Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-10-19
A "REMINISCENCES OF the REBEL.
LION.

Over the signature of Rustler," Cap
tain Tom Stratton, of Port Angeles,
contributes the sketch following to the
Port Townsend Argus:
As few of your readers ever heard how
the Collector of Customs, Victor Smith,
captured the Shubriok, then revenue
cutter in this district, from the officers
and crew, thought it would interest
them, az l can give the full particulars,
having been on board at the time.
In '63 or ga. after Victor Smith, the
then Collector of Customs, had estab-
lished the port of entry at Port Angeles,
he commenced erecting buildings for
custom house and marine hospital, and,
to carry out his idea of economy, util-
lied the forces under his control in their
construction. Inspectors and revenue
cutter we're all made to do their share of
the work. The Shubrick was then in
command Of Capt. Pease, and was made
to do the freighting of brick. lime and
lumber. greatly to the disgust of the Of
ficers and crew. She made several trips
to Port Madison and other places for
brick and lumber, and it was laughable
to see old Collins. the boatsWain, piping
the men on board with lumber on their
shoulders growing and stumbling at
every step. This went o. for some time,
Capt. Pease demonstrating with the Col
lector against such humiliating work,
which he said was beneath the dignity
of the service which he represented, and
had demOralizing effect ON his officers
tentiOn to them. At length Capt. Pease
nd l.ro nfH mr. al
no longer, and concluded to leave this
station and go to San Francisco with
the cutter, without asking permission,
and then lay their case before the SEQ
rotary of the Treasury. In the mean
time, keeping their own counsel, they
| got permission to coal and wood up,
which they did with an eye to their
intended trip to San Francisco; for it
| was found afterward that she had on
board eighty tons of coal and forty
cords of wood. Whether the Collector
was informed of their intention or not,
| don't know; but certain it was he had
got wind of something and laid his plans
accordingly, which succeeded to his en-
tire satisfaction.
About that time there arrived at Port
Angeles a special agent, d. w. Brown,
to investigate the custom house affairs,
to whom the Collector appealed, and got
his sanction to discharge the officers
and crew, il was said, by charging the
officers with secession proclivities, and
he feared they were about to turn the
Shubrick into rebel cruiser, strength
ening his suspicious by the extra fuel
taken on board without his consent
How true this was / don't know, but
subsequent events which transpired loo
me to believe that something of the
kind WAS suspected and told to Special
Agent Brown to get his consent to whai
he was about to do without informing
the officers of the Shubrick.
Our country was at that time bleeding
at every pore, and sanitary funds were
collected everywhere to alleviate tht
sufferinRs of our soldiers in tho field
Victor smith, the Collector, and p. d
Moore, the Deputy, were very active col
lsctinS funds for that purpose. On,
morning the Collector said TO me:
do you want to go to Victorian
"Yes," said.
"Weil," said he, "give me three dol
lars for the sanitary fund and you Cal
90 over on the Shubrick."
This / willingly did, not having tn,
least suspicion of what was going :,
transpire on land.
when get on board / was astonishel
to see 80 many passengers, and said x
] myself, The sanitary f0nd has made I
! nice raise, If all these men have pait
! three dollars. like me-" We got unde
way and steamed out Of the harbor
Capt. Pease aud officers directing every
] thing az M al. l noticed the Collecto
and Special Agent in Close conversation
all the time, and the other passenger
standing In mysterious groups abou
, the quarter deck. After crossing til
center of the Straits of Fuca into Brit
, ian waters the revenue flag was haule<
|. down and the national dag hoisted up
: AZ Is the custom. The Collector callet
Cant. Pease and his officers together
and, without any preliminAries, said:
: II relieve you of all further c0mmant
, ON board Of this vessel, together will
, the crew; and until further orders THU
: vessel 10 under the command OF Lieut.
James Helden."
. / noticed that what thought Yer
, passengers collected together on tn
. ssme side of the quarterback. and clos
D TO the Collector. And when no had mad
: his little speech. Capt. Poasc turned 4
them and said:
lou o8uu0 Oh UuASo Vi soio oobP y
take the command ont Of my hands: d
Won think you could do il II objected
, No. air. One word from me and yo
1 would NOT remain . minute on thi
: ouarter-deck; bat submit, KNOWN
|. tnas viii receive Justice from tn
! hands Of the department. which reE
: | resent Turning 10 his officers he said
4 - Gentlemen, let us prepare 70 leave ID
shfp," and they went below. =
AZ the time l was Standing al0nRsid
Lieut.. Sslden, and vas perfectly aston
9 iahed at what heard, and, turning :
3 Seldeu, said:
what dos this mean?"
al do mot know be replied; "som
!. Of Victor Smiths nev arrangements"
All di.oipline wAa at an end. Tho oil
= crew did mot know what 70 make Of
for awhile, bat soon learned how thing
stood and became very insolent 70 tboa
whom the Collector had brought o
/ bnard 70 replace them, interfering Wit
3 them ON every occasion. There M
! only ouo sailor amnnQ them, and b Va
! eent 70 tho whoel. Il wna thou ] -
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