The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-09-06
STRANGE TALE
OF the Deep villainy Of q sea.
Captain.
He scutticd His Ship and Compelled tho
Crew to Desert.

New York. Aug. 27.--The twelve sailors
Of the bark Gvfe, who were brought to
ssa;s G.. esteiday by the steamer Persian
0onArrh, 'oeirod before the British Con.
enl th.. ling and told the following
Cer7;
"iTs Quebec for Greenock, Scotland.
GISv..r. a tic Gulf of ST. Lawrence the bark
sprang leak /. was not OF much Importance
and We were willing to man the pumps ind
Keep on our course, but Captain TAFT insisted
on changing our course and we headed for St
Johns, N. F., arriving there on July 10. An Inn
mediate survey was ordered by Captain TAFT
and after being repaired VIC resumed our voy.
age on August 10. On the night Of the 10th we
again sprung leak. Tho pumps were manned
and worked until daylight, when they suddenly
gave out. Several OF the men Investigated
and found that the pumps had been
tampered with and rendered useless. This
aroused the suspicion of the forecastle.
and Steward Brown was ordered to watch Cap
tain TAFT. Brown says he did So and shortly
before noon on the goth saw the captain ond
frst mate go into the ships hold through the
fore-hatch. The stewart re2t forward, and
peering down saw the mate on his knees close
10 the skin of the vessel with an auger In his
hand, and the captain standing over him. All
this time there ives four feet OF water In the
hold The steward started aft and reported
what he had seen TO the men, and It was deter.
mined to watch the captain and mate still
longer Their patience was soon rewarded, 40
on that afternoon the captain and
mate entered the hold, this time
through the after hatch. What
they did in the hold no one knows, but the men
believe that additional holes were bored
through the side in the afterpart OF the ship
On the night OF the Goth, q sailor named Lyons
sighted the Persian Monarch, and on reporting
1t to the deck, was ordered by the Captain to
tell all handsto prepare to leave the ship, as he
had determined to leave. There was then ten
feet OF water in the hold. When the men gos
on deck with their COINAGE the captain called
them aft into the cabin and made them all
sign paper TO the effect that
the vessel was unseaworthy. There
is now ten feet Of water In the hold
said the captain, but when you go aboard
the steamer want you to say there Is fifteen
feet OF water in the hold When all hands got
on the deck the Captain sent Boatswain Bergg
mist and six men TO saturate the deck, upper
woodwork and cordage with parrafiine, which
was done. He said he wanted TO fire the ship
before leaving her When the steamers boat
came up, the officers in charge came aboard and
saw the parraffine He asked why the stun had
been scattered about and the captain explained
All hands, with the exception of Second Mate
Robinson, took to the boats, tho
latter saying he would stick to the ship as
long as q stick Of her foated. 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 officer Of
the Persian Monarch knowing nothing then Of
the story of the scuttling. thought Robinson
crazy and tried to persuade him to leave tho
bark, but he persi ted and remained on the yes.
I'M ha lnat l,al tka xhn
Captain evidently becoming frightened, de-
eided to return to his ship and called upon the
mon to return with him. All refused but the
FIRST mate. Immediately after the Captain cpd
mate had been returned to their ship, &e
steamer quit The vicinity leaving The ship
about five hundred miles south by east " New.
foundand."