Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-11-21
/ WEIRD STORY.
A Brutal Sea Captain
Frightened to Death.
4 TRUE TALE sTHE OCEAN.
An Incident that Took Place In
the Observation-Disclosures
Retribution.

Jack Turker, an old tar who retired
from active service twenty years ago,
8 full Of interesting "reminiscences of in
nidents during his many sea voyages
oruund the world. A reporter for the
Nail and Express met him by appoint
mont the other day in West Side sail.
ora boarding. house. He lit his pipe and
related the following story:
ssIn 1912 was sailor on an East In.
diaman running flom Liverpool to Cal
eutta. She was large sailing vessel
~ Singapore and carried full crew.
The captain was the worst man that ever
trod the deck Of vessel. He was hated
nnd feared by all the men under him,
except Paul Holcomb, the first mate,
5 vho was brave and kind. But the cap.
tain was . good sailor, and always car
ried his ship through the heaviest storms.
He would get ON oeck, lash himself to a
rnAst and give orders during the tiercest
atorms. The first mate was always on
t Ind. too. and was as cool as the cap
4nin. We were loaded with cargo of
AIMS and ammunition for the British SOL
diers who were trying to put down the
insurrection in India, SO we were anxious
for good winds and q speedy voyage.
From the time we skirted the Bay OF
Biscay until we came to the doldrums the
captain indulged in all manner of abuse
and Entertainment Of the sailors. There
was young sailor lad, Joe Pendergast,
Who slept in the fo'castle with me, and
vas kind O. known as my partner. Joe
was handsome young fellow with full
cheeks, a. rosy and smooth as woman's.
All the sailors loved Joe and would have
done anything to serve him. He was
smart, too, and didn't seem to be a COM
mon sailor. But he never would talk
about his past, and always changed the
oonversation when the subject Of family
and home came up. The captain took q
spite against Joe week before we got
into the doldrums, and did all he could
70 harass him. Once he started to strike
the lad with heavy stick, when the
first mate just stepped in and said
Captain, you can't commit murder afore
ne.'
"The captain glared at the mate and
- asked fercely: Are you going to
head . mutiny? I'll put you all in
1rons.'
i" i am going to get this ship to India
with you, captain. When you get quiet
you will thank me for what I've done,'
spoke up the mate.
1.-THE captain had been drinking too
much and the mate knew it. The cap
tain was never known to make voyage
without splitting some sailors head
open or keel-hauling one or two, He
drank heavily after he was balked by the
mate, and he was constantly watching
Jos. When we reached the doldrums
the wind died, and for week we lay
bscalmed in sea of glass. The time
was tedious on our hands. We secured
the ship and coiled and uncoiled ropes.
g We did everything and then found too
nuch idle time. One afternoon-I shall
never forget it-Joe was lying under the
shadow OF an idle sail, his head on coil
Of rope, reading some book. 1t was too
high up for me, but it did ne good to
know that Joe understood and enjoyed
what he read. All of sudden the cap.
tain came along, and, before Joe could
get up, or even before he saw him, he
received Q severe kick in the side. Get
up. you lazy lubber, and scaur the deck
for exercise, said the captain with an
oath. 1t was too much for human pa
thence to bear. Joe, smarting with pain
and insult, sprang upon the captain and
bore him to the deck. He put his fin.
gers around his prostrate mans neck and
cried: I've mind to choke you to
death, you tyrant.' The second mate
and several sailors came forward and
pulled Joe off the captain. The latter
was ivid with rage. He ordered Joe in
irons Immediately, and swore he would
punish him otherwise. He whispered
to me if the captain keel.hauled him to
make the knot loose, SO be could slip off
into the sea and drown. Tears came
into my eyes, but l promised to do his
bidding. 1t was four bells in the after
noon. When night came on the captain
appeared on deck. He said it was a
beautiful moonlight night, and he pro-
posed to keel-haul Joe. My handsome
partner was brought aft He looked
like young lion at bay. His eyes
flashed and his curly blonde hair was
fumbled in confused masses on his bare
head.
"'Yes,' he said, 'keel-haul me, but
I'll not hold my breath, but will die, so
can come back and haunt you, you
drunken coward.
Tie the rope around his waist and
swing the devil overheard; the sooner
he drowns the better, roared the infuri.
ated captain.
II made the knot loose and whispered
to Joe he could pull it loose when he
reached the water. I did something else
which will tell before finish. Joe
stood on the bulwarks, the rope around
his waist. The sailors stood on the 9TH
er side of the ship, to pull him under
the keel of the vessel. They all had
their hearts in their mouths and were
almost ready to mutiny. Joe looked at
the boys and said goodbye. He then
jumped into the water and the sailors
began to slowly pull upon the rope. All
ct once they all fall down upon the
deck and the rope came up easily. In
two minutes or less the loop where
Joe's body was tied was hauled on deck,
but no Joe. All the sailors rushed to
the ships side and looked, but nothing
WAS visible. The captain even looked
over to see if he couldn't see a floating
body. Nobody spoke for five minutes
and then the captain said:
That scoundrel has managed to
drown himself He ought to die; he
was mutineer.' None of the sailors
said word. They all looked sad. 1t
made the captain very angry. He or
dered us to quarters. The first mate
was much put out. He feared mutiny
nnd came among us to heal THINGS. He