The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-01-20
Highest of an ia Leayening Po~e-Latess s Govt Report
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ABSOLUTELY PURE


or US was that Knott and
Bangs signed q statement admitting the
scuttl,ng of the vessel and relinquishing
ali claims for !oss against the Fireman's
Fund Insurance Company. Bangs went
down and made a settlements with the
Neah Bay Indians. whose little all was in
vested IN the schooner, by which they
were secured. and then made complaint
before Commissioner Emery. though I
would have been glad TO have been con-
tent to let him go free. bat did not con-
slider would be justified. As you know,
Bangs was glad to have the ordeal over,
for be knew that escape Was impossible 50
many had his secret"
Although Mr.. Mccarthy has been in the
service long time he is very proud Of his
work on the Parker case.
The complaint against Bangs charges
him with violation of the Revised Stat
utes, section !. 366, which says that any
person. not the owner. who shall cast
away the vessel 10 which he belongs. be-
ing the property of citizen, shall suffer
death, but Commissioner Emery said:
The Neah bay Indians are not citizens
and am satisfied that Bangs could not be
convicted OF the crime charged since they
own the vessel, for although they are not
citizens they are allowed TO own vessels by
little stretching of the law. | therefore
held him under section 1854, which SAYS
that person who shall conspire with an
otner TO cast away vessel to get
insurance shall be imprisoned not
more than ten wears and lined not more
than $4,000 You see how Bangs escaped
tae death penalty by only hairs breadth,
Tor nothing on earth could have saved him
from convection, and death is the only
penalty for his crime. No. there will be
no prosecution of Heey or Knoff. who
q 81 hr
Bangs is red-headed, red-mustached
man about b years of age and has wife
and one child living in Seattle. He is
very pleasant appearing and it seems
hard to believe that he is indeed guilty as
he has confessed. He has lived in this
city for years and has many friends. which
fact makes him dread the no;oriety of his
crime more than the probable punish
ment, which he hopes will be light. as he
has thrown himself on the courts mercy.
At the county Jail last night he said:
Il was crazy when I did it. Oh. ifI
could only have it to do over. but if it was
not for my poor wife 1 would not care
She tried TO see me today. out I can't look
ner In the face. To think of her coming
here 1t makes me shudder, and my friends,
what will they think? | would rather
stay here year longer than have the
newspapers publish this. l was never in
such place as this before"
Pressed to tell his story Bangs dashed
away few tears which were on his
weather-beaten face and told substantially
the same story as when he confessed to the
detective and signed the written confess
sion from which the story as given above
is CLEANED. He added:
Neither knott nor I put much cash
into the venture; nearly all of il was
credit. knott was to get one n alf of the
profits and | half. I WAS to run the
schooner and if il made money / was to
get 800 month wages besides We got
the schooner Tor 800 month and paid
for one month. When We got down into
the Straits on our return trip, the vessel
was so mean to handle that got discour-
aged about ever getting home with her.
But l can't see what made me do it, was
getting along so well in everything. Knott
had nothing to do with ii. am willing
to take all the blame for that, but
he did not stand by me when
the affair came out and it is By him and
one of my creditors who was aided to
squeeze me by Knott that think was
got into this mess. But il has been done
and can stand three years, | guess You
can say for me that that detective is a
gentleman, if he is an officer. He treated
me fair and square all the way through,
wHon no nnsW ~ 80 ionk before any one
else. And l haven't any kick against the
insurance committee; they handled me
very easy"
Bangs says that he agreed with the In
dians 10 build them a new schooner for
5000 which would be as good as the
Columbia, another Neah BAY schooner
and thus satisfied them for the loss of the
Parker.
Bangs schooner at Salmon bay wa.
built by his father, who is q ship carpen-
ter, and Bangs was to have half interes,
If he would rig her. That Is why he
wanted the money from the insurance
company SO badly.
The Parker was worth about 81 600 il 10
said, and her cargo, Bangs said, was worth
nearly $500. Bangs schooner is worth
nearly 5000 rugged.