The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-06
THE SONORA MENDEz
The Story of the Skipper Of the
Big Lighter.
MYSTERY OF A SAlLORMANS PAST
Was He counterfeiter or SLAYER, and
d. Whose Gold Had Hep

mort of New York-tugmcn, 6argemen. or
iehtermen-not ono Of them all has ever
made as much Of n stir rs Capt. Sergius
Maria Nelson of the sailing lighter Sonora
Mendez. Indeed, from the time he first ap'
peared hero until he was drowned in the
North River there was never a day when he
was not the subject of interesting and not In
frequently exciting conversation along shore,
and even to this dny ono has only TO mention
either him or his boat to n group Of the elderly
port navigators to got them a-spinninR the ira
dlton Of his doings.
The first that was.heard Of Capt. Sergius
was on q day in February. A number Of tug
and lighter men were ~lounginE in South street,
Just around tho corner Of Broad. They wero
not saying very much-they were Just smoking
their pipes and enjoying the warmth of the sun.
After o time Policeman Reddy of the New street
station strolled down Broad street to the corner
and nodded to those;of the group whom he knew,
and then came Capt. Dick Turner Of the lighter
Swimming Burro from the direction Of Station
Island Ferry. Tho appearance of Capt. Dick
seemed to interest the group considerably.
Capt. Joe Ahearn, who was also q lighterman,
nudged another who stood near and then said:
'fIello. Capt. Dick, where's yer Burroi"
"Down the kill"
Must have had pressing business up here to
lcave her while she was loadingi'
Who said sheiwas loading3 She's hauled out
for repairs at Old Swatter's."
That's what I hoard. Say, Capt. Dick.
why don't you sell the old derelicti"
Capt. Dick took q plug Of tobacco from his
pocket, busted It on his coat sleeve. bit Off a
corner, and replaced 1t in his pocket. Then he
gazed away for n time toward Governors Island
as :f he had not heard what had been said.
Finally, however, he replied:
Don't yous 60 carrin' away none Of yer top
hamper about what ails the Burro. but when
that new one as I see down in the kill comes
along I'm after thinkin' we'll all be-"
"Hain't been givin' orders for q new Burro.
have yell" INTERRUPTED Capt. Joe, with a show
Of increased interest.
Mel Nav. Wasn't I after sayin' we'd all
find ourselves adrift and wonderin' what nexti
It's n man from Baltimore an his names Capt.
Sergius Maria something-er Nelson, they said
and she's the what do yous thinkf She's to
carry a hundred tons dead weight on deck"
The group gathered around Capt. Dick in an
instant, and even Policeman Reddy stopped
twirling his club and drew near to listen. For
in those days the best sailing lighter,in the har-
Dor would carry but forty tons. In a moment,
however, everybody seemed to conclude that
Capt. Dick was guying them. for they resumed
their listless attitudes while Capt. Joe said:
'Ya-ah, what did yous have to drink while"
Drink. is iti' interrupted Capt. Dick. .IfI
had to depend on the likes of this crowd for q
drink I'd be a long time dry. I'm sayip' that
she's to carry twice the cargo OF your antedi-
luvian Belinda. This Capt. Nelson's a Balti.
more man, sect He's one of the clippers. and
he's comm here to teach the brickyard whelps
from Haverstraw how to sail lighters. Huh!
Hold fast all till you see them bilge keels an
the shrouds that come up an the tidy bit of a
stick she's got, and a cabin aft with hardwood
finish fit"
The group began to grin and Capt. Dick
stopped short. Then he walked on up South
street. saying over his shoulder as he went:
Officer Reddy, mind what I've been after
tellin' an sec who's the JAR whereat the
crowd laughed and then fel to discussing the
news as something incredible. though Capt. Jim
oDonnell, a tugman, soon followed Capt. Dick
to learn the address of the new. li%ghterman.
in the weeks that followed this event stories
confirming all that Capt. Dick had said were
multiplied and the interest along shore grow
apace. 1t grew the more rapidly because the
new Ighterman was rs much an object of curl
osity as his boat. The harbor sailors knew each
other well. Everybody knows everybody on
the harbor boats" was n common saying. But
all they could learn about Capt. SerRius Maria
Nelson or his boat was what they could see, for
he would not talk to visitors. nor was any one
hoe 80 WIZ oh II dllONGu NEAR inc Cont. lie
was elderly and spare built and "secretiye
like Moreover. he carried 'the airs of n gent
and didn't tseem to like tyin' up alongside of
men In the same trade" In consequence IL
was often said that If he was "going to hold fast
on that tack" some one would "have to learn
him manners" Capt. Jim ODonnoll grinned
when any one spoke so and usually said:
Wait till yous SEQ him daudle q barrel of flour
on his ~knee-huh!"
An fnr hua;n.a, kL,.k -. .--
lighter In advance, for "Old Mendez' of the big
South American trading firm of Carvalho q
Mendez was the hacker. and she was to be called
the Sonora Mendez. after his lady"
In the month Of April the Sehora Mendez was
ready for trade. and Capt. Jim O'Donnell was
employed to tow her up to New York. To his
establishment, instead of having the pleasure of
coming up at the busiest time of the day with
colors flying from the tug 9s well as from the
sonora, and his whistle footing at every oppor-
tunity and without opportunity, Capt. Jim was
ordered to take her in tow at midnight, and she
was tied up to the pier opposite the Mendez g.
Carvaiho warehouse on East River, above the
floating docks, and arrived at daylight.
Capt. Jim had become well enough acquainted |
with Capt. Sergius by this time to ask no oues-
tons beyond what were necessary to learn |
what was wanted of the tug, and without n word
he presented his bill for tho service rendered.
No quostiohS oeen asked ABOUT the price, |
and after the fashion of the harbor. when deal
Ing with mon now to its customs. the bill was
exorbitant. Capt. Jim expected that Capt. Ser.
gus would demonstrate and was prepared TO |
reduce the sum by u half. ION conditions of fu- |
ture employ. but. instead OF arguing the matter, |
Capt. Sergius silently wrote a check on Carvalho |
d Mendez for the full amount. n circumstance
hat made Capt. Jim, once he was back on boa-d
the tug. whistle softly with wonder.
I
III.
In the course of the day on which the new
lighter arrived opposite the Carvalho G. Mcndez
warehouse Capt. Jim o'Donnell returned to the
pier, this time bringing the Belinda. Capt. Joe
Ahoarn. The now lighter was at that moment
lying beside the pier without a sign of life about
her. but the scuttlc leading to her cabin was
open. Capt. Joe, seeing the open scuttle of the |
new lighter. turned to the .un and shnnted. |