New-York tribune., 1896-04-22

ALLEGED PLOT TO sCUTTLE A SHIP.
CAPTAIN BRooKs's ACCOUNT OF THE LOSS OF
THE l.. r. CANN.

CAPTAIN BROOkSS AttOONl Or LIE i>oSo Vt
THE L. E. CANN.
The story Of an alleged conspiracy to insure the
cargo OF the ship L. r. Cam for large sum OF
money and 10 scuttle and sink her at was told
yesterday before Justice Gegerch and jury in
Trial Term Part VII OF the Supreme Court, when
the trial OF suit brought by Stevens Voisin against
the Commercial Mutual Insurance Company was
Continued.
The plaintiff alleges In his complaint and through
his counsel. Arthur Knox and william Mitchell.
that he was the OF goods forming part OF
the cargo OF the l.. E. Cam. valued at more than
$500 Those goods were. he says. on March 10,
lsss insured By the defendant for $3.50 The L. r.
Cam was In trade between this city and Tecoluta.
Mex. and II Is asserted that on the voyage when
she was sunk OF the coast OF South Carolina she
had a cargo on board valued at $4,000. The plain
tin alleges that In May. 1882. the L. L. Cam was
sunk by reason Of the peril OF the sea. He says
the defendant has refused and still refuses to
pay tho amount OF Insurance due him.
The defendant, through Evarts Choate & Bea-
man, admits the Insurance OF the plaintiffs goods.
but AYERS that the goods shipped were not Of the
kind or amount stated by the plaintiff and con-
templated by the policy Of Insurance The defend
ant admits that the L. +. Cam sailed on March
30 from Tccouta. but denies that I'm good falth,
and In the regular OF navigation. she prose-
cutcd her voyage from that port to or from New
OF such voyage. by reason OF the perils OF the
sea and the risks insured against wrecked or lost
The company says that the value Of the vessels
cargo was Comparatively small and that her
abandonment at not attributable to or
reasonably enforced by pers OF the sea- Ii Is
also alleged that the l.. T. Cam deviated from her
course. and that the policy became void A vo-
luminous deposition made by william w. Brooks,
who was the captain OF the l.. +. Cam at the time
she was lost. was put In evidence. He said that
the ships bottom In a bad condition. and that
she once sprung leak on voyage To England
He further said. when was at Vera Cruz en-
tered into conspiracy wi'h various persons 10
scuttle and lose my ship FOR the purpose OF de-
fraudng the insurance companies. The only con-
sprators whose names knew were Cranes, Campos
and Joublanc. When entered into this conspiracy.
! intended to carry II out. For that scheme was
to get $50 down. 5000 Al the time OF signing the
bills OF lading 1900 at Tccolutla and the balance
carried out that part OF the agreement which COM
prsed the scuttng Of the ship.
"In point OF fact" says Captain Brooks. Il did
not scuttle the ship. II necessary to make
holes In the bottom | made the holes just before
| abandoned her. She had already sprung a leak.
however and was sinking 1t was our agreement
that when they got copy or the protest they
should give me another draft. began TO think ]
was entitled 10 all OF II II | could get II. | got all
out OF them that / could"
Captain Brooks says that his brother was mate
OF the L. e. Cam. but knew nothing OF the con-
spiracy.