New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-04
HE SET FIRE TO THE SHIP
CONFESSION OF A SAILOR UNDER ARREST
DECLARING THAT HIS CAPTAIN, JOHN FROST.
INSTIGATED THE DEED.


INSuGATED THE DEED.
When Captain John Frost arrives here from
Bahia, Brazil, he will have to face the serious
accusation of having caused one of his crew 70 set
fire TO the ship Fannie Tucker, of which he was
master and part owner The Tucker three
masted, full-rieged ship, and was built in Maine
In 1878. Thomas Suite. Nova Scotian. has
confessed that he set fire TO the vessel at the
instigation Of the captain, and is now under az
rest. The captain is on his way here from
Brazil, and il is expected that he viii arrive in
about two weeks.
The Fannie Tucker sailed from New-York on
Friday, June 5, bound around Cape Horn for
Tacoma and Seattle She had q miscellaneous
cargo weighing about 500 tons. Part Of this
quantity of oaJlum and waste, which was
stored amidships. Eighteen hundred kegs of steel
nails, lot of hardware, steel bars and railroad
iron were also on board The cargo was shipped
by number of firms. Balfour. Williamson &
Co., Of the Cotton Exchange Building, chartered
the vessel, and j. " Parker & Co.. Of No sc
Newest. were her agents The ship was Of 500
tons displacement and was valued at about $780,
900. Captain Frost, A. +. Stafford and others
owned her. The cargo was worth about $l20 600
and was insured in twenty or thirty companies of
this State, California and England.
The Tucker had been newly ooppered and other
wise repaired just previous 10 her last voyage,
but she leaked a little nevertheless Early in
August, when she in about latitude Is degrees
south, the leak grew worse, finally it became
necessary TO put 10 shore. Bahia, Brazil was the
nearest harbor, and this was made in three days.
A week or more was spent in trying to find the
leak and to stop II. a diver employed and
part Of the cargo was taken off lighters 10
raise the vessel little higher sout of the water.
The leak could not be stopped, however
On August 80. at a NJ, Thomas Suite, one
Of the crew of fifteen was seen by several OF his
mates 10 90 down into the hold amidships with a
lighted candle. Christian Kline followed him to
where the waste and oakum We're stored. he did
rot see Suite set this infiamDable material on
fire, but in a moment he saw part OF 1t IN blaze.
the work evidently Of the seaman. Kline went
back on deck and gave the alarm. The lire made
such headway, however that all efforts 10 check
ii were unavailing. The crew fought the flames
ell day, but at p. m. they were forced TO leave
the ship 20 save their lives. The vessel and cargo
were almost totally destroyed
The United States Consul at Bahia investigated
the fire, but learning nothing of Suites action.
held none Of the men. Part of the crew shipped
other vessels, but Kline, Suite Alfred Smith.
the second officer; Henry Dreyer and John JAMS
sen came TO this city on the Advance
They arrived here Wednesday. Ia the
meantime tie National Board of Marine Under
writer's received dispatch from Bahia lntlmaung
that there was something wrong about
The fire. When the men reached this city they
twere taken before the Board. Kline told his
story ana Suite finally broke down. lie de-
shred that Captain Frost had offered him con-
aderaion il he would burn the ship. Suite,
however, had never received the payment
George A. Black, OF No. Il Wall-st, attorney
for the board, took down Suites confession and
Captain r. 81. Hanna, chief inspector OF the
board. swore out complaint which the sea-
man was arrested Suite was arraigned yester-
day before Commissioner Shields and remanded
u $4,000 bail until next Saturday for examl1a-
Ton The other members of the crew were de,
sued witnesses. Abram j. Rose oeieIned
suite, and Assistant United States Attorney John
v Mott appeared for the Government
s,n ne Insurance people were unw4tihs 70 say pnr3
wing about tie affair Captain Frost Us OF I0rI
11lo Ne. and is about sixty years old ne has
ss"sys been highly esteemed, and nus IrI e
~ not believe that he couLd haFe
49,, 80 concerned in plot to aestros 'n nc
..esfL At the office Of Parker Il Co.. agents OF |
We Tucker il was said that the vessel herselt |
~, only lightly insured. Members Oh INC IN
80 certain that Captain Frost could clear MN
a VI tie seaman's charge. BaIlour nllhaInnon
A. 20 would give information about the 9Mhcao
al, Ss cargo, ana Mr.. Black and Captain hanIIa
S,,su say nothing about Suttie's cohehelV1nn.
ea, himself also refused TO talk about ms
= 1 reporter. He is charged with consplIiI1 ~.
for 1T the ship, crime. the maximum pen%iO,
s.. ven Years. Section No. $685. Of the UhIeu
az Revised Statutes provides that the master
ySrt owner Of vessel VINO shall attcDlPt 70 ~
frx. hsr shall he put 90 death. Should Oap'aiIii
viz ne arrested. be will probably DC charSc"
eousplring to destroy the ship