Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-08-26
q|'t Republita'l,
WATERFOWL. WIS.
MUTINY ON A LINER.
A Captain Defends His Vessel and Kill:
One of His Men.

Captain Defends His vessel and Kills
One of His Men.
New York, Aug. 22.-Capt. Barker, of
the steamship OLDHAM, which has
reached here, reported that on his last
trip out of New York the stokers mutt
MED, and that he shot the leader, So
cialist named Duzen, dead. On his ar
rival at Rotterdam he had the other
mutineers arrested, and himself gave
bonds for his appearance to answer to
the charge of murder.
According to the story of Captain Bar
ker, the outbreat on board The vessel
was the result of a plot to take posses
sion of the ship. The OLDHAM left this
port July Is for Rotterdam. There
were on board upward of 800
cabin and steerage passengers. The
craft had been running off shore
officer on the bridge called upon the
Captain and informed him that there
was evidence of dissatisfaction among
the firemen and stokers. All of these
were Socialists and had given evidence
of their antagonism to the line on the
previous trip of the vessel to this port.
Capt. Baker went below to the fur
mace room when informed by his officer
that mischief was brewing. Ills pres
ence was the occasion for a round of
Misses. He said nothing to the men
snd returned to the deck. Going to his
cabin he sent for Chief Engineer Boil.
The latter told his superior officer that
the men were on the verge Of mutiny
and that he had pleaded with them in
vain.
You do your duty and let matters
shape themselves" said Capt. Baker.
= have 800 passengers on this ship,
and any man below who tries to run
this vessel will pay dearly for it."
Everything went we'll that night. A
quiet search was made among the eff
fects 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 m. nd 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 second Off
Ger on dutp told him that he had given
the engine room no signal to stop, or
evpn to slow down. Just then the chief
engineer rushed to the bridge.
Come below" he shouted to the
Captain, 1.-The men have put out the
fires and threaten to take my life if in
sist on giving them orders. They refuse
to obey me IN any way"
Capt. Baker hurried below. He
found twenty of the fremen and coal
passers punched together alongside the
furnaces. They had drawn the fire, and
the vessel was simply holding its head
TO the wind with tie aid of a few sails.
'.What is the matter with you fell
lows 2" shouted the Captain.
4 general howl from the men was the
answer to the Shippers query. "IlI
tell you what the matter Is, = SAID Peter
Duzen, who appearek to De the ring
eader. 1--WE have grown tired of this
life, and we intend to run things to suit
ourselves. That's what the matter is"
lis that the expression OF yourself"
inquired Capt Baker, cor are you act
ing as spokesman for the others ?''
4 don't care what the other fellows
do" said Duzen; I'm going to have a
good time or know why"
''All right" said the captain, "you
can accomplish your purpose when you
do away with me-"
"If that's SO I'll do it now" said
Duzen, and picking up huge iron pick
he struck at the captain. The captain
drew back, pulled navy revolver from
his pocket, aimed it at Duzen. and
fired The man fell at the captains
feet with an oath. The ball had en-
tered his left breast. 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 Duzen was buried at sea.
Papers in his bag showed him to have
been q leading Socialist and anything
but good character.
The killing of this man ouelled the
mutiny. The fires were relighted. and
the vessel proceeded on its way, reach
ing Rotterdam 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
Tor trial on the return Of the vessel to
port next month.