The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1899-11-07
Cantain Pattnn Hara.

/ Captain +. w. Patton, with his wifi
and daughter, arrived in Mount Holly OF
Saturday, and the two latter are the
guests of Mrs. Patton's uncle, DR.. W. P
Melcher. Capt. Patton was compelled tc
go direct to Bath, Maine.
Few stories of crime at sea equal in
sheer f1endishness that told by Capt. Pat
ton. In September last the ship George
H. Stetson, of Bath, Maine commanded
by Capt Patton, was destroyed by fire in
the China Sea- The crew are morally
certain, although lacking legal proof
that member of the ships company
moral degenerate applied the torch that
set the vessel ablaze and drove the crew
to the boats in which they rowed for two
days, after witnessing the destruction of
their ship, before they made land.
The George H. Stetson, 100 tons, was
built IS years ago at Bath, and was owned
by the Sewalls. She was bound from
Portland to Taku, China, with cargo of
lumber when destroyed. She was %
miles to the eastward of the island Of Tai
pin-san on the evening of September g.
when flames were discovered pouring from
| the fore hatch. The alarm was quickly
given and all hands were soon at work at
tempting to subdue the flames, there being
no reason to suspect at that time that the
fire could not easily be extinguished. 1t
gained so rapidly however, that Is min
utes after the flames had been discovered
the ship was ablaze from the mainmast
forward High up in the rigging the
tongues of fire leaped, spreading rapidly.
All around was shower of sparks, falling
to set ablaze the after part of the ship.
Through all the danger in the flames
and sparks the plucky wife of Capt. Pat
ton, who has been at sea with him for five
years, stood bravely by him with their
little daughter, who is but two and half
years old. The little girl, instead of show
ing fear as might be expected under such
circumstances, viewed the whole fiery spec
tacle as something to be pleased at, and
all through the shouts and din of excite
ment she voiced her enjoyment of the
| fire.
Less than half an hour after the fire
had been discovered, the ship having been
previously headed landward, it became
plain that it would be necessary to take
to the boats. The ship and cargo were
doomed, and it took only the loud explo-
sion denoting the blowing out of the
cabin skylight to warn captain and crew
that it was time to take to the open sea-
There was neither time nor inclination to
save anything, and the entire ships com
pany was soon in the three boats headed
for the island of Tai-pin-san.
The current was against the boats and
all that night they made little Roadway,
being in plain sight of the burning vessel,
which made grand illumination with its
rosiny cargo. All the next day they could
see the smoke. 1t took them two days,
during which they ran out of water, to
reach Tai-pin-san, where they found
awaiting them the small steamer that
makes monthly trips between the island
and mainland. Its officers had seen the
illumination made by the burning ship
and had awaited the arrival of its officers
and crew 1t took them to Nagasaki,
where they took passage on the Sydney.
1t was during these nights in the little
boats that Mrs. Patton had an experience
that tried her nerves. All hands, tired
out, were asleep or supposed to be- Mrs.
Patton had her little daughters head in
her lap, when she was awakened by some
sound, and on looking around she found
one of the sailors creeping tow ard her
and reaching for the only jug of water on
board. As it was absolutely necessary to
save this for the child, Mrs. Patton de-
termined to protect it. Near her was her
rife and she picked it up and awaited fur
ther movements of the man. He saw the
rifle and the determined look in Mrs.
Patton's eyes and he quietly skunk back
to his place. He was the same fellow who
is suspected of firing the ship.
The members of the crew of the Stetson
were nearly all of the opinion that the
ship was fired by one of their number
One of them said Eyes, one of the men is
strongly suspected of setting fire to the
Stetson. He was crazy guess. 1t is
not the first time suspicion in that direc-
ton has been fastened on him He was
of tha IF kho Roni 1xxrOrth
she was burned, and he was on the John
Bruce when she went up in smoke. l do
not know whether all the members of the
crew suspect him, but l guess not. If
they did he would not be on board this
boat now to tell about it. The man was
under surveillance all the way up.
The man referred to is a Frenchman and
it is thought he is monomaniac on the
subject of burning vessels. Captain Pat
ton has been sailing on a vessel for 30
years and this is the first mishap of any
account he has ever experienced. Mrs.
Patton has accompanied her husband
on nearly every trip since she has been
married, and had collected many souven-
irs in the places she visited. These were
all burned as were her wedding gifts
which she had on the ship. The ship was
insured for half its value, the cargo for
full value, and Capt. Patton had small
insurance on his personal effects. The
experience they had on the last voyage
will not sooR fade from their memory.
There are not many babies of the age of
Baby Patton who have gone through the
same ordeal.