Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-05
MURDERED AT SEA.
Captain LewIs's Death Part eta Prearrasssd |
Plan by Pirates.

IPhilsdcphla IlnlesI
The story Of the schooner Julia Baker
and her murdered captain continues to be
The all.absorbing topic OF conversation IN
shipping circles in this ely. Inc iifst
statements were 50 strange and sounded 50
much like stray leaf from Harryatt or
Cooper that they were received with some
measure OF doubt.
eve are getting down to facts about TINS
Mystery" said Albert Merritt, one OF the
owners OF the schooner, last evening. "Ihe
shipping master in New York who put the
crew on board the schooner now says that
the mate. Henry Walker, and Peter Gomez,
the COOK. were very anxious TO be shipped
ON board of last schooner bound Tor the
West Iudits with a miscellaneous cargo.
They offered hlm twice the usual fee TO
find them such vessel. This excited no
susnision at the time, but read in the light
O, the larc developments conv!Gces iiim
that they had made plot to seize the YES
sci, sell her cargo, and cruise about the
West indies as pirates, On ihcL recon-
mendation he shipped three inan, who were
no doubt their sccOmplices in the pos;
One Of item, Tom smith. was Dfuti
sccundrci, Lesring the reputation OF ucs-
pcruie and dang rous character. lhe owner
iCo men. Olaf, Norwegian, snd 'DieA'
Swedc. were ignorant dots, ana !u''
such men as could be easily led by an un-
princlp!ed scoundrci Of superior lnseut-
gcncc.
THEY did not belle their appearance,
for, according 10 the statement OF ne crew,
t,artain Lewis died after drinking OF
iouids or medicines given to HIN by the
mate and cook. As soon as life was ON OF
| the body they tossed /. over the side OF the
/ vessel TO the sharks. Walker then assumed
/ charge Of the vessel. The crew were called
/ M. and the new captain made speech IN
| which be said: Now is The time ior us 10
mike some money The course Of The vessel
was then changed TO Fortune Island.
/ walker. representing himself a Captain
IewIs cold "a deck load Of lumber 10 oil
the casks with water. me fessei Jay tlere
, ,'~ht DAYS, and then sailed FOR MAJ VA,
! wborS !, alkcr still continued TO Use the
dead captsin's name. selling -four al htl'
,,,.;oo 10 The American Consul. Leirninx
! q, tho cxnected arrival Of another vessel OF
t5,e same lire. the vessel Left lnagua 20 hur-
rredly that the manifest Of the cargo was
| len with the Consul at that poT'. FdlIihg
| 10 wifb the British schooner Mary Jane, OF
Natsa,. several barrels OF -four were trans
I
serted. taking % 600 with him.
"The crew became suspicious OF war
Lo,.s intentions towaTta. ...aienh, ana by iDeii
vigilance any scheme TO desert 'heni anu
escape vas frustrated, The Yesset q"
! trance into Key West without her manifest
made her an Object ci Suspicion from tn'
fyi. which changed into certainty, wnei
we began TO telegraph TO the authorities
Orr telerrams and the statements OF t2'
crew cave the officials sufficient eYideDc
10 nrocced, and the United States Commits
sioner has committed WALKER to Jail Tor eS
animation to-day, aud held the crew a
witnesses"
Tay telegraph 10 as pispaseh.l
The Mate Of the Julia Baker Held for Tria
Next November.
KEY WEST, FLA, August 4.-Mate Waih
or. of the schooner Julia Baker. VINO IA
! beeu penonsting Captain Lewis, the dea
master OF that vessel, was to-day arralSae
, before Commissioner Locke on the chars
, 81 running away with the vessel ahd oil
, posiny Of her cargo. The testimony prove
I Tint the master was sick when the Vess
sailed aud continued SO for SIX days. "
The sixth day the man at the wheel saw u
captain fall from his char in the caoil
0 He was picked up Dy 'ne w
i and steward and laid on mn
a trsss ON the cabin floor. They the
q administered something to him from DO
!, lie. and the master died in few mil
. u,es. The mate Immediately change
; the vessels course 10 as TO reach bahan
4 Islands. She was originally bound Il
: Trinidad. Arriving at Fortune Islam
o the mate sold the decs-load OF iumeti, az
then went to Inagua, where he sold son
flour and bread. The vessel was III.
!. taken 20 On unihhsbted island, where -
!. met a small schooner. The meeting u.
nrobsbly been arranged at inagua. Tue u
!. Ter vessel took on board 100 barrels OF no.
and departed, Mate Walker going WIKI ne
!. Walker returned with her in hve. di.
q having been able to sell only twelve barre
n Of The -four. He gave the small schoon
" twenty barrels for her services ana
left. The steward ran away in her, Jun
ing on board over the julia Bakers steI
The latter came directly to this port Wh
the balance OF her cargo OF flour was olef
'' for sale at i've dollars per barrel.
Walker was held in the sun OF S2,ooo
trial at the November term Of the court