The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-07-09
FAR OUT AITI' SEA
Sailor Blanchard to 30 Put on Trial for
His Life at Alexandria,
TIE KILLING OF MATE CHRISTIAhsEN
Tragedy on tho Deck of tho IngersoIl
Witnessed BY ~ ssitor,tn tho Fore.
Chains, WhS Was Intimidnted by
tho Into Giving tho
Alarm Accused Wounded.

I1ul hiuIlcHaId, u square iShOuldered,
sturdy. able bodied seaman Of the hardy
race Who dwell along the Canadian
coast, will rave a. hard fight to save his
neck from the halter, for he stands
charged with he grave crime of having
murdered a fellow being. The case is
very different from IN ordinary murder.
however revolving, in that it took place
amid the loneliness of the t,,en sea,
thousands Of miles from the haunts Of
man. The United States grand Jury at
AteXandria has found a true bill against
him.
II IS charged that while the staunch
american bark Justin II. Ingersoll,'
Whlch sailed from New York in Deccm-
per iast, vas between the Bermudas and
une Aladelras, about ten days out from
New York, this sa!lcr. in Il spirit Of re-
venge for real or flncied injudies, took
the life Of First Officer John Christian
SEN, OF the bark, and. it is supposed,
Threw the body Of his victim into the
sea. 1T VIII be a very difficult mat
ter to determine the guilt or innocence
OF the prisoner, for no one saw the be-
ginning OF the which ended
III C~hristianson's death. Seaman
Nicholson. of the bark. was the only eye
witness to the affair; and he saw moth
ING except the dealing of the fatal blow,
and is unable to say who struck the
first lick, or whether or not Blanchard
acted in self defense.
The crime was committed at dead OF
night, while only three men and the
mate were on watch. One OF them
Louis Larson, was at the wheel. Thu
other two were the mate and Paul
Blanchard. Whether or not the Alas
kan. Thomas Nicholson, was an ac-
cessory, either before OF after the,
crime, remains 10 be proven. The man
tells u very straight story. stating ia
vorablc and ~untavorablc to himself with
| equal" direct n cSS .. Hin hns n 1,n,. ,~o,,
feet knowledge Of the English language,
and If he is guilty, his own testimony
Will do more owards convicting him
than anything else. while. on the other
aand, It may prove his sincerity.
STRUCK DOWN ON DECK.
About 3 O'Clock on the morning OF the
sSah OF December, Nichonson was sent
INTO the fore chains, under the ,bowsDril,
70 adjust some loose tackle, and It was
from this dangerous perch that he saw
faul blanchard strike Mate Christian.
son With ON heavy implement. Half
dead with fright, he climbed over the
rail- and attempted to make his wa
AT. Ihe murderer. standing over the
form OF his PROSTATE victim. was quick
to see that the deed had been seen
Drawing a sheath knife. he pursued th.
retreating Nicholson, who, IN his efforts
TO escape, leaped to the top Of the for
ward house. where he was Overtaken
ny Blanchard. Who advanced upon him
With the bare knife in his hand. The
seaman expected nothing, except Tint
he, as the only witness Of the affair.
would be put out OF the way then and
there. This eNpcdient, however, did not
occur to Paul Blanchard, for. standing
over the trembling sailor with uplifted
knife. he made him promise that he
would say that ,hc mate had fallen over
board from the guys.
IN mortal terror, Nicholson promised
ana 1t was then that Blanchard led his
covering and unwilling ~acco:nplicc to
where the mates body lay, and made
MN assist III throwing it into THE sea.
inc geek bore evidence to the foul deed
that had been committed. for it wa;
oeSiHattered with ChristinnSon's blood
WfLh the instinct Of self preservation,
iA'tnclard compelled Nicholson 10
draw water and assist him in washing
up the blood stains, which he did. how
Hner. so very imrerfectly that his
pIansllAe story OF the mates accidental
death, which was at first accepted bv
me captain rs true, proved TO be II sui.
terfuSe OF the murderer. Then. still In
terror tf blanchard, Thomas Nicholson
Iui!flcd his promise made to the muir
aeFer ln.the f~orecastle, and in doing so
ne may alilNc woven 4 web from which
ne cannot escape. Rushing aft to the
"iiitt!s +iGulvterS, the terrified sailor.
!hSt@ti't ,! Informing on Blanchard ti,cr
3',h llitaNr cried 0Ut. the innate he,
feli4n oNNHl-onla." The captain ana SEQ
''"a ma ru#n3d on dock ARA NUT rhe
~ ~ atlGElt In .aF rNtlcavt,. Ia rcscl,a tF,-
mate. -Nitcr lacking gbnut Cor some
htac alfl neither seeing nor hears~a
~anTNhirtr o. the missing man. hopn v-,s
apaa"%Eed ni saving the mate Chris
tAcAsclE and the Ingcrsoll proceeded on
9cr OH course southwark.
IiIL!-TALE BLOOD STAINS.
!he' next morning Second Matc Am
mon, VINO was The half brother Of Chris
I larson. upon going forward 10 examine
ne WORK IN the performance Of which
ne lirat mate was supposed to have lost
RMS life. discovered the tcll-taie hi ,nl
'"7!it Whicn the forward deck was De
! ~sprinkled. He FASTENED to tell IT,.
Sah'aln OF his discovery. and that Off
yer summoned to crew to quarters, led
heln forward n showed them the
lpry evidence of the tou, crime that
had Dccn committed aboard the ship.
1t was then that Thomas Nicholson.
0 Hteu our Paul Blanchard as The man
WHY did tie deed. For some unknown
rea:'on the captain E4ilcl 70 hear tho
aeon ea ton. ana blanchard, instead of
bein&' arrested, was again that morn
ing sent 10 tire wheel. Moantirle, The
stern Oid mariner WhH commanded the
Ship 4; ;stitt1 orders To TIM scr,IaQ mate
to KEGS PIT eve OF the men an" to shoot
down the fast member cr the crew VIII
acted ~ q suspicious manner SnortIy
nfterward. Blanchard. having haen re-
}iercd q inis watch at the wheel. came
Forward u Second Mate Ammon's caria
in the doc" Of which Amlnon sat. II
l-nis nand Blanchard carried a sheath
knife. the same With which he had OK
torted from Nicholson a few hours he
fore the promise of secrecy. Ammon
Ordcro&l the sailor forward. He neither
answcaed nor ubcyed, but stood 2larIng
at In second mate as though ne would