Wichita eagle., 1888-08-28
A STRANGE TALE.
The Captain of the ''Gyfie" Scuttles Hi
Own Vessel.

New York, Aug. 27-Twelve sailors or
the bark 'Gyfie," who were brought to this
city yesterday by the steamer PARTISAN
| Monarch appeared before the British
consul this morning and told strange
tale of the villany Of the captain OF the
''Gyfie," which ended in the scuttling OF
the bark with the help of his first mate.
The story is as follows:
We left Quebec for Greenock, Scotland,
| and while in the month of the st. Law
renee river the bark sprang leak. 1t was
| not of much Importance and we were VIII
| ling to man the pumps and keep on our
course, but Captain TAFT insisted on chang
ing our course, and we headed Tor St.
johns, n f., arriving there july 19.
An immediate survey was ordered by
Captain TAFT, and after being repaired we
| resumed our voyage on August 10. On the
night of the 10Th we again sprung leak.
| The pumps were manned and worked till
daylight, when they gave out. Several OF
the men investigated and found that the
pump had been tampered with and render
ed useless This aroused the suspicion of
the forecastle and Steward Brown was Or
dered to warn Captain TAFT. Brown says
he did So and shortly before noon on the
Goth saw the captain and first mate go into
the hold through the fore hatch. The
steward crep, forward and peering down
of the vessel, with an augur in his hand,
and the captain standing over him. All
this time there were four feet OF
water in the hold The steward started
aft and reported what he had seen to the
men, and it was determined to watch the
captain and mate still longer. Their pa
thence was soon rewarded, as on that aft
ernoon the captain and mate again entered
the hold this time through the hatch.
What they did in the hold no one knows
but the men believe that additional holes
were bored through the side in the aft-r
part of the ship. Gin the night of the goth
IA sailor named Lyons sighted the Per
sian Monarch" and on reporting it to the
deck was ordered by the captain to tell all
he had determined to leave her.
There was then ten feet of water in the
hold. When the men got on deck the cap
tain made them all sign paper to the
effect that the vessel was unseaworthy.
There are ten feet of water in the hold,'
he said, but when you go aboard the
steamer | want you to say there are fifteen
feet in the hold" When all hands got ON
deck the captain sent Boatswain Berggnist
and SIX men to saturate the deck, upper
wood work and cordage with paratine,
which was done. He said he wanted to
fire the ship before leaving her. When the
steamers boat came I'D the officer in
cnaFSe came dDOarO anu SAW tlt pdLdliuc.
He asked what the stuff had
been scattered about for, and the cap
lain explained. All hands with
the exception of Second Mate Robinson,
took to the boats, the latter saying he
would stick to the ship as long as plank
of her floated. He did not consider her
unseaworthy, he said, and though the
chances were poor, he would try to take
the vessel into some port. The officers of
the Persian Monarch" knowing nothing
then of the story of the scuttling thought
Robinson crazy and tried to persuade him
to leave the ship, but he persisted and re
manned on the vessel. When the boats
reached the steamer, the captain, evidently
becoming frightened, decided to return to
his ship and called upon the men to return
with him. All refu cut the first mate. |
Immediately after ciptain and mate |
had been returned to ,..elr ship, the steamer |
quit the vicinity, leaving the ship about |
500 miles south by east of New Foundland. |