New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-06-30
RIVER THIEVES REPULSED.
GALLANT FIGHT OF A sLooP's CAPTAIN.
ONE OF HIS AssAILANrs DANGEROUSLY WOUNDED
TERsnRs oE LILLE EAST RIVER.


TERRoRs OF THE EAST RIVER.
The sloop Barthenia came down the East River
with the tide on saturday, and mOored at the fooo
of Market-st She was loaded to the waters edge
with cargo of toothsome WhitestOne clans and
oysters. On Saturday night her captain, Charles
Hyatt, paid of his crew, is customary after
successful voyage. and they went on shore to spend
their money Neither Of the crew, which consisted
of the captains father-in-law and a small weather.
beaten Long Island boy, returned that night, and
Captain Hyatt left in sole charge of his vessel
This was no slight matter for the East River at
that point is infested with band of thieves known
as the Why Gang" who make a systematic bust
ness of stealing whatever they can carry of from
the decks of vessels along the shore. week ago
the gang cut fsherman's small cat-boat loose from
her fastenings aud neither the boat 100 pounds
of fish that were on board was seen by her owner
again. The brilliant electric lights along the river
front do not stop the depredations of these
pirates. Captain Hyatt is a bod man. He loaded
his revolver and placed II in his hip pocket His
ships lantern hung over the gangplank, and tai.
low candle lie up a small stand which he improvised
on the deck of the Barthenia. 1t was his inten-
tion to do rafting trade with the young men and
their sweethearts who In the habit of boarding
the Barthenia Sundays, and eating the succuIenc
CLANS ready opened on her decks. Something hap
AS the hardy mariner busily 4" bustn' open"
the bivalyes at o'clock in the morning, three stall
wart fellows walked across the gangplank and
accosting the captain, demanded plate of clans
for each. Captain Hyatt suspected trouble, for
the yOnng men were drunk and they had ugly looks.
But Captain Hyatt's duty was plain, and he pro-
ceeded to do it. He helped each customer to plato
full of clans. When they had eaten about half OF
them they demanded more The captain replied that
he must be paid for what they had eaten frst
This remark aroused the visitors "Payw the
three yelled in unison. "Pay be blanked. We
never pay.n
"Git Oft this ERE sloop then" said the captain.
ave will take you and your old sloop to sea and
drown you, you blank blank blank" was the savage
reply.
One of the rutians ran out to the pier, and whip
ping out knife proceeded to cut the lines that
held the ship fast The other two promptly at
tackled Captain Hyatt A short but savage struggle
epsued the slippery deck of. the Barthenia, and
the valiant sloopsman went down under the com.
bined influence of the double assault and a wen
deck. Oyster and clam shells were scattered all
over. The stand was upset, and the tallow dip
being extngulshed the combatants fought on IN the
uncertain light of the ships lantern.
1t was fariug hardly with the captain, and he was
forced at last to draw his revolver. 1t was some
seconds before he had an opportunity to use It,
Then a ball went crashing into the back OF Que OK
the ruflians. The wounded man screamed with
pain and both loOsing their hold upon the PROSTATE
sailor, fed across the gangplank and out OF sight
up the Their companion ceased his efforts 70
cut the Barthenia loose. and fed also. Captain
HYATT arose. and wiping the blood from bis face
began to traghten things on deck and ascertain
the amount of damage
Two hours later two men assisted third who was
bleeding profusely from wound IN the back INTO
Chambers Street Hospital. After getting him INSIDE
the doors of the institution the two men went away,
The surgeons came out, inspected the mans wound.
and found it dangerous and probably tatal. lne
wounded man said that he was George Weeks, ago
81 of No. 112 Monroe-st He refused to state how he
got his wound or the names of his two companions:
After awhile the police heard of the attray, and
Officer Kelly sent TO arrest Captain Hyatt Ha
was taken to the Tombs, and on the representations
he was held. Weeks is known. to the police as Q
leading member of the Why Gangp They assert
that they know his companions also. One of them
Is named Mulligan