River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-11-04
- . -
WHO WAS HE!
The Mysterious sailor Who Commit
ted Suicide soon After Clearing
Port

i
At 9 o'clock last Thursday morning
the brig Marion, owned by Galway &
Cascade of No 81 Broad street, this
city set sail for the port of San Bias
Her captain and crew was well known
to each other with the exception of one
man who excited the greatest curiosity
among his mates, and was talked
about from the moment that he APP
| piled for his position, three days before
the ship sailed. This was Ward Bas-
sett, the steward u gentlemanly look
ing man with pale complexion, and
the look more of a lawyer than sailor.
All went well on shipboard until yes
terday morning at o'clock, when one
of the sailors rushed to the cabin and
cried: My God, captain, come and see
what is the matter with the strange
steward" The captain and first mate
went forward at once, and found the
poor fellow in the cooks galley lying
partly on one side, deadly pale and
moaning piteously. They raised him
to sitting posture, when suddenly the
blood gushed from hole i'll the right
side of his head, and making a closer
examination, they found bullet hole
in his right temple, and moment
later picked up a small silver-plated
revolver with which he committed the
deed He was carried to Capt Durfee's
cabin and placed upon mattress on
the floor, while orders were given to put
the ship about at once and return TO
New York with all possible speed.
The captain then kneeled down be-
side the sufferer and said:
What made you do this?"
II dare not tell YOU" he replied.
The captain then said:
Well you will tell me who you are,
won't you?"
Il cannot" was the reply. 1t is
better as it is.
These were the last words he spoke,
though he lived until the vessel reached
Staten Island, dying at 10:40 A. NJ
William T. Poole, first mate of the
Marion, said that he had talked with
the man the night before, when he
seemed very moody and depressed in
spirits. 1t was evident to him that the
mans standing in life had been much
above his last occupation, but it had
been impossible to get from him any
thing about his antecedents.
The second mate. Barnard WescOmb,
who was little better acquainted with
the suicide than the rest Of his ship
mates, said:
was struck at once with the mans
appearance, as, indeed, was everybody
who came in contact with him, and
talked with him several times. He was
far above his position. The afternoon
before he took his life | overheard him
say to a sailor, who was complaining
that the coffee was weak: Well, WELL
my man, you will not blame me to-
morrow and, seeing his face as he
turned quietly and went below. | was
fearful that something would happen.
When | went to him early this morn
ing, however, to borrow small oil-can
he was dressed and moving about, and
replied pleasantly to my salutation. |
suppose the case may be chalked down
as another Of the countless stories and
rOmances we read of day after day,
yet always doubt and disbelieve until
they are brought to us face to face"
Capt Durfee, rs soon as he dropped
anchor, came ashore and notified Coro-
ner Edward Gafiney, of Stapleton
effects of the deceased, which afforded
no clue to his identity, nothing being
marked. The body was taken to the
morgue, where it now lies. 1t was that
of a tinely-formed man, about IS years
old, feet 10 inches in height. The
coroner began an inquest to-day, but
adjourned it till Saturday morning at
II o'clock, when there is some expec-
tation of getting at the facts of the
poor fellows life.