The San Francisco call., 1897-01-01
A STRUGGLE FOR
THE CAP TAINCY
Mate Anderson Held the
Deck Against All
Intruders.
Three Would-Be Masters Were
Elected From the Sharpshooter
Without Ceremony.
Anderson and One of His Victims
Were Picked Up in the Bay by
a Boats Crew.

in trouble. AS bark she was on her way
here from South American ports with a
general cargo, when she was dismasted in
the Gulf of California and drifted out to
sea. Later she was picked up and towed
to San Francisco. The hull was sold at
auction, and the vessel was repaired at
considerable cost and turned into bark
entine. She was loaded for Sydney, but
Captain Kustel had to put back on ac-
count of the leaking decks. The cement
put over the seams had washed off and
the vessel took in considerable water The
return trip from New South Wales was a
long one, and as the voyage did not pay
expenses and the prospects were not bright
the vessel was tied up in Oakland Greek.
Christmas day Captain Kustel went
ashore and left Mate Anderson in charge.
The latter went to neigh boring yes
sci to have holiday drink, and in
went aboard. Anderson put in an ap-
! pearance a few minutes later and
! ordered the stranger ashore. He refused
/ to go and asserted his ownership. The
mate laughed, and taking him by the ear
walked him ashore. Anderson is Swede
and stands six feet in his stockings.
The owner went away vowing venge-
] dnCe, anu dL OHC0 aSeDG UOWn q man 10
take charge of the vessel. When he dis
played his authority Anderson said {:
Captain Kustel is master of this ship,
and he LETT me in charge. You must bring
an order from him be ore l move"
The new captain attempted to assert his
right, but Anderson without ceremony
walked him ashore. A second man was
sent down, but he also was worsted, and
when third put in an appearance there
was free fight. During the squabble
! both Anderson and the new captain fell
overheard. The men on the whaling bark
| Lydia saw the disturbance and the de-
nouement and at once went to their assist
! ance. Both men were hauled out and
dried, and when they returned to the
Sharpshooter Captain Kustel was in COM
mand. ... a.:
Later on Captain Peterson, late of the
| brig Lurline, assumed command.
Anderson was told by Captain Kustel to
| allow no one aboard without his permit
| and he followed his orders to the letter.
Captain Kustel will assume command of
one of the Australian packets in few
! days, and it is safe to say that Anderson
/ will be his chiefofficer. The Sharps shooter
| is one of the handiest and speediest boats
| that sails in and out of San Francisco, but
/ just what will be done with her is prob
lematic.
/ The ship Siam that arrived from Hong
| kong yesterday played In hard luck She
was chartered to load wheat for Europe at
/ 27s Sd prior to arrival, but failing to get
here on time she lost her chance and rates
are now less than a pound. The vessel
will in consequence have TO join the dis
/ engaged feet
While the Siam was being towed in by
| the Vigilant the CoIum bia was in tow of
/ the Reliance. Both ships crossed the bar
! about dusk and they made very pretty
| sight as thev headed for an anchorage.
| Sergeant Tom Mahoney of the harbor
police was proud man yesterday. Phil
| 5. BeeI presented him with magnificent
new badge as New Years present. 1t is
! of solid silver and the words Sergeant Of
/ Police" are IN blue enamel. The nulnbe
So is in raised gold figures, and the whole
makes a unique and handsome badge.
| Sergeant Mahoney received the badge a
| week ago, but could not accept it before
he received permission from the Police
Commissioners. That was given last
night, and Handsome Tom" is now
wearing his new badge of Office.
Captain Dunleavy also received a
present. THE boys" got together end
| had an enlargement OF the photograph of
sioners made. 1t is "a picture" in every
sense Of the word and no one was more
surprised than Captain Dunleavy when he
saw il. When he left at noon for his
lunch the space behind his desk was
vacant and on his return half an hour
later there hung the picture, with the
words Captain Dunleavy, happy New
Year" on a slip of paper in the corner.
There was nothing 1.-The boys" could have
given the captain that would have pleased
him better than the pictures of his Chief
and the Commissioners, every one of
whom is his personal friend.
There was a general mix-up among the
Custom-house officers on the front yester-
day. Inspector McKenna was sent to Fol-
som-street wharf and Inspector Greenan
to Pacific street. Inspectors Hall and
Hills were sent to assist Inspec tor o Leary
at the Pacific Mail dock, and Inspectors
Bryant and Cook, much to their delight,
are on the general water front again. The
changes are the usual yearly ones and no
significance is attached to them.
The Oceanic Steamship Company's
Zealandia is being thoroughly over
hauled prior to her trip to Australia. She
has been painted throughout, and special
care has been taken with the steward s
department. The main saloon is even
more handsome than that on the Aus
tralia, and the officers quarters have been
we'll taken care Of The staterooms are
all that could be desired, and not thing
is lacking in the equipment of the vessel.
The Zealandia can make her fourteen
knots day in and day out, and the betting
is that she will beat the MonowaPs time
easily.
The schooner Eliza Millar. now in Oak
land Greek, has been chartered to load
general cargo for Pirate Cove, on account
of the fishing and trading companies.
/ Goldfish is scarce in the market. and in
consequence vessel mas to be sent to
Alaska to bring down some OF the winter
supply. Captain George Anderson, late
of the schooner Hera will, go out in CON-
mand.
The purchaser of the st. Nicholas was
the George w. Hume Canning Company.
The sale of the ship was recorded in yes
terday's CALL. From here she will go in
ballast to Puget Sound and there load
coal for the Oregon Improvement Com
pany. In the spring she will go to
Alaska in the interests of the cannery
company. Captain Grant, late OF the
Coryphene, will be in command.
The American steel ship May Flint
will go from here in ballast to load sugar
at Honolulu for New York
Captain Errat of the schooner Volant
has taken command of the schooner Anna,
vice Captain Mcdonald, who left for
Honolulu on the Australia to take charge
of a steam schooner. BY this change the
VoIant will be left without master, and
lbe chances are that Captain Austin, the
popuIar chief officer of The Bessie Alden
and one of the oldest officers in the en-
ploy of the Spreckels, will get the posi-
tion.