The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-30
CAPTAIN AND CREW.
All Parties to the Olympian
Row Are Punished.
LENlENCY A SERIOUS FAULT.
The Inspectors Rake Every Man Impli-
Gated In the DisgracefuI Scene
Water Front Notes.

. The local United States inspectors OF steam
vessels yesterday rendered decision in the case
of the officers on the steamer Olymplan, oy
which the license Of the first assistant engineer,
Henry Smith, has been revoked aud the licenses
of Captain A. y. McA.plne. Mate J. Burns Chlet
Engineer II. c. lawson and second Assistant
Engineer F. W. Patterson have been suspended
for thirty days
The decision reviews the facts established BY
the testimony substantially as follows
Shortly after the steamer left the harbor at
Victoria, the deck boys were using the nre-
pump, and when they got through wanted 10
shut IL off One of them went on the nre.foom
pIatform and requested Charles J. Clarke, u
water tender, TO shut il of, but he forgot 70 90
So and later one OF the deck boys shut II on
himself, es he had often done before. On com
ing out he met Engineer smith and Second Mate
Otto Rastad, and reported having shut the pump
Of. smith slapped his face and used very
strong language, and, when the deck boy went
away, Smith followed him and threw an iron
pump handle after him as he was going UP the
stairs to the saloon deck. Meanwhile Rastad had
gone 10 the pilOt-house and notified Captain
McAlpine OF the trouble. The captain went
down and met smith in the saloon ana ordeFed
him below, but Smith refused co go, ana became
very insOlent and abusive, telling the captain ne
had as much night there a. he 1.-THE captain had.
The captain then told him 10 80 TO the chief en-
gineer with his trouble and, on Smiths refusal
to obey, started TO report the facts 10 the chief
himself smith followed him To the engine
room and, it appears, Chief Engineer Lawson
did not seem disposed TO exercise MS authority
as chief engineer over Smith and, after more or
less con trDversy. one ot the deck boys appeared
on the scene. smith showed the captain aside
and struck the deck boy and, on being ordered
By the captain 10 stop, he replied that he would
serve him tine captain) the same way II he inter
fered. and drew back % strike him. IheTeupon
the captain drew his revolver, having gone 10
the pilot house for IL when smith hrst threat
ened to strike him. Smith then became quiet
Alter the boat left Port Townsend Smith
pulled Mate Burns nose ana otherwise assaulted
him, and Burns drew revolver ana threatened
toshoot him unless ne desisted. Later on they
had another alteration, during which Burns
DISPLAYED his revolver again.
After this peace was restored again, but 1t ap-
pears that all of the men in the engineers de-
partment had their things packed 10 leave the
boat on her arrival in seattle, and Patterson
had demanded his time before reaching the
wharf.
smith appears 10 have had the engineers de-
partment under his control, and when the cap
tam left him in the saloon he had, in a manner,
cha &c OF the deck department also. Captain
McAlpines explanation that he did not want
any trouble, but wanted TO get the vessel and
passengers to Seattle is not sufficient under the
circumstance, as prompt exercise or MS au-
thority at that time would have quelled the dis
turbance 1t further appears that Chief Eugl-
neer lawson failed in his duty in not exercising
his authority as chief engineer toward
queling the disturbance, and shrket
the responsibility by detailing the second
assistant engineer TO perform that duty. 1t also
appears that Mate Burns renewed the disturb
ance after peace restored by using strong Ian
guage toward Smith under cover OF q revolver,
and Patterson, second assistant engineer, lett
his post aud demanded his time while the yes
sci was under way, and the inspectors hold that
no officer has a right to demand his time until
the vessel is properly mo0red alongside the
wharf First Assistant Engineer Smith is
guilty of misbehavior in dsobeying the cap
tain's orders and for iusu bordination, which
nearly resulted in mutiny while the vessel was
under way.
The decision is rendered under the authority
vested in the board of inspectors by section
4,450 of the Revised Statutes OF the United
States, and is based on title 50 of the same stat
utes, relating to the duties OF licensed marine
officers.
The testimony in the case was not as contra.
dietory as might have been expected, the only
material difference being that Smith claimed
Captain McAlpine snapped the revolver in his
face twice while he was quietly talking to Chief
Lawson. His testimony on this point was not
corroborated.
The principal witnesses in the case were Chief
lawson, Captain MeAlpine, Engineers Smith
and Patterson, John Murray and Charles Clarke
water tenders, John Best, fireman, Mate Burns
Customs officer p. J. Kane, Second Nate Rastad
William Mcmahon, agent of the Seattle Transfer
Company, and Nelson Johnson and Andrew
Larson, deckhands.
Captain Bryant, inspector. said that while
Rsstad had no license and could not be reached
by the inspectors, he is really responsible to q
greater extent than the captain, the chief oil
first officer, for had he done his duty as second
officer when the row started. and quelled it in
stead OF sneaking off to notify the captain, il
would have put AN end to il.