The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-10-09
THE TRUE STORY.
Inside History of Mrs.
captain" Brock
AND THE CALEB CURTIS.
The Origin OF the Only Woman
Trader in the World.
PENNILESS WHEN DEATH CAME
RolIo Brooks Smooth Talk About
His. Experience as a South
Sea Trader.
PENNILEss WHEN DEATH CAME

nave Deen written concern Ing Tue DOat anu
her owner. Mrs. Captain Brock. These
stories have simply been reiteratons OF
statements published in this city at the
time the Curtis was lying at Main-street
wharf. Mrs. Brock has, in fact acquired
a great deal OF notOriety by her assocla-
tons with the fatal Caleb Curtis, but not
through any achievement on her part OF
nature 10 startle the world.
Being the first woman ever known to
have with her own money fitted out YES
sci for trading in the South Seas the name
of Mrs. Captain" Brock went out to The
world as cognomen attached to a re-
mark able female navigator. genius of a
literary turn and woman of rare concep-
tons, whose knowledge of things scientific
and otherwise was almost limitess.
The dispatches say that the woman cap
tain and her husband, together with three
other human beings, lost their lives in the
accident men toned above. If such is the
case. the career of a woman who rose from
the slums of San Francisco Into worldwide
prominence has terminated.
Mrs. Captain Brock was not educatedto
any extent. She coult write after fashion,
but she could not possibly have composed
a story nor written a book. Withal she
seaTcher for the dollar and careful saver.
When she met Roll0 Brock he was an
acrobat at Woodward's Gardens and an at
tendant of the animal arena. Mrs. Brock
was an unsophisticated maiden who gave
no thought TO the sea, but practiced the art
of selling coffee in a Barbary Coast res
taurant. Brock was tired of working hard
and tried to win the woman, as he had heard
that she had saved out of her scant earn
ings enough money to start them uD in
business. It is believed that marriage
ceremony took place soon after the twain
met.
Brock didn't prove himself much of
man. lie drank to excess and spent nearly
ali of his wife's money. They were being
rapidly reduced to poverty when Mrs.
Brock made a fortunate speculation of
some kind and realized several Thousand
dollars. For some time after this very
little was heard from the couple until they
appeared one day on the water front in
search Of suitable boat to set sail for the
islands in. The Caleb Curtis was then Oh
the market for sale. and some one directed
them to where she could be in spected.
One of the strange facts of the story is
that there was not seafaring man in San
Francisco who could have been persuaded
to buy the Curtis. The little craft had
met with disaster time and again. On an
occasion not many months before she had
been capsized outside the Heads and o
number of lives were lost. She was old
and worthless, yet Mrs. Captain" Brock
paid $3.50 tor her 10 cash and spent $1,000
more in fitting her up. Thus was the old
pilot-boat launched again on a road to
further disaster.
At the time the purchase was made Mrs.
Brock and Rolo lived near the corner of
Pine and Dupont streets in humble little
suite Of rooms close to beer saloon. In
these squald apartments Rolo filled his
wife up with stories of his vast experience
as a South Sea trader. He told her that
his ex-employer, Mr. Woodward, had one
time detailed him to voyage about the
South Seas in quest of curios for the gar
den museum. He declared that he knew
everything about ths islands that was
worth knowing and Mrs. Brock believed
all he said.
Brock had been to the South Seas. but
he travelled among the isles as an attache
of an alleged circus. He drifted about
and became known as a beachcomber or
contortionist. This was the limit of his
experience as a trader.
The man knew nothing about the navi-
cation of boat and the woman, of course,
was not supposed to know. In the end d
young seafaring man, who is we'll known
in this city, was engaged to act as sailing
master" George Ewart is the name of the
gentleman and he is man oil a great deal of
experience IN his line of business.
The Curtis sailed from San Francisco In
August. 1898, and from Mr.. Ewart, who is
81 present in this city, the following par
ticuIars of the trip to Hong-Kong were OBJ
tanned.
No sooner had the schooner got out of
sight of land when both Rollo and the
woman trader began to show themselves
up in their true colors. They quarrelsd IN
cessantiy and made things very disagree
able fer those who journeyed with them.
Several times the little boat was almost
lost in severe squalls aud once or twice she
came near striking on coral reef
When the islands were reached Mrs.
Brock and her worst half fought mora
fereely than ever. The woman accused
her husband of being an adventurer, WIFI lie
he, to destroy his troubles, drank Excess
siyely, leaving all thoughts of trading go
out of bis mind.
A few attempts were made TO sell the
GutIlo CaIgO, Uut dS VIC WOHdH tfdubE
had surrendered herself to INDECENT con-
temptation of her surroundings from the
vantage ground of her bunk, and Rolo
had given himself over to whisky and the
tween deck accommodations, there was
very little copra secured.
The cabn-boy and steward deserted the
vessel and came back to the United States.
Mrs. Brooks coin was rapidly being
wasted, so she decided to return to her
native land, Australia. When half way
over she changed her mind aud sailed into
Hong-Kong harbor, where Ewart and the
balance Of the crew of the boat could
stand the queer owners no longer, were
paid off in part and then came back to this
city.
Out of the $4,000. the original capital of
the woman trader. only 5000 was left.
Brock was spending that as fast as he
could. The Curtis needed repairs and was
plling up expense bills right along. 4
number of attempts were made to sell r,
but seamen stunned the boat and would
not think about making all offer for her.
Mrs. Captain Brooks idol was shat
tered Instead OF winning fame and re-
turning to San Francisco with her vessel
niied with shells and copra, 10 receive the
congratulations of her friends, she found