The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-10-14

The story Of the recent wreck of the
steamer Scotsman, in which a vicious
erew looted the cabins and naltreated
The passengers, recalls a long list of mutt
MES at sea. There Is on file in the de-
partment Of Justice at Washington the
record of the plot to murder the captain
and first and second mates of the bark
Hesper. The plot was based on the idea
Of an ignorant sailor that the bark car
ried a large amount OF specie. He pro-
posed that after the officers were put out
Of the way the crew should steer the
bark for the coast of Chile, burn her
when within easy distance of the shore
and then take to the longboat after diVid-
ing the ssswag." The conspirators butch
cred the second mate IN the most shock
ing manner, but grew faint hearted at
the sight Of his blood, and the remainder
Of their murderous plan was not carried
ont. Two OF them were hanged for their
crime, and the third, who richly deserved
death, escaped the gallows by a techni-
caIity.
The Hesper, commanded by Captain
f. Sodergren, was making a voyage from
Australia to Honolulu. She left New
castle with a crew consisting Of II per-
sons. Henry Lucas was the first mate
and Morris Fitzgerald second mate The
latter had charge of the starboard watch.
One night the starboard watch was on
duty from 8 until II O'Clock. 1t consist
ed of Mate Fitzgerald and Seamen
Thomas ST. Clair, Herman Sparf, Hans
Hansen and Edwin Larsen The port
watch was made up Of Mate Lucas and
Seamen Thomas Green, JAMS Olsen, Hen
nv Westerlind and Pandy Secaria. Luz
cas- was routy1 out of his bunlS about IL
minutes to midnight by Herman Sparf.
He dressed ieisureiy, and as he was go
ing on deck eight bells struck for II
o'clock. Lucas went to the wheel and
asked for the second mate. The man at
the wheel said he did not know where
Fitzgerald was. Lucas called the mates
name, but received no answer He asked
several members of the watch If they had
seen the second mate. They gave eva
sive swe Lucas took a light and
went forward, but without discovering
any trace of the second mate. Then ne
became suspicious Of foul play and called
the captain.
Captain Sodergren appears to have had
both courage and presence Of mind. He
called the ~starboard watch on deck again
and asked each member il he had seen
the second mate. The replies were con-
1icting.
Although the captain learned nothing
bearing more directly on the disappear
ance Of the second mate, he decided to
place st. Clair, Sparf and Hansen in
irons as a precautionary measure. The
men did not resist. Soon after daybreak
the captain. pursuing the investigation.
found a piece of human hair with blood
adhering to 1t. The hair was black, ting
ed with gray, and was recognized as that
of the missing mate. Close to this grew
some object were a broom covered with
blood and a heavy wooden bludgeon. Go
ing into the f~orecastle, the captain found
a bloody Ratchet under the bunk OF
Thomas st. Clair.
In spite OF the accumulated evidence
that Fitzgerald had beer butchered and
thrown overheard. the members of the
starboard watch remained silent. The
bark was kept on her course. the captain
and first mate standing watch and watch
Each carried a revolver and kept con-
stantly on the alert. In due time the
bark dropped anchor at Tahiti, and then