St. Paul daily globe., 1891-08-22
BAKER SHOT TO KILL
A Mutiny on Shipb0ard is
Quickly Ended by an In
trepid Skipper.
Socialists Below Decks Had a
Plot to Take Possession
Of the Ship.
The Ringleader Promptly Shot
Down, and the Rebellion
Subsidies.
Frank Almy Says Christie
Warden Had Encouraged
Him to Hope.

who is the commander of the Neither
land line steamer OLDHAM, will never
forget the last trip of the vessel to Rot
yesterday, and went to her pier this
morning. AS soon as the skipper got
ashore this morning he went to the
Office of the agent of the line, W.. ii.
Van den Toorn, and informed him that
there was an attempt at mutiny on the
trip home, and one of the ringleaders
had paid the penalty of insubordination
with his life. According to the story
OF Capt. Baker, the outbreak on board
the vessel was the result of a plot to
take possession of the ship. The
Obdam lett this port July IS for
Rotterdam. She had on board up
ward of 800 cabin and steerage
passengers. The craft had been
when the officer on the bridge called
upon the captain and informed him
that there was evidence of disSatisfac-
ton among the firemen and stokers.
These were all socialists, and had given
evidence of their antagOnism to the line
OH the previous trip Of the vessel to this
port. Capt. Baker went below to the
furnace rooms when informed by his
officer that
Mischief Was Brewing.
His presence was the occasion for
round of Kisses. He said nothing to the
men and returned to the deck. Going
to his cabin, he sent for Chief Engineer
Beel. The latter told his superior Off
Ger that the men were on the verge of
mutiny, and that be had pleaded with
them in vain. 81 fear" he added.
that the men will draw the fires and
leave US in a nice mess" "You do your
duty, and let matters shape them
selves" said Capt. Baker. "1 have 300
passengers on this ship, and any man
below who tries to run this vessel will
pay dearly for it."
Everything went well that night. A
quiet search was made among the effects
of the stokers for rum, but very little
was found. The craft was forty-eight
hours out from port, and Capt Baker
had about made up his mind that the
fears of his officers were groundless,
when the vessel began to slow down,
and finally stopped altogether. The
captain went to the bridge and asked
what was the matter. The officer on
duty told him that he had given the en-
gineer no signal to stop or even to slow
down. Just then the chief engineer
rushed to the bridge.
"Come below" he shouted to the cap
tain, 1.-The men have put out the fires,
and threaten to take my life if l insist
on giving them orders. They refuse to
obey me in any way" Capt. Baker
hurried below. He found twenty of
the firemen and coal passers punched
together alongside the furnaces. They
Had Drawn the Fires
and the vessel was simply holding her
head to the wind with the aid of a few
sails. "What is the matter with you
fellows?" shouted the captain. A gem
eral howl from the men was the an
swer to the shippers query. "PIl tell
you what the matter is, said Peter
Dusen, who appeared to be the ring
leader; I'VE have grown tired of this
life, and we intend to run things to suit
ourselves. That's what the matter Is"
SIS that the expression of yOuself?"
inquired the captain, ''or are you acting
as spokesman for the Others?"
Il don't care what the other fellows
do" said Dusen; II am going to have
good time or know why"
''All right said the captain, ''you
can accomplish your purpose when you
do away with me-"
eff that's SO, I'll do it nOw," said
Dusen, and picking up huge pick he
sprang at the captain. The latter drew
back, pulled a navy revolver from his
pocket. aimed it at Dusen and fired.
The man fell at the captains feet with
an oath. The ball had entered his left
breast, and two hours later he died.
The quickneSs and determination of
the captain filled the remainder of the
mutineers with alarm and they fled in
every direction about the furnace room.
The body of Dusen was buried at sea.
Papers in his bag showed him to have
been leading socialist, and anything
but good character. The killing of
this man quelled the mutiny. Fires
ceeded on her way, reaching Rotter-
dam without further incident. At
Rotterdam Capt. Baker had all hands
arrested. Then he gave himself up on
the charge of murder. He was placed
under $4,000 bonds to appear fol trial
on the return of the vessel to port next
month. DuSen was a Hollander ana
unmarried. The 800 passengers who
were on board the vessel were greatly
excited. All expected that the mutt
neerS would get possession of the craft.
The matter will be fully settled on the
return of the craft to the other side.
Shipping men are confident Capt.
Baker will be honorably acquitted.
The Socialist View.
BRUSSELS, Aug. 21.-In the congress
of socialists to-day Mr.. Sprow, of the
English fremen's and seamen's union,
made special address, in which he said
that few weeks ago the captain of a
steamer running between New York
and Rotterdam perpetrated an act of
gross cruelty. He badly fed the crew
until one of the firemen got so i'll that
he told the captain he was unable to
work. The captain ordered him to re-
sumo work. and then drew a revolver
and shot him dead. Three hundred
passengers signed a petition for the
captains arrest, bdt the accursed cap
tain was so influential that the Dutch
government refused to punish him, and
he is now commanding vessel return
ing to New York, and, perhaps, murder
iDO anOfhnr man ri TTnrOariNnc nrioc Of