The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-10
GE0RGEANNA IS SEIZED.
COLLECTOR SUGGESTS THAT THEFT
ABOARD WAS PIRlCY.

Anyhow She and Her Ofiicera and Passengers
Appear to Hnvo violated About Every
LAW In Sight" Comm andsr" stercks
Held for Captaining without n License.
Collector Bldwell wrote to United States Dis
trlct Attorney Burnett yesterday requesting
him to take immediate steps to collect the
prescribed $500 penalty from the steamboat
GeorEeanna for taking out passengers without
II proper license. He also called Mr.. Burnett's
attention to section 1870 Of the United States
REVISED Statutes which says:
Every person who. upon the high seas or In
any open roadstead. or in any haven. basin. or
in any river. where tho sea obbs and flows.
commits the crime OF robbery. in or upon any
vessel. or upon any ships company OF any
vessel. or the lading thereof. 10 pirate. and
shall suffer death"
The Collector transmitted with his letter q
copy OF q sworn statement made by DR.. Henry
II. Wells. "a Grand street. Jersey City. a pas
senger on the Georgeanna.
DIR. Wells stated that Capt. Stercks and Pilot
Post swore before the city magistrate that
they had no licenses as required by law. 1t
appeared. the Collectors letter said. that a
number OF persons who were on board the ves-
sci had been assaulted and robbed while the
vessel was being navgated In tho lower bay.
The Georgeanna Is documented at Phila-
delpia and the Collector suggested to tho
District Attorney TINT immediate steps be
taken to libel her. DR.. Wells. whose formal
statement was sworn to in the office Of Deputy
Collector Phelps. observed instances OF pas
sengers being robbed by the thugs ard gam
blers who we're on board. He went down
stairs to try to buy sandwich and was himself
savagely assaulted. receiving blow in the
solar pexus that dissipated for tho time all de-
sire for sandwiches.
~ thn rohharv IF eXcursiODfat nv anOthAr
on board boat in this harbor is piracv. plenty
of pirates. usually classed MS pick pockets. have
gone unhanged. Nothing more than charge
OF robbery is likely to arise out OF the thefts
tho GeorReanna. DR.. Wells says he would not
like to SEQ tho thieves die" None Of them Is
under arrest,
Collector Bidwell instructed the Surveyor Of
the Port to seize the Gcorreanna. under
Section 4,403 OF the United States
Revised Statutes. for carrying an un-
licensed officer. The seizure was made In
tho afternoon at Communpaw. where the
ce an the vssse detaed to see thst the
navigation laws were enforced. particularly as
Of the Surveyors staff. This officer has made
rl lie h admttsi. however; that he saw "S
milling on board; Papers Of the vessel were
s2s to n ne se0n to b be S
the Georseanna. was arrnGned be fore United
States Commissioner Shields Yesterday and
charged with acting as master OF the steam
masters license. The punishment is fine not
to exceed 500: Commissioner Shields held
Stercks in $3.50 for examination on Friday.
Stercks had an oyercoat huttoned over his
Ge G sh hat of Toeeman Ftapstrsk said he had
made away with his uniform cap on which
was embroiasred IN gold letters the word
captain The prisoner says the word was
Commander"
Il chartered the Georgeanna for the Dewey
f reporters. but found I didn't have money
the charter to the people who sold the tickets
for Sas1rday wH.p r1sn0n1hIe i2r what
tend TO he captain either. Peope, would want
to know who was In authority and 40 put on
| my uniform-the Same uniform that l wore
when / was commander OF the Colchester But
/ wasn't captain only Commando. a kind Of
manager. You know. There were two captains
| or board they were Post and Brown. and a
It safer. Both the captains and the pilot had
licenseR"
Besides Capt. c. A. L.. Norton. the Con-
man OF the passengers grievance committee.
were holding carnival With the PASSENGER
sSmei hs, Ccs FranE
who swore to second complaint against
stercks, DR.. Wells. and Thomas q. Turner OF
t.
Amsterdam avenue. The latter wanted to
make charge OF larceny against stercks but
Gardiner Capt. Norton swors to the COM
plant that Stercks acted rs captain OF the
GsorResnna on SATURDAY. Frank W; Boards
ley stated that on Aug. 20 and ~. and on Sept.
chester and wore aunform and Uniform cap
with the word commander" on 1t.