New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-22
A MUTINEER SHOT DEAD.
BRAVE CAPTAIN BAKER, OF THE oBDAM.
HIS PROMPT ACTION AGAINST A CREW IN RE-
VOLT PREVENTS SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES
TO TILE PAssENGERS

TO TIE PASSENGERS.
The steamship OLDHAM, of the Netherlands
American Line, which arrived yesterday brought
to this port a story that shows in vivid outlines
the authority of n captain board his own craft,
when he is responsible for every man, woman or
child who takes passage on the vessel he commands
In this case the captain saw that it was better to
shoot one man to death than to imperil the lives
of the other 300 that were under his charge.
Captain Baker, who commands the OLDHAM, left
Rotterdam early in July, with crew OF sixty
men, all of whom supposed not TO belong to
any union, and the passage TO this port was with
out incident. On the return voyage there were
some 300 passengers on board and the vessel left
here early on Saturday morning, July IS. It
after the last dog watch called away at )
D. IN. on Sunday that the trouble began The
first watch mustered on deck, but it was found
that oil the men employed in the engine-room
were absent. Chief Engineer Bol went below TO
find out what was the matter, but was only met
bv abuse and insults lie tried to persuade the
men to go to work, but their actions were 50
aggressive that he determined TO do the BEST he
could with TIE men who had Just come OFF watch
These however, soon struck too, and as the
fires slackencd so did the pace of the Ship and to
make matters worse the striking firemen and
stokers came on deck, threatening the passengers
with violence.
The men, however, seeing the determined atti-
tudp Of the passengers, went below again TO their
quarters. and then Captain Bakkcr determined to
show that a skipper at sea is an autocrat lie
went below with the quartermaster Of the watch
only. and ordered the men out to do their duty
The answer was d rush of twenty men, crazed Dy
socialistc jabher at the captain. The man that
headed the strikers was Peter Duzen, and his
motive undoubtedly was to Overpower the cap
tain. but o bullet from the captains revolver
danpened his ardor, and as soon as the other men
saw Duzen lying on the deck they returned TO
their quarters. Duzen was taken to the ships
hospital. where he died two hours afterWard and
was buried at sea the next day.
The captain and officers Of the ship were de-
terInined tina; the men who had signed their pa
pers TO do their work as fremen should DO so, and
in this action they were backed mp by the male
passengers. The striking men were ordered back
to work at point of the pistol and for the rest
of tie voyage, worked without a single gru;-
be- The sole cause of the mutiny was Peter
Duzen
Captain Ba1l1er, as soon as he got to BoulOgne,
1oleqraphrd an account of the matter 70 the
rcncrai agent Of the lire at Rotterdam, and as
soon as he arrived at that port was taken before
the Chief Officer of Justice, who on iavcStlgat-
ing the case released the captain on his own
rccocniz1uce
The captain of the Ohdam yesterday refused
10 Eay word on the subject, stating that ne
wac st!ll ia the hands Of the Jaw and, therefore
srecehless SO far as tie case was concerned.
W H. Van den 1oorn, the general manager OF
the line corroa6TGted the story, adding that
Captain Baker had been with the Netherlands
American Company for twelve years and that
q uncers Of the company were OF tie opinlon tnit
he had Only done his duty in looking after the
lives of the 800 people that had been placed IN
his charge. -.
4 iuni0r officer of the Obtam, who was WIZ
ness of the whole affair, said that the captain
had nothing 10 do but to shoot DuZen, who In
another moment would have knocked down ms
commander. The men had threatened the passcn-
gers, and the least weakness on the capGlha Par'
would have created panic with horrible results
There was no doubt that tie hremen had bcen
cot at by the trades-unon people Of London ana
Liverpool and had by them been egged on to their
action.
That the strike was simply the work OF, an
acitator is proved by the fact that more than
half of the men who were led OF to mutlny asked
and were allowed to come back TO the Obdan In
her present passage over here.