Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-06-20
A NAUTICAL EXPLOIT.

Liverpool ship Emily st. Pierre civilian
Wilson, captain) arrived within about
twelve miles of Charleston and signaled
for pilot. She had made long and tie
dious voyage of four months from Cal
cutta, bound for st. John, N. b., calling at
Charleston for orders, if Charleston was
open. If the southern port was blockaded
Captain Wilson's orders were to proceed
direct to the British port Of st. John, N
b. The ship had formerly belonged to
Charleston, but since the outbreak of the
civil war she had sailed under the English
flag Her nominal owners were Messrs
Fraser Trenholm & Co., of 10 Rumford
place, Liverpool, firm doing an extensive
business, who had very close relations with
the Confederate or southern states for
whom they acted as bankers and agents in
this country.
The ship was hailed by vessel which
proved to be the northern cruiser James
Adger, and in response Captain Wilson
hauled up his courses backed his main
yard and lay to. An American naval
lieutenant and score of men came on
board and demanded his papers. The
manifest showed an Innocent cargo, 1900
bales Of gunny bags, and the registration
of the ship as English was in due order
ne captain 10 pro
coed, Charleston being blockaded, to his
destination, the British port of st. John.
The lieutenant refused, and referred the
matter to his superior in command; and
the two vessels proceeded into Charleston
roadstead, where they arrived at $50 in
the afternoon.
Captain Wilson was ordered on board
the flagship Of the blockading squadron, the
Florida, where he was kept for two hours
in solitude and suspense. AT last flag
officer, Captain Goldboro. came to him and
said they had decided to seize the Emily
st. Pierre on several grounds He asserted
that she carried contrabrand goods OF war
namely, saltpeter; that her English regis
traton was not bona ide, that many arti-
Giles on board had been found bearing the
name Of Charleston, that the same word
had been scraped out on her stern and sub
stituted by the name Liverpool; that Cap
tain Wilson had not disclosed all his pa
pers, but had been observed from the
James Adger to throw overheard and sink
D small parcel. probably Of discriminating
documents.
Captain Wilson protested, and appealed
to the maritime law Of nations. But In
vain. He was Informed that the law
courts Of Philadelphia would adjudicate
was invited TO take passage in his vessel to
Philadelphia, and 10 place at the disposal
Of the navigator his charts and instru-
ments. The invitation in form was in
fact a command. He returned to his yes
sci to find that his crew had all been re
moved with the exception Of two, who
were not sailors the steward and an Irish
man named Matthew Montgomery, and
the cook a German named Louis Schelvin,
hailing from Frankfort the Main. These
were merely passengers. and with them
was an American engineer who had OBJ
tanned permission TO take passage to Phila-
delphia
The prize crew who took charge OF the
vessel consisted of Lieutenant Stone Of
the United States navy, In command, a
masters mate and twelve men-fourteen
in all; with the American passenger fif
teen. The moment that Captain Wilson
stepped again on board bis own vessel he
formed a resolution to recapture her and
take her home He was bold enough to
think that it might be possible to recapt-
ure the ship even against such odds An
unarmed man, aided by the questionable
support OF an Irish steward and Ger
man cook. was practically powerless
against the fifteen Of the crew On the
brawny, big framed Scotchman ia native
Of Dumfriesshire), a thorough seaman, de-
termined In resolve, cool and prompt in
action.
He called the steward and the cook to him
in his stateroom and disclosed the wild
project he had formed. Both manfully
promised to stand by their chief This was
At 40 on the morning Of March 81, the
third day out from Charleston. Captain
Wilson had already formed his plan Of op
erations, and had prepared to certain ex
tent for carrying 1t out. With the promise
Of the cook and the steward secured. he
lost no time, gave them no chance for theii
courage TO evaporate, but proceeded at
once in the darkness and silence OF the
night TO carry out his desperate undertak
ing. He was prepared to lose his life or te
have his ship; that was the simple alterna
tive
IL was Lieutenant Stones watch on deck
and the prize masters mate was asleep II
his berth The English captain went int
the berth, handed out the mates swort
and reyoivers, clapped a gag made Of |
piece OF wood and some marline between
his teeth. seized his hands, which Mont
gomery. the steward. quickly ironed, anc
40 left him secure The lieutenant still
paced the deck, undisturbed by a sound
Then across to another ststeroom, wher
the American engineer lay asleep. He wa
also gagged and ironed silently and with
out disturbance His revolvers and thos
already secured were given to the stewar'
and the cook, who remained below In th
cabin. Captain Wilson went on deck.
Lieutenant Stone WAS pacing the dech
and the watch consisted Of one man at th
helm. one at the lookout on the forecast
and three others who were about the shiI
For ten minutes Captain Wilson wake
up and down. remarking on the fair win
and making believe that he had but Jus
turned out The ship was of Cape Ha
teras, midway OF their journey oetwee'
Charleston and Philadelphia, the mos
easterly projection Of the land on Una
coast. Il is difficult navigation there
abouts, with cross currents and tendeDc
to foRs, affordng the two captains asup)ec
for talk CO..
"Iet her go free a bit. Captain Stoh'
you are too close TO the cape. tell you
and know
I'VE have plenty of ofIing," replied I'd
lieutenant And then TO the helmsmai
"How's her headf"
Northeast and by east, sir" came u
keep her So Itell you 1t is right, sal
the lieutenant
well, Of course I'm not responsible nov