The Portland daily press., 1884-08-25
THE JULIA BAKER.
Peter Gomez, Steward of fhe Cra 9, Gives
His Version of tise Pirasical Perform

Peter GomeZ, steward OF the Ora ., GIves
His Version of the Pirasical Perform
ance.
NEW YORK Aug. 23.-When the steamship Glen
fuegos of the Ward line, arrived at her pier this
morning, the purser of the vessel handed to officer
Thomas McParlan, of the steamboat squad, a
sealed package from the United states Consul at
the island of Nassau and the chief Of police there
giving information about Peter Gomez, lately stew
ard of the schooner Julia Baker, whose captain,
james Lewis, is supposed to have been murdered
by Mate Walker, who is in custody at Key West.
Gomez who had taken passage under the name of
John Williams, taken by McParlan to police
headquarters. The letter of the consul stated that
he had no evidence that murder had been COM
mtted, but that there was abundant evidence OF
robbery of the vessel and sale OF the cargo by the
mate and Gomez. Gomez had escaped from the
Julia Baker and had come to N, sSau in wreckng
vessel Gomez is of medium size, slender but wlry,
with large partially bald head. black hair, nous
tache and Imperial, and has bright, FESTIVE black
eyes. He told the following story of his connection
with the Julia Baker:
~ shipped on board the Julia Baker, as steward,
at $50 per month. We sailed on June B, bound for
Martinique and Trinidad, and return, with cargo
of lumber and flour. We went down the bay with
good wind but just at dark the captain was taken
sick, and We came to anchor OF Red Bank. He
asked me for mustard plaster, but there was no
mustard. The mate gave him some medicine. We
lay off Red Bank until morning, and then sailed on
our voyage. The captain was sick four days and
then died. During his illness he called on Henry
Walker, the mate. for brandy, which was given TO
him. On the fourth day got half yard OF fame
soaked 1t in water and wrapped it around his chest,
where he complained of pain. He died in about
two hours after that. This was inlthe morning, and
in the afternoon he was buried at sea, the crew
having demanded it, through fear that sickness
might result from his body being kept on board.
This occurred about 100 miles off the Bermndss ac-
cordiDg to the mates reckoning. The mate then
took command of the vessel but instead Of heading
for Martinique where she was consigned, he headed
her for Long Key, an English seaport in the West
Indies. He said that he going there 10 get wa
ter. From Long Key she went to Orange Key,
rocky, barren point where she lay at anchor, and
smack came alongside. At Long Key, the mate dis
posed of the deck load of lumber, and used the
money, he said to pay for the fresh water that he
took on board. AT another point near Long Key,
he disposed of 100 barrels of -four for what price
don't know, but there were rumors that it was
small one grew tired of remaining on the vessel,
thinking that something crooked was going on, and
told the mate that wouldn't stay any longer, as
was required to by the Sailing articles, which
called for voyage direct to Martinique. He told
me to go to -. / then boarded the smack, was
then taken to Bimini, from there went to Nassau,
and from Nassau came to This port, paying $25 for
my passage. When left the vessel, the mate told
the authorities shore that John Villa ms, an
American seaman, had left the ship. was known
the smack and at BImini and Nassau John
Williams. At Bimini, there judge named
Stuart, who, upon hearing my story, gave me let
ter of introduction the American vice consul at
Nassau, under the name of John Williams.