The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-13
MURDER ON II INGERS0LL
FIRST NATE oHRLsTIhNsBN KILLED
AND THROWN OVERHEARD.

10 hAtN httu bhtoruihn NtCuohb HterIt
Early on the morning of Dec. "a last, in the
midst Of q dead calm, with the moon shining
brightly and the sea undisturbed for miles
around, John Christensen, first mato OF tho
b00-ton bark Justine H. Ingersoll, was killed by
a fellow californian and his body thrown over
board. Tho murder was committed when tho
bark was about eight days out and of
the east coast Of Bermuda. Tho second
mate, Paul Blanchard. a Frenchman, and
the ono foreigner In the crew of Swedes
which signed for q long voyage with the
1~ngersoll carly in December, Is accused Of the
crime. AS THE Sun told last week, he was
brought from South America in tho United
States ship Yantic. and is now In Norfolk. He
will be put on trial In Boston as soon as he
reaches there. Meanwhile, three witnesses,
sailormen on the Ingersoll. are In custody in
this city, and will be sent on to Boston to.mor-
row.
Tho details OF tho murder reached this city
yesterday, when tho hgersoll sailed into tho
lower bay. Tho United States authorities got
instructions from Fortress Monroe early in the
morning what to do when the I~ngersoll arrived,
the Yantic having put the prisoner ashore there
on Friday night. Deputy United States Mar
shals McAveney, Fitzgerald. and Churchill went
down the bay In a tug, and when the 1ngerson
reached Quarantine went aboard and arrested
Acting First Mate Ibert Ammon. a half brother
of the murdered man; Acting Second Mate
Thomas Nichols. and Louis Larsen, able seaman.
The Justine II. Ingersoll sailed from Boston on
Dec. 10 with a miscellaneous cargo In her hold
and n deck cargo OF wood. She carried a crow OF
eight men, including her officers, and was bound
for Montevideo. The first few days Of the trip
were uncventful. The men got along together
we'll and there was harmony among the officers.
Firaf Mafe Christinpuep and Third NTafa A fpnon
had sailed for three successive years with Capt.
Petersen and 30 had a couple of the men.
Blanchard, the second mate. was a new hand,
who had been shipped at Boston on the recon-
mendation OF another deep sea skipper, a friend
OF Capt. Petersen. He was a silent man and a
hard worker, but had little In common with the
crew or other officers, being of different birth.
On tho night of tbs murder Capt. Petersen
turned In shortly after midnight. He had stood
the first watch. First Mate Christiansen had
the mid watch, and Blanchard and Nichol were
with him. Third Mate Ammon was to take the
morning watch and Capt. Petersen had left
orders to DO called at 9 o'clock. 1t was about 3
o'clock when Capt. Petersen was awakened by
some one rushing in his cabin and shouting:
"The mates overboard! The mates over
board!'
Bring her around!' ordered the Captain; and
jumping into some clothes he ran on deck. A
number Of seamen, who had been awakened by
some one shouting the news down the forecastle
hatch, were already there. Away aft were
Blanchard and Nichol. Rushing back to them,
the Captain demanded:
What's the matter here"
1.-THE mates ovcrbo- I'd, - said Blanchard. II
was forward and heard a cry. When l came
back aft. the mate was gone. Then i heard an
other cry, from the water and l knew he was
overheard. sent Nichol to spread the alarm
Nichol. who was trembling like a leaf. suid
nothing, and the Captain. in the excitement Of
the moment didn't wait to question him. Two
boats were lowered and for a long time the men
rowed around, but couldn't find the slightest
t ira Sa OF she af m,ssi Ing nam Gan,ai H"1 1s a g5s c tbe d irSn
When 1t was evident that the mate could not
be rescued. Capt Petersen put the bark on her
Blanchard and Nichol as the watch. He did not
regard the occurrence as suspicious, thinking
that Christensen might have been drunk and
1t was 3 O'Clock. and the sun was well up. when
Capt: Petersen came on deck again. blanchard
trying to figure out how so faithful a seaman as
Christensen had always. shown himself to be
could have got drunk on his watch. when a sea-
man came TO him and asked him to step aft.
There are some things which the men think
you ought to see. " he said.
The things were a lot OF red stains on the lum-
Der making up the deck cargo. An attempt had
been made to wipe them away, but there was no
installing their character.
us there anything more r. asked the Captain
quietly.
IL Stiiib W NV tltst ~ ih'O +"
a great pool OF blood. No attempt had been
ono long glance at the blood and then ordered
the seaman TO call all hands on deck at once.
De s Melk%d h to s snid io %hen ,h e'm nrsM a ana o Tsttgs.
including Blanchard and Nichol. who had been
hauled out OF bed. came forward. there has
VINO did it. You all know who is missing. and /
tell you now that he was murdered"
move or said II word.
"Well," said the CAPTAIN. will no one who
knows who did this thing come forward and
No one volunteered a word. and the Captain
ordered them all back to their duties. and went
men came to him and asked that more be
done TO find out who had Killed Chris
SAID saiidd.'" an intimated Very strongly that
it must have been one Of the two men who were
that at The time he could do nothing, but that
the truth was bound to come out before the
voyage was over and that the guilty ones would
be punished. During the rest OF that day Sea
man Nichols life was made such a burden to
him that he resolved to tell all he knew OF the
the story he told. ms repeated by the Captain to
"A Sun reporter yesterday:
heard Blanchard calling me-. Not five minutes
before l had left blanchard aft. As / camo
tor'ard l passed Christensen going aft. As l
to Blanchard. When / heard blanchard calling
l ran back and saw him standing over n mans
DOl1. L "uS Tx ulthth anu NuNluI L q W III luc
man was. He was on his face and very quiet.
Lend me a hand said blanchard, this fellows
dead and | want TO push him overheard Who
is 1t . l asked. None OF. your business, he said.
80 ! told him ] wouldn't have a hand in any
work that looked dirty unless Mr.. Christensen
or the Captain ordered II. He. jumped right
across tho body at that and shook a Enifo coy;
cred with blood under my nose. Take one end
he said. or I'll kill you.'
II was badly frightened and obeyed him.
When he turned the body over the light Of the
moon fell across the face, and ! saw IL was
the mate: The whole back OF his head was
crushed in as though he had been hit from
behind with a Delaying pin, and blood came
from u wound in his left breast, where l
thought he had been stabbed. ! nearly
dropped tho body when ] saw it was tho mate.
but blanchard ordered mo to be steady,
and i managed to get enough strength to.
gether to throw my end oyer the rail. BlGncli.
ard cleaned up some blood stains from tho deck.
and then told mo to spread tho report
that the mate was overheard. | was to
tell anybody who asked me how he had fallen
that didn't know, but that | had simply heard
n splash and "a cry from the water. That Is all |
know about the matter. / did not see blanchard
kill Christensen. and don't know how the mate
came TO his death. ! know he was dead. how
ever, when we pitched him overheard"