The times., 1898-10-27
LATE BREAKFAST TRAGEDY.
Coiored Cook Murdered Captain and
Mate on the Potomac.


A late breakfast and an angry cook were
jointly responsible for a double murder
and an alleged suicide aboard the oyster
schooner Frank Cassidy Tuesday morning
while the boat was anchored of Swanns
Point. opposite Colonial Beach.
The murdered men are Capt. James
Crockett and First Mate George w. Stur-
who answered to the name of Bob, and
whose other name, or names, had long
since been lost in obscurity.
Capt. Crockett it was who scolded the
cook, and he is now the subject of a cor
oners investigation at Colonial Beach.
The body OF Mate Sturgiss was brought TO
this city last night, and is now at the
morgue awaiting burial. Bob. the cook,
is somewhere in the Potomac River, and
the details of how he got there have not
yet been learned. 1t is said that he COM
mitted suicide after having murdered the
captain and mate, but there are reasons
to believe that he was seized by the crew,
first rendered physically unfit for delaying
another breakfast in this or any other life.
and then thrown overheard.
The Frank Cassidy is an oyster schoon-
er OF the ordinary type, and under the
command of Capt. Crockett and Mate
Sturgiss. with a crew OF nine men. in
ciuding the cook. and had been engaged
in oyster dredging at the beds in the
neighborhood OF Swann's Point and Colo
NAL Beach. Tuesday morning. it seems,
the crew was at work dredging when the
breakfast hour arrived and there was no
breakfast in sight.
The crew demurred at this and the cap
tain and mate are said to have found
fault with the cook The cook became
greatly incensed at their language, and
after breakfast was over he secured a
revolver and went aft in search of re-
venge. He found Capt. Crockett at the
wheel and shot him in the back. killing
! him instantly.
Bob then ran forward and fired a ball
into the left side of Mate Sturgiss. who
was busy cOiling rope at the time.
! The firing aroused the crew and the
men rushed at the murderer, who was
! caught in the act of reloading his pistol
preparatory, it is said, L making a whole
sale assault on the crew. What happened
! to the cook is not known, but il is said
! he committed suicide by jumping over
; board.
All possible relief was given mate Stur-
! giss. and sail was set for Colonial Beach.
| Here the wounded was taken care of by
! Mr.. Walcott, a citizen, who summoned
/ DIR. ]. w. Eslam. The doctor made an
| examination and found that the bullet
! had entered the right side below the
| lung, taking a downward diagonal
! course and lodging in the fieshy part OF
I the abdomen on the left side. The bulle,
was extracted and at 7:30 yesterday morn
| ing the man was put aboard the steamer
| Harry Randall. bound for this city. While
the steamer was en- route here, just of
Somerset Beach, at 2:30 p. m, Sturgiss
| died.
On the arrival of the Harry Randall
Harbormaster Sutton took charge of tn,
I body and removed it to the morgue. Mr.
Walcott. who accompanied the wounded
man on the trip and who was at his sid
when he died. will take charge of the re
mains He did not know Sturgiss but oi
learning the mans circumstances he Sc
cured the services of Undertaken Lee
and gave instructions 10 have the bod
prepared for burial and shipped to Ex
more Station, North Hampton Caounty
Va. where the widow and three childre
are living.