The San Francisco call., 1896-11-03
He Shot and Killed Second Mate
Frank Jones in Quarrel
Over a Squaw.
KILLING NOT PREMED1TATED.
Wheat Is Coming in and the Whe at
Fleet Is Loading as Rapidly as
Possible.

Trouble seems to follow the whaling
fleet. Never have there been as many
disasters and never has there been as
much trouble in any one season. Yester-
day the Balaena got in with the first mate,
II. P. Bowen, in irons. He is charged
with the murder of Frank Jones, the ves-
sePs former second mate. Bowen was
taken off the ship by Sergeant Bunner
and Officer Ferguson, who delivered their
prisoner into the custody of the United
States Marshal.
The crime with which Bowen stands
charged was committed September 1 last
at Herschel Island. He killed Jones
after desperate rough and tumble fight,
in which the second officer had all the
worst OF it. The accused man declined to
discuss the affair yesterday, saying that
he was acting under instructions from his
attorneys. He declared, however, that he
had killed Jones in sell-defense.
Bowen is the man who five years ago
saved the crew of the American ship Ken
nebeck in San Pedro harbor. There came
up terrible storm and the Kennebeck
went down. Bowen witnessed the event,
and securing two or three brave fellows
went to the rescue of the shipwrecked sail.
or5. The entire crew was saved.
Among the passengers on the Balaena
was John E. Mapes, boat-steerer on the
Beluga. He and Captain Williams were
the only witnesses OF the killing. Both
were great friends of Jones, and both say
the killing was not prem editated. The
dead man persisted in bringing a squaw
into the room where he and Bowen had
had their hunks. Many a time Bowen
put the woman out and just as often Jones
broueh hit her back. Finally u quarrel en-
sued and Bowen pulled his gun and killed
his friend. Captain Williams refuses to
discuss the matter, but the members of
the crew assert that Jones pulled his ri fle
from the bracket and was ready to shoot
when Bowen fired his revolver. Bowen is
now charg d with murder.
The only movement among vessels along
the front is in the wheat feet. The Will
la mette got in yesterday with 40, 600 sacks
OF wheat and the City of Benares, Forest
Hall and Valkyrie got away with full
loads for Europe. Half dozen other
vessels are loading and at least dozen
are In the stream awaiting a chance to
dock and get rid of their Cargoes. Many
OF them are chartered, but others are here
on the chance OF getting high rate when
wheat goes up.
Captain Fardeiius of the schooner ARA
lea reports that on October "a at IL A. NJ.
he passed dead whale. 1t was in latitude
S4.54 north, longitude 1880 west and
looked like ships bottom. This was in
the vicinity of Point Conception and the
pilots assert that it was probably the
whale that was captured by the Wills
hunters and exhibited at Sausalito last
month.
There will be very little done on the
front to-day. All the State offices will be
closed and all the voters will be uptown
looking out for election returns. There
will not be q ship discharging or receiving
cargo and in consequence the British cap
tains will have a grievance. All's well
that ends well, however. and the Britishers
will leave port with sound money in their
pockets and the fact that protection to
American Industries is once more in force
firmly grounded in their memories.