The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-09-11
4 VERY STRANGE DISEASE
TT COMES From CALCU IA AND
pr2z ELS BROOXAYN DOCTORS.

TT COMES FROM CALCU IA AND
pT122 ES BROOKLYN DOCTORS,
Cant. Carter Dies of 1t at Sea and
chef officer Willett is in Hospital
1t Begins With q Feeling OF Numb
ness n the Legs
From the Nel0 York Sun.
The American clipper ship L. P. Morse,
lie. ut Watson's stores, Brooklyn, in charge
Of Second Officer A. L. Wotshke Her cap
+ein died at sea, and was buried there on
Aug. IS. The chief officer, William Willet,
les in the homeopathic hospital suffering
from toe same disease. apparently, of which
the captain died, but just what that disease
is the physicians of the hospital have not
vet been able to determine. Whether the
mite will die OF not cannot be told either
The L. 2. Morse reached Watson's store
on Tuesday, after a voyage Of l25 days,
from Calcutta. When she left Calcutta she
was manned by Capt Benjamin Carter Of
Sesrsport, Me-, two mates, = cook, stew.
ard. a CARPENTER, and fourteen mel. The
craw we're in excellent health aud re-
NAMED so. On July 22 the sa!p dropped
anchor at st. Helena, where frosn ineats
and vegetables we're Obtained, and on
Auo "A She continued her voyage to New
York. Two or three days later Capt. Car
fer began to complain OF feeling u mum B.
ness In his legs. Ae wa. abs 20 gos around
all right, but his legs continued 10 grow
worse. Rubbing, soaking in mustard
water. and the application OF hnimsnss had
no erect. Although fresh prov:slons were
obtained at ST. Heiona, ths captain Thought
rerhaDs he might be the Ticslm Of sourvy,
snd took the usual rem sdies, but without
effect.
By Aug. his stomach became unsettled
and vomiting set in al Intervals that grew
shorter during the next two DAYS. Al
though unable h. attend 10 bhe navigation
Z the ship, the captain was up and around
the cabin as usual. On the afternoon of
Aug. he became quite weak under the
effects of frequent vomiting, and finally, at
0 O'Clock, concluded he would go to bed. He
was not apprehensive OF any serious result,
but. hnding himself easier when lying down,
he walked from the lounge in the main
saloon to his stateroom and got into bed.
Half an hour later the steward found him
dead in his bed.
The ship was then but few miles to the
south of the equator, and Chief Officer
Willet determined to carry the captains
body into port. Accordingly two collins,
to fit one within the other, were made by
the ships carpenter from such plank as the
ship had on board. The body of the cap
tain was packed with salt in the inner coffin,
and when the cover had been screwed down
the whole was covered with sheet copper
and painted. Then layer of melted pitch,
such as is used in calking the seams of
ships deck, was laid in half inch deep
over the bottom of the outer coffin, and
the inner coffin placed on it while it was
warm. The half-inch space that was left
between the two collins was then filled in
with melted pitch, and layer of the same
substance placed over the top. The crew
were now confident that they had the body
sealed in so that it would be safe to keep it.
When the cover of the outer coffin had been
screwed in place, the whole was neatly COW
cred with canvas and painted black, after
which it as placed under an awning on
the house aft.
But the ship was under torrid sun, and
she was sailing with only the faintest of
airs for a good part of the time, and the
rest Of the time she was becalmed. By
Aug. IA it became evident that the care
taken by the officers and crew Of the cap
tatn's body was vain, and that it would
have to be buried
Meantime the mate had begun to suffer
exactly as the captain had at first. On the
morning of Aug Is, however, he hobbled
on deck with the aid of a cane, and at s
o'clock called all hands on deck. 1t was a
clear day, and the ship was slowly floating
along before breath that birely gave her
steerage way. The crew were told that the
body Of tho captain must be buried. They
could plainly perceive the necessity of it,
and acquiesced. Then the mate read a pas
sage Of scripture and prayed earnestly but
briefly for the welfare of the soul of the
dead captain, and for his wife and daughter,
who were awaiting his return in their home
up in Searsport, Ne.
This done, q half dozen men lifted the
coffin from the top of the cabin over to the
rail. Here canvas bag Allied with parts of
an old broken donkey engine was dashed
under the bottom of the coffin. Then it
wa, lowered by means of a couple of whips
from tbs lee niz2en rigging down to the
waters edge. Here the carpenter climbed
down and bored four or five holes through
the two collins TO lot the water III and the
air out. Then he scrambled up on deck
again, and the men who were holding the
rores that held the coffin let go. 1t foated
away slowly astern, gradually settling as it
tised with water, until few fathoms away
where the water closed over it with ripple
that sparkled in the sun.
Thereafter the mate grew steadily worse,
but more slowly than the captain had done.
be hobbled about with cane for a while,
and then with clutches, and finally had to
go 20 bed, leaving the ship TO the second
officer and the carpenter.
On Tuesday, when she had reached her
berth. an ambulance was summoned and
the mate was carried TO the hospital. Since
then the doctors have been studying his
case, buJ without reaching a definite con-
cm5lon. His legs are paralyzed, but his
body seems TO be in a normal condition.
I'VE think 1t may be a disease of the
Kidneys" said surgeon yesterday, "but
we cannot say definitely for day or two
Yet. 1t is an unusual case"
BEATING THE REVENUE.