The morning call., 1893-08-18
THE SEA TRAGEDY.
Bad Outlook for Sparf
and Hanson.
Mate Croker of the Tam O'Shanter
on Trial for Cruelty to
Seamen.

Testimony for the Government is no t
yet all in before Judge McKenna of the
United States Circuit Court in the Spa1f
and Hanson cases. Captain Sodergren of
the Hesper was Cd the stand most of yes
terday and told substantially the same
story he did in the ST. Clair case.
First Mate Lucas corroborated his state
ment He had been relieved by the unfor-
tunate Fitzgerald on the night of the
tragedy &C O'clock. A little before mid
night he was called by Herman Sparf. He
went on deck. but suspected that some
thing was wrong. for Fitzgerald was MISS
ing. He at once called the captain, and
they found some blood, but the second
mate was gone.
Another important witness for the
prosecution during the day was Edward
Larson, who was at the wheel when the
murder was committed. He had relieved
Thomas st. Clair, according to his evil
dence, about 10 p. NJ, and st. Clair went
forward. About twenty minutes or half
an hour later 81. Clair came aft, near the
wheel, and told Fitzgerald that something
had been carried away in the forward part
OF the vessel. ST. Clair and the mate went
forward, and Immediately afterward lie
heard dog bark and the mate call out for
help. After that all was still The night
was dark al he could not see anything.
Once previous to the tragedy he had over
heard st. Clair, Sparf and Hanson dis
cussing the plot to xiii the captain and the
other officers and take the ship.
District Attorney Garter made an effort
TO get in some very important evidence
for the prosecution. 1t was In the form of
statement said TO have been made by
Hanson to the captain at Tahiti; but the
defense objected, and the court reserved
its ruling until to-day. This statement is
n detailed confession and rafarred tn
by Captain Sodergrep in his testimony,
but Attorney Smith objected to its admis-
sion on the ground that il was made willis
Hanson was in duress.
Captain SOdergren has been anxious to
have the case dismissed against Hanson,
and even had the Danish Consul here in-
terested in the prisoners behalf. He is
under the impression that Hanson saved
his life.
The statement which he says Hanson
made to him, giving graphic and etailed
account of the killing of Fitzgerald by
Ratchet and bludgeoD, was not used as evil
dence upon the St. Clair trial.
Another trial having TO do with the vio-
lent phase of seafaring life was going on
before Judge Morrow in the United States
District Court The burly second mate of
the Tam OShaDter, Richard A. Croker,
was being defended by Attorney f. P. Van
Duser against the charge OF cruelty upon
the high seas.
Harry Hill, the seaman ssid to have been
assaulted by Croker last March when
only an hour or two out of the port of
New York, gave his version of tile fight
which then occurred. He and the mate
did some biting evidently, for part of his
ear was gone and there was exhibited in
court piece of CrOcker's under lip, W hicb
had been preserved in glass jar.
The witnesses against the defendant
were Seamen Harry Hill. John HuItherg.
Andrew Olson. Harry Mattson and Emil
Johnson. Croker had in his behalf the
statements of Captain Peabody and of
a Waterman named Thomas Blythe, who
had formerly known Hill.
Whisky. it seems, had been at the bot
tom of the whole affair, and Crocker's
efforts to take the liquor away from the
men had precipitated the melee. The
sailors say Croker is hot-temDered and
tyrannical, and, on the other hand. Croker
says Hill. the principal witness against
him, was Obdurate and contrary. The de-
PENDANT denies, however. that be ever as
saulted Hill or any other man aboard.
The case will go TO the jury this forenoon.