The San Francisco call., 1896-03-21
From sketch By seal" staff artist ]

close-reefing the topsails. Time and again
it has been recorded that the braces have
been let go and the swinging yard has
occasion it has been the sailor who has got
the worst of it, while the captain and
officers as general rule got the entire
blame.
The tables have been turned, however,
and the relatives of Captain Phil Dreyer
are now mourning his loss. A more das-
tardly crime was never committed at sea.
The captain had occasion to reprimand the
steward, and the latter seized the oppor-
tunity when the master was at dinner to
plunge a carvlng-knife into his back. Cap
tain Dreyer died, and the steward is now
under arrest.
The four-masted schooner Lyman D.
Foster sailed from San Francisco about
the latter part of November last. Captain
"PhIl' Dreyer was in command and G. G.
Linn, half-breed Chinese. was cook and
steward. For an assistant he had Thomas
Gertzen, another half-breed, who acted as
cabin boy.
Neither Linn nor Gertzen had ever been
in trouble before, and both had served on
the American vessel Topgallant. Neither
wore queues. and both claimed to be Ma
tive Sons of the Golden West. When the
Lyman d. Foster arrived al Shanghai and
the two Chinese were arrested for the
murder OF the captain they claimed the
protection of the American flag, and it
was given them. 1t was cold blooded
affair, however, and one of the men is sure
TO hang.
When the Foster left San Francisco she
had a crew of fourteen all told aboard.
At Bellingham Bay she loaded lumber for
Shanghai and sailed last December. All
went well for time, but Linn and the
captain did not get along well together.
The Chinese was derelict in his duty and
frequently had to be reprimanded. On
February 25 matters came to climax.
The captain pointed out certain shortcom-
ings in the work of the Chinese and the
latter took the first opportunity to re-
venge himself. AS he was serving the
skipper he leaned over his back and
grasping the carving-knife stabbed Dreyer
between the shoulders.
A struggle ensued. but the wounded
master was no match for the infuriated
Chinese and was soon overcome. When
Mate L. Anderson and others of the crew
broke into the cabin Captain Dreyer was
dead and the Chinese was sitting at the
table gazing upon the corpse. His mind
was completely gone and he had to be
placed in irons to prevent further trouble
Whether his craze was temporary or not
rem aims to be seen, but that will certainly
be his plea when the case comes to trial in
the Consular Court in Shanghai.
Captain Dreyer was well known in San
Francisco, and no one will be more missed
on Change than he. For years he was
master of the schooner Reporter, and a
few years ago w. G. Hall of Port Blakeley
built the Lyman D. Foster for him. The
schooner was named alter son of s. Fos-
ter, the wholesale grocer, and is considered
one of the handsomest four masted crafts
ahoat. Captain Dreyer leaves widow
and four Children, all of whom live in Al
ameda. IL was late In the afternoon be-
fore any one could summon up courage
enough TO inform them of the tragedy.
When the news was finally broken to Mrs.
Dreyer her grief was pitiable to behold.
The remains of her husband will be en-
baImed and brought to San Francisco for
burial.