamer City of Ches-
ter was the first boat of the line to unload al
the elevator after its completion. There was
no insurance, and the entire loss falls upon
the company. The building was in charge Of
Captain AID Storm, who Is the compa-
ny's superintendent in this city.
The crew on duty consisted of h. J. Rice,
| mate; VIM. Alberts and Charles III. Forbes,
engineers; N. G. Duke. dischargIne clerk;
James M Mems, receiving clerk; Frank Dow
ell, collectors; II. c. Lowe, bill clerk; George
M CHM, cooper; Thomas Thompson. watch
man; Bob Taylor, Squire Dobson, Bill Dick
ems and Enamel Boyd, porters.
THE LOSSES AND INSURANCE.
The loss on freight, will, in many instan-
ces, lead to lawsuits, as several of the mer-
chants who had freight destroyed, had it in
sured in their open policies. and question
Will be raised by insurance companies as to
their responsibility, twenty-four hours after
the freight had been recesved at this port.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
There is no doubt but that the Inflated
City of Chester, the Anchor-line boat which
burned at the elevator building some weeks
since, was set on fire by some malignant in
cendiary. That the steamer Capitol City was
set on fire by incendiaries yesterday morning
does not admit of a doubt. Threats had been
made by negro roustabouts that the elevator
and boats of the Arch line would suffer
from some imaginary wrong done somebody
who had been discharged, refused work, or
something of that character. This opinion Is
to certain extent justified by tie vindictlve
remarks heard uttered by that class of people.
THE RUIN AND WRECK.
Our reporter visited the scene of the calam-
ity yesterday afternoon. At the elevator
nothing could be seen but the charred stumps
of hundred piles, all that was left of a build
ing covering nearly an acre of ground. The
building is burned down to the floor of the
second story, the frat story being at present
which has partially disappeared beneath the
muddy waters, can be seen a vast quantity of
flour, meal and other supplies. These are
scattered far and wide, and are scorched by
the flames and damaged by water. Yester-
day afternoon scores of negroes, with
shovels, ETC., were providing around the
smouldering ruins, digging and prospecting
sacks which they filed with the damaged
meal and -four, and they picked up anyth ing
and everything which to them appeared OF
any value. These were the ghouls or pirates
of society, who lived on plumber and robbie
ry, and rejoiced at the misfortunes of others,
when such misfortune gave them an oppor
tunity to take that which belonged not to
them.
THE WRECK.
When our commissioner visited the wreck
of the Capitol City, which f1oated below the
foot of Beale street some two hundred yards,
he found crowd of people on the bank and
on board the wreck. The boat presented
scene of ruin and destruction almost incom
prehensible. The hull floated on the water
like a duck, and but little water was to be
found within. The main deck was burned
and charred from stem TO stern. The guards
on each side had fallen into the water; the
big warehouses had tumbled outward,
leaving the wheels to be seen half
submerged in the water. On the
main decka curious scene was to be observed.
A hundred or more men, women and chill
dren prowled around. stepping over obstruc-
tions and gazing into the dark hull. One
chimney had fallen overheard, the other lay
bent and broken on the forward deck. The
boilers, six IN number, are in place in the
midst of all the broken and
melted machinery The engines are
In position, and are not dam
aged to any great extent. The
her main deck and had burnt evei thing
from bow to rudder-post, and had tossed and
tumbled things around In curious manner.
The Capitol City still floats as lively as a cork,
notwithstanding the trial by fire which she
had passed through.
THE LOSSES.
The elevator was erected in 1871 at a cost
of nearly 1926, 900. The Capitol City was
valued at about $4,000. The Memphis and
st. Louis packet company take out no insu-
rance; the company takes its own risks. The
burning of the City of Chester, the Capitol
City and the elevator has inflicted a loss on
the packet company of not less than $3.50, 900
this year at the port OF Memphis.
His Mothers ExecutiOner.
There is now occupying the Russian crimi-
nal tribunals a tragedy which throws into the
shade the gloomiest ImaginiDgs of the old
Greek playwrights. 1t is the murder of a
mother by her son, a child nine years old.
The story is one of the most appalling in the
whole annals of human crime, and withal it
is heart-touching as showing the misdirection
of a noble nature. For the motive of the
crime was honor, and the son slew his
mother that her blood might wash out the
stain her infdelity had put upon her hus-
bands name. The case Is a most remarkable
one. There seems TO be no evidence of a
vicious disposition on the part of the boy.
On the contrary, he seems to have had low |
ing heart, and to have been tenderly attached
20 his dead father; but cloud came over his
young existence, when his mother, forgetting
her duty to the living and the dead, contract
ed an illicit alliance with government en-.
plOye. The woman seems to have troubled |
herself little to conceal her amours from her |
son, thinking that child of such tender |
years would not be likely to pay any atten- |
lion to her actions. She does not seem to |
have ever suspected the precocious sensibility |
Of her child. He expostulated with her to no |
purpose. She, however, lost her temper, and, |
ordering the child to hold his tongue, dis |
missed him CURLY. This action of the widow |
decided her son to carry out his murderous |
resolution. The following night he again en- |
tered his mothers bedroom and, finding her |
asleep, with one blow of the hatchet he |
killed her. He then took the body, which he |
dragged to the grave he had prepared, and |
here inferred it.
A Citizen Fatally Shot by a Sport.
ST. LOUIS, July About four o'clock this
evening Jules B. Rozier, travelling sales
nan of Dozier, We'll & Co., of this city, and |
Jus Berning, said to be gambler, had an
alteration opposite Whites saloon, near the
Olympic theater. and the latter shot the for