Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-02
A STRANGE SEA STORY.
MYSTERIOUS Actions Of a Philadelphia Vessel
iR West Indian Waters.


A New York special says: Captain Kelly,
Of the schooner Annie ID. Merritt, which
arrived Yesterday from BTacoa, tells a
strange story Of the mysterious movements
Of the schooner Julia Baker in West Indian
waters, which. like his own vessel, is
owned by the fTuit-imporling firm OF War
ner e MCrri {, Philadelphia. He says the
Annie ,. Merritt left New York for
GusdaIoupe June 10th with cargo Of
flour and lumber
"On the Slh OF July. while was at Bdra-
Goa, Cuba, the Baker appeared OFF shore
and was boarded by pilot. They refused
to come in. however. The pilot knew
Captain Lewis. having taken him IN many
times. and. not seeing him about tle
schooner, and noticing the strange look OF
things aboard, speedily got into the boat
and left her. The schooner then made : il
and stood in the direction Of lnanguI.
where She arrived next day, rs reported by
Captsin Mcdora, Of the schooner Phoebe,
now in this port.
"Captain Mcdora told me that the acting
captain Of the Julia Baker, whoever he was,
had sold at that port 40 barrel. Of -four a:
50 per barrel. He was asked 10y the buyer
II he knew Captain Medors, Of the Phoebe.
lie said he had heard Of him, and on being
told that the Phoebe was due at the Island
Of Inagua lie hurricdly collected all the
money he could, took Z draft for 800
CITY, and cleared for Trinidad. Two
or three days later the vessel was
reported standing toward Castle island,
which lies about $50 miles north OF
BaracOa. The person in charge OF the Jul
II - to iaf,
vi0us to going 10 1nacua, and there sold
his decklOad Of lumber. He also offered
the flour fer sale. hut the extremely low
price gave the impression that the -four
was bad, and he failed TO dispose Of IT. II
Is thought by Captain Lewis's friends that
be has met with foul play, and that the
vessel was taken charge Of by the mate.
who perSonatos Captain Lewis"
NesSTs. Tough & Van RomOndt, OF No.
80 Exchange Place. the shippers of the
cargo by the. Julia Baker, received this al
teTnOon dispatch from Key West, Fla,
saving the schooner Julia Baker. from
Fortune island. had sprung a mast and put
In there for repairs.
Messrs. Gilbert. Potter & Co , Of No. 1914
Front street. on whom a draft for 800 was
drawn by ID. ID. Sargent, OF Inagua, for
-four purchased IN favor Of Captain Lewis.
received dispatch from Mr.. Sargent this
instructing them not TO pay the
draft, adding: "Since drawing I have
found out that everything is not straight"
Try Associated rress.l
PHILADELPHIA. Pa, August IA start
ling story that The crew OF the schooner
Julia Baker, from New York for Pout-a-
Pitre, had muiiDicd, killed their captain.
John Lewis. and have been selling the
cargo in the West Indies, led the owners
Of the vessel, h6SsrS. Warren * Merritt, to
institute m inquiry by telegraph, as a re-
suit Of which the collector Of customs at
Key West now holds in custody the cup
tain and four men OF the crew of the Julia
Baker. the vessel being now at the latter
port. The man arrested rs Captain Lewis
don't answer the description Of the Cap
lain Lewis who took the schooner from New
York. The original manifest is lost The
owners Of the vessel expires, the opinion
that the mutiny occurred on board the
schooner, that 4 fight took place in which
Captain Lewis was killed, and that the
crew, seeing that they were in for ii. de-
tcfmlnCd to sell the cargo and escape.