St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-11-17
WILL He BE HANGED ?.
INDICTED UNDER A LAW SIGNED. BY
THOMAS JEFFERSON.
WAS TIE NEVADA CAST AWAY
John 4. Schurg Sent to Chicago to
Stand Trial for Completely in
Casting Away a Vessel in 1890
First Case Ever Prosecuted
on the Lakes-To Re Test Suit
-SChurg Claims Innocence.


Is John A. Schurg a pirate? Did he
least away" the steamer Nevada on
Lake Michigan in November, 1890?
Shall he be hanged? Those are the
questions that fneIooking, intelligent
man, with healthy glow in his face and
erect form, who stepped on train last
night bound for Chicago, accompanied
by Col. Thomas d. Sheehan. a deputy
United States marshal, of this city, and
Deputy United States Marshal G. E.
Stanley, of Chicago, is called upon to
answer.
John a. Schurg was arrested a few
days ago by Col. Sheehan while at his
post as engineer of the steamer
Marina, at Two Harbors, MINI.
Schurg was indicted by a grand
jury of the federal court sitting in
Chicago during the month Of October
charged with 'casting away the
steamer Nevada on Lake Michigan Nov
IA. 1890. After his arrest Monday he
was taken before United States Com
missioner Carey, at Duluth. for exam
lnatlon. and was ordered to be brought
before Judge Il. r. Nelson preliminary
10 an order being made to transfer him
TO the Illinois tdiStrict for trial. Schurg
was brought to this city, and on being
taken before United States District
Judge Nelson yesterday, admitted that
he was engineer of the Nevada when
she was lost on Lake Michigan in
November, 1899, and also that he is the
man charged with the offense. He Of
fered no opposition to being taken to
Chicago, and, upon the admission as to
his identity, Judge Nelson made an
order transferring him TO Chicago for
trial, and lie left last night IN charge of
the officers as stated.
Schurg IS a fine-lO0klng man and
speaks i'll all Intelligent manner. He
denies, however. that he is guilty of any
Wong doing, and claims that he will be
indicated on the trial OF being impli-
Gated with others in sinking the ship to
give the owners chance to secure the
$4,000 insurance on her. He also denies
that he received any sum of money for
such deed. The home of Schurg is at
l4S Park street. SanduSky, D. When ar
rested lie sent his wife letter contain
his arrest. In the letter he asserted his
innocence, and expressed his belief iii
his acquittal.
Schurg and others officers of the lost
steamer are indicted under an old
United States statute that was passed
and signed by Thomas jefferson when
president of the United States. The
penalty is death. The offenSe is 'sWil-
fully and coTuptly casting away or
otherwise destroying vessel by its
owner Or any other person, with the i'll
tent to prejudice any person that may
underwrlte any policy of insurance
thereon, or any merchant that may have
goods thereon or any other owner of
such vessel"
This is the first case known to have
occurred on theGreat Lakes in which an
Indictment has been found under the
law since its passage There is said to
have been one case OH the Ohio river
in the early part of the century, but
none other is on the records of the
courts so far as attorneys who have
studied the matter have discovered.
There have been cases of civil suits
growing out of the alleged casting
away" of vessels. bat no criminal case
other than the one alluded TO.
The steamer Nevada was owned by e.
W. DoerSoach ana w ii. Landgraf, OF
SanduSky. o., and j. W. Decker. OF
Oberlin, o. 1t was registered at Butfa-
10, where it was also insured 20 the
amount of $4,000 by Smith, Davis q Co.
Capt. Thomas Mayhem and Capt. John
KelderhouSe. of Buffalo, had q mort
gage on the lost boat, and they received
the insurance.
The claim is made that the sPamen's
union r.ished the evidence upon
which to prosecute Schurg and other
officers of the boat, among which was
Capt. William H. Landgraff, who COM
manded and was part owner of the Ne
vada. 1t is rumored that the captain
had killed a union seaman on the deck
of the Nevada when at Milwaukee, a
few weeks before the loss of the boat,
and that this prosecution was begun to
get even with Capt. Landgraff.