The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-12
Mate Of Bark IngerSOll
Killed by a Sailor.
After the Tragedy Slayer
Threw Body Into the Sea.
Bark'S Second Mate Tells the Story
of the Midnight Crime.

New York, June 12 The Yankee bark
Justine H. Ingersoll. bound from the port
Of Montevideo to New York, is expected
TO arrive here sometime today. She Is
being eagerly waited for by two United
States marshals who will place under
arrest two OF her common seanen as ac-
| cessOrios to tho crime of murder and her
| second mate as a witness.
1t Is the same old story of a midnight
| murder on the high seas and as was the
case of the Herbert Fuller, 10 vessel be-
| longs to william, swan a. son OF % south
| street, New York.
| The victim was John Christensen first
mate of the vessel, who is we'll known In
| tho shipping circles OF Boston, having
! shipped from that port for many years
The alleged murderer is Paul Banch-
ard, Canadian, who shipped from New
| York as a common seaman. The latter
| Is now under arrest on board the United
States ship Yantic, bound from Monte
video 20 Norfolk, Va, where he Will 10
| delivered over 90 the federal authorities
| and stand trial for his crime.
Murder on the High Sea.
The Ingersoll left New York Dec. II
| last bound for Montevidoo with a cargo
Of OIL, lumber and general merchandise.
She was in charge of Capt. Henry Peter
\ son. who has been with Swan q Son for
| many years as commander of some OF
4 their best vessels.
Tho Ingersoll had for her crew John
| Christensen, first mate; Albert Ammon,
second mate; and "A crew of nine men,
| including Lewis Larsen. Thomas Nickel
son and Paul Blanchard.
| Everything was fair with the vessel
| until the night of the 10th day out from
| Newark, or Dec ~. when heavy gale
| struck her. She is staunch vessel and
although the weather was thick and
| heavy she made good Roadway under
small sails.
About midnight of the 9th Capt.
| Peterson turned In for little sleep and
| left Mate Christensen In charge OF the
! deck. With him were Paul Blanchard,
| Lewis Larsen and Thomas Nickerson.
| A bout | O'Clock the captain was aroused
| from his slumber by cries and loud voices
| on deck. lie hastily dressed and started
| up the companionway.
| just as he reached the deck no heard in
| the darkness tho voice of Second Mate
! Ammon exclaim; Course you, you have
killed my brother, " followed by the rapid
| firing or five shots from "a revolver and
the falling of a heavy body on the deck.
Tho captain ran up and found the
| second mate standing over seaman Blan-
chard with smoking revolver In his
| hand. He was kicking and cursing the
| prostrate man, who was begging and
| praying for mercy.
''My God, captain" Blanchard ex.
claimed, this man has shot me and I'm
dying"
The Second Mates Claim.
"He has killed my brother and has
| thrown his body overheard, and one of
these men helped him, +" the second mate
exclaimed, pointing Mt Lewis Larsen and
| Thomas Nicholson, who stood shaking In
| the darkness
r.
| where he lay wounded upon the deck.
Hearing this, Capt. Peterson jumped
for tho wheel and put the vessel about,
| leaving the crew TO look after blanchard
and Ammon. The captain cruised about
for nearly an hour trying to find mate
Christensen, but failed to get any trace Of
him.
Putting the vessel again on her course,
| Can't. Peterson went to the forecastle,
| where Blanchard had been taken He
| found upon examination that three OF the
five shots fired by Ammon had taken
effect In Blanchard's s body, but only in the
fleshy parts, so there appeared to be no
danger.
While Capt Peterson was dressing
| Blanciard's 's wounds IL was only by a
united effort of the rest of the crew that
tho second mate was kept from further
assault uDon the man who. he declared
| had murdered his brother A guard was
light came Capt Peterson made minute
| examination of the deck and surround
ings. In one place he found n big pool of
blood, which Blanchard asserted was
| caused 10y his nose. which had bled pro.
fusely during his watch. A trail of blood
led across the floor of the deck 10 the pile
OF lumber and up over the lumber to the
side of the vessel. Blood was also found
| ON the railing, and bad run down the
outside to the waterline, showing that
the mate had been assaulted and thrown
overheard. Blood was also found on
| Blanchard's clothing. hands and face.
but he claimed that IL came from the
wounds made by the bullets ana from his
nose bleed.
Second Mate Tells the Story
Second Mate Ammon told the captain
| that he had heard the noise on deck, and
| getting up he ran on deck Just In time to
sec Blanchard knife his brother. He said
also that he saw him use an iron pin on
| his head and shoulders
| "Ho was being helped" said the sec
ond mate, "by either Larsen or Nickel.
son. | ran for my revolver and when /
| returned Blanchard and either Larsen or
| Nicholson had just thrown the body over
the side Whether he was dead or alive |
! don't know. / rushed forward, and in
my rage fired all the chambers of my re-
volvor into that coward Blanchard "
Both Larsen and Nicholson denied any
| knowledge OF the crime, although Second
| Mato Ammon declared positively that one
OF them had helped Blanchard throw the
| body overheard.
Whom daylight came Capt. Peterson
! decided 60 put blanchard In irons as
| his wounds were dong we'll This was
| done and tho man was kept In irons until
the vessel arrived In Montevidoo. There
Blanchard was delivered into tho custody
| of the L. :. consul. bis wounds dressed
and he was locked uD pending an exami.
| nation
The vessel discharged her cargo and
took on one Of hides. during which time
! Blanchard rapidly recovered from his
wounds and the crew was constantly
kept under surveillance The consul com.
| municated with tho United Statos author.
| lilies ana was instructed go place tho
, prisoner on board the United States
steamship Enntic. in irons and send him
| % Norfolk. This was done and tho
Nantic Is expected Co arrive in Norfolk
| within a day or two.
| The lngcrsoll left Montovideo fer Now