The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-06-17
:CAPTURED BY A MADMAN.
4 STEAMSHIP CREW TERRORIzED BY
2 A CRAZY COMMANDER.

~ O5JEfHWOTlIF ShCW ChnoniHCC =
81 s.EZ A CRAZY COMMANDER.
Days of Agonizing Suspense on Board the
|. Priiz Friedcrich Carl-Captain Linda
Runs Amuck With CutlaSs and Pistols.
/ When the German steamship Prinz
Friederlch Carl of Hamburg arrived at
pier rs. East River, Oh Sunday after
noon. Captain Gosotf Linda, who had
He had been lost at sea. His death and
the. -incldents which preceded it make
up terrible story. The officers and
men ofthe Prinz Friedrich Carl were
fond Of their captain, but most Of them
felt almost glad that the voyage was
continued without HIM and that the
ocean relieved them Of a fearful dread.
On; the morning Of April q. at I O'Clock,
as The Prinz Carl dropped anchor in Suez
Roads, Captain Linda disappcard. He
had been seen,a few moments before
sitting on a rail Of the qnarter deck,
near the stern of the vessel. When
thek crew searched for him ten minutes
afterward no sign of him could be found
on the, vessel, and he was given up for
lost. The German Consul and the
agent of the vessel at Suez came aboard
during the day, and said they had seen
a cap:resembllng Turkish tez floating
in the sea. The description of the cap
answered to that worn by the captain.
Every. one became satisfied that captain
Linda had been drowned, and Chief
OficesF. II. Stohm was made captain,
and second Mate Henry Bohm was
promoted to chief officer.
Tbes Prlnz Friedrich Carl has been
out from Hamburg for eight months
visiting Chinese and Japanese ports.
and taking on cargo of teas and mis-
cellaneous goods. AtSingaporca a young
man came aboard rs passenger, and at
Hong Kong iine-looking young woman
made the second passenger. They both
calnclo New York. Not long after the
arrival of the Yonng woman on board
Captain Linda began to manifest signs
Of insanity. He drank heavily, and
when under The influence ofliquor, and
for.twosor three days after spree, he
was!eSceedingly dangerous. He would
arl1ss limself with a cutlass and pistols.
which he strapped around his waist, and
parade the deck, threatening to kill the
entia crew. The men were frightened,
and ifcr a time, a smutiny seemed proba-
bic. The fit would weartoff,, and Cap
tam Linda was again one Of the klndcst
ana mus5considerate ofsuperlors. Chief
Mate s5ohm tells the story in the follow
ing wcsds:
-:siQ & day l entered the saloon and
fouhd jthe cantain in q. terrible humor.
sssavafa ! cutlasses were near by IN a lock-
.s iii ifears that he would seize orc
OF ttlenl and injure some one / took
them up in my arms and turned to walk
cut. The captain became more furious,
and demanded the weapons after he had
run to the door and locked it. Having
no means Of escape, threw the swords
on the floor and the captain seized one.
Brandshing it over his head he cried: !:
L am gong to kill you; Pm gong to
kill every one. on board the ship He
made movement towardme, and bend
inc my neck 1 said. Here. captain kill
me If YOU want to-! That seemed to
pacify hlm, and he called the boy who
was covering III corner to unlock the
door and let ME out. One day he ap-
peared on deck with several pistols: and
after frightening all the men into hiding
places. he fired at Chief Mate Stohm,
and came near killing him. Captain
Linda was most attentive to the lady
passengers when he was sober. 1t was
bright morning in April, and the sea
was gently rolling under light breeze
from the South. One female passenger
was sitting aft on the quarter deck under
parasol. reading book. The captain
appeard at the head Of the stairs leading
down into the cabin. and when he saw
the woman his demeanor changed. n
pleasant look had been on his face but
now his eyes looked fierce, his face llyld.
lie disappeared down the stairway, but
sprang out moment aitcrward like a
tiger. The woman looked at him and
screamed. Leyeling a pistol at her head
he was about to fire, when the woman
leaped upon HIM, seizing the weapon,
turned the muzzle aside. Then strug-
Gle followed. but some of us intcrtered
aud disarmcd the captain. For weeks
none ofus felt safe. We did notknow at
what moment our captain would become
! violent and shoot or sabcr us. The men
crept into their hunks at night trembling,
and came out trembling IN the morning.
! We knew we had lunatic on board,
and that lunatic was our captain. The
day when he was drowned had been
talking to HIM only few minutes before
he disappeared, and he seemed perfectly
sane. Whether he fell oil the rail acci-
IDENTITY or committed suicide. none Of us
know"
Captain Linda was 35 years old. and
leaves a wife and two children in Ham,
burg.-Ncw York Star.
-----------------
An Extraordinary Case.
The telegraph has announced the fact
that DR.. !. Milton Bowers. convicted
in san Francisco Of poisoning his wife