Evening journal., 1895-10-28
THE WORK OF APRISONfR
John Peterson, Sentenced for
Piracy, Builder of rhe Ship
wHIOH 0RAOEa U. 9. OOURT ROOM

It Has stood In the Rear OF the Jugde's
DeHk Nearly a Quarter OF a Century.
The story of Its Bundine-Althouah
Weather Beaten II stni Holds Fond
Place In the Hearts Of UnoIe SANS
omcisis.
Vlsitors to the United States courts In
the large cities frequently wonder Why.
on the walls Of the courtroom are
prominently placed pair OF crossed oars.
a ship or some other emblem OF the sea.
This generally occupies place OF vantage
behind the judges desk and over his
head, and means that the court has
jurisdiction ia admiralty cases.
In the court room in the old building
now occupied by Uncle Sam at Sixth and
King, on a little shelf on the wall i'm
medlately Ia the rear OF the chair which
Judge Wales occupies while listening to
the long winded arguments OF counsel,
the reluctantly given testimony Of
witnesses, stands miniature ship. 1t
has occupied this position for nearly a
quarter Of century, and lts history has
become neeriy forgotten. When hrst
placed there It was rich In
fine coat Of paint, Its rigging
Was new and taut eud it's yards
we're as trim as a man of.war. Now the
dust Of years has dlmmed It's beauty. its
tiny ropes have rotted away aud its spars
are cock billed, In fact the natty little
craft has assumed n rather disreptsble
look, far different from the noble vessel
It as designed TO represent
During ts stay on ita lofty perch the
mimic ship has Witnessed many changes.
-. fl.aIr Ill I'D
aired their legal knoNledgo ia the oldA
fashioned, uncomfortable room, have
passed away and new ones have taken
thelr places Officials who have guarded
govsrhment prisoners heve y,htsngta
with each admlniatraClon. aud iarors
have came and gone, beneath It's shadow,
but still the ship remsiaa q subject for
the questions OF the spectators, and the
Administration Of those to whom the
blue sea Is au open book, for despite the
ravages Of tine she is still perfect
specmen Of naval architecture and the
riRgera skill.
An EVENING JOURNAL reporter asked
Clerk OF the Court s Redmond Smith
her history, and after little rummsging
Ia the store house OF his memory, he
resurrected the history.
Ia the early part OF 1870 Herman
wurderman, swede living In New
York made an agreement with an
acquaintance named John Peterson to 60
on q anking cruise. on the little sloop
Achilles, which he had purchased and
| fitted Cub for that purpose. John was
60 get half the profss OF the cruise.
/ They started from pier 2 North river.
New York, on May 2. 1870, their object
being TO gather up old rope. and SUI ch
other articles which 20 to make up the
stock Ia trade Of the Junk dsalsr. May IA,
the Achilles put into Wilmington. With
only Peterson on board He made several
contradictory statements 20 parties whom
be saw. To one he said that Wunder
man had been knocked overheard In
Great Egg Hsrbor at o'clock one
stormy morning ana was drowned.
Peterson claimed TO own the entire boat,
and offered her for sale. To another
party be said that Wunderman had been
lost of Little Egg Harbor At night. and
10 still another he claimed that his
companion was lost In the middle Of the
day BY being swept overheard by the
boom when opposite Bombay Hook. This
time Peteson clalmfd to be but half
owner Of the sloop
"Thess contradictions, followed by the
sale OF the sloop by Peterson, and the
appropriation of the money. led the
authorities to believe that all was not
right aud Joshul Valentine, who was
then mayor, caused his arrest on a
double charge Of piracy and plratical
murder. These cases came before the
Rrnrd iury. Ex- Senator Anthony
Higgins was then United States district
attorney. while Lsvi o Bird was
employed BY Peterson as counsel. At the
June term Of the Circuit Court the
grand Jury returned indictments on
both charges and they we're sent to the
Ostober term Of the district court There
a big fight WAS made for the man.
1T was shown that Wunderman
owned the shop and had sailed with
Peterson That only one man was ever
seen afterwards, and that one sold the
craft and pocketed not only that money
but sum which Wunderman was known
to have had when leaving on the trip.
On the charge OF pirsiical murder
Peterson WAS acquitted but on the charge
Of piracy he was convicted. and on
October 30, 1870. Was sentenced to pay a
fne Of 81 ana be Imprisoned five years.
He served until August 10, 1872 when
he was pardoned by President Grant.
During bis incarceration at New Castle,
Peterson made the little ship. aud after
his release presented It to United States
Marshal Dunn, who Ia turn gave It to
the court, aud had II placed behind the
judicial beuch, as Sign that the
Admiralty Court sat there. Ttis is its
history
Since then the little craft has
westhered many a hard blow and, as
already said. looks weather bea'en and
sadly in need of visit 10 the dry dock.
Clerk smith, his deputy William q.
Mehaffy, United Ststes Marshal Lannan
and his staff, In fact all connected with
the court, have warm places 10 their
hearts for the miniature ship and design
having her put ia repair and placed In .
glass case. When the tine comes that
Uncle Sam sees &c TO complete the new
home OF the court at Ninth and shipley
streets, the craft will fad safe harbor
there.