New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-29
WHO SET THE SHIP ON FIRE?
MYSTERIOUS BURNING OF THE R. P. BUCK
SENSATIONAL STORY OF A sDAMAN-ThE CAR
rAIN.s MEAGRE REPORT

TAINS MEAGRE REPORT.
On last Good Friday, the ship Richard +. BUCK
Of this port, vessel of l,49l tons, repor'eu :"
be worth 100000, was burned to the wafer
edge while lying at anchor of ST. George, ber"'''
The captain, j, T. Carver, of RoNoury' ""'''
and ten of the crew arrived here yesterday iioin
bermuda on the steamer Orinoco, ana u 'e"N."
out that there was mystery concerning 'ho
Bucks destruction. A Tribune reporter acoiu.
ally met one OF the crew crossing 10 "ciS'' ' -,
and learned from him that when the hre was us
covered Captain Carver shou'eu
Heavens name set fire TO the snip
The story the seaman told was suggestive
He refused 10 give his name for Puoio' avn o"V
spoke advisedly, showing certlhcate Oh Tue siip'
destruction, signed by James A. At"oou' Nioe
commercial agent at st. George, bermuua' anu
also a COPY O, a Bermuda newspaper giving an
account of the fire. lie salo that 'iie DUN S"i'u
from PlilaJelpb.a. abou: April TO- for San Fran
CISCO carrying q carcs OF pianos, carriages Pc
tro,enm and brandy She was ship of l,49l
toms seven year, old. worth 81 100000, and in his
opinion a ma agnifcent craft. and he believed the
third vessel in the merchant marine. The crew
consisted of Captain Carver, first and second
mates. a steward and sixteen seamen. The crew
were of mixed races, and not particularly
pleasant set OF men. But Captain Carver. The
Iribune's informant described q splendid man
and fine sailor.
After passing Cape Henry the Buck encountered
a heavy gale, which damaged her badly She
had to put into Bermuda for repairs, and anchored
about two miles out in the bay from St George
"The Buck" continued the seaman. who told
his story in an intelligent and connected manner,
was then in a wretched condition. She had
been leaking badly, and the three hatches were
opened in order to let in the sun and dry up
the hold. There was a great quantity of straw
IN the hold at this time, l don't know why
On the morning of Good Friday at 2;5o O'Clock
the watchman discovered fire in the forecastle
He gave the alarm, and the bent their
efforts to putting out the fire. But the flames
had gained too great headway, and they roared
up the matches like thunder. As Captain Carver
rushed on deck he shouted: Who in Heavens
name set the ship on fire?
Then" continued the seaman, "'we signallcd
TO the station and fired alarm guns, but we
did not seem to attract their attention Finally
Captain Carver ordered us to clear the boats,
and we landed at 5 a. M"
DO 1 think that the Buck was set on fire ?
have no opinion to express, but when Captain
Carver shook hands with me to-day as was
leaving him in the OrinocO he said, Mr.. -, you
know that the Buck was set on fire. That's
all 1 know"
court of inquiry on the fire was held at st.
George, but the seaman had not vet heard of the
result He testified before it, and TO the reporter
he expressed a rather contemptuous opinion of
the court. The remaining six seamcn will come
to this city on the next steamer from BERN muda.
1t had been reported here that the loss of the
Buck was due solely to the hurricane Captain
Carver told the shipnews reporter that she was
burned lie could not be found after the sea-
mans story had come out, and it is supposed that
he started at once for his home in Roxbury.
The Buck is described in The Record As
Bath vessel schooner-rigged, 22o.4 feet long, 4O3
feet broad, double-decked, and built in 1882.
Her owners are Il. Z. Buck q Co, of this city.
Bermuda. April o5.-The American ship Richard p
Buck Captain Carver from Philadelphia for San Fran
CISCO before reported here in distress discovered
to be on fire at about a. m. on April TO- She was
taken In tow by the tug Gadisfen and bcached near
the Naval Tanks about 200 yards from shore. The
flames spread rapidly owing to the infamnabe nature
of large portion of the cargO-kerosene whskey etc
and tbe ship soon burned TO the waters edge
1t is roughly estimated that the vessel and cargo OF
general merchandise represented half million dollars
hulk. with steam WINCH submarine diver and a
large number Of labOTes busiy engaged In getting
out the unburned remnants Of the cargo.