New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-05-14
PUT TO SEA IN A BARREL.
A CAPTAIN SAID TO HAVE TAKEN THE
STEP TO ESCAPE ARREST

There is captain probably ahoat to-day on
the who wiser than the three wise
men who went to in tub for he chose a
cask, so the story goes, and was put aboard his
own vessel-the bark St. James-just before
she sailed for San Francisco Friday last.
Whatever may have been his reasons. it is a
fact that the bark did sail, and that Captain
Tapley, who was in command of her. could not
be found board. The captain was wanted
by United States Deputy Marshal and this
may have something to do with his mysterious
departure.
When the st. James reached this port from
San Francisco March 10 last, Jack" Hayes.
mate. was charged with having used extreme
cruelty toward certain members of the crew
the voyage. He was said to have not only en-
phasiZed his authority by cruel words, but by
physical means that cruel still In
word he was said to have swung the cat-o'-nine
tails several times. AS testimony to this fact
the sailors showed strange looking marks across
their backs which were by means the result
OF the tattooers needles. They not the
ordinary pierced heart full masted ship, but
long ugly welts which had cut into the flesh.
The story told that at one time the mate
became so infuriated that the sailors planned
mutiny, to regain what they said was a release
Accordingly, soon the bark had reached
port eight members of the sought to OBJ
tain redress through the courts. They went to
the police. told their story and Jack Hayes
was locked up in Ludlow Street Jail. incidental
ly, eight men locked up. too, but the
man upon whose testimony the whole case de-
pended Captain Tapley The eight men
.!0hn johnson, George Law, Sven karsOn Mich
oias Burgermester, Henry Henrckson. Victor
Anderson. John Malone and Lawyer Murrell.
the cook. The attorney for the complainants is
G. H. Abbott. The have been supported
by the Protestant Episcopal Missionary Society
Malone has been released from Jail because of
severe attack of rheumatism.
On the afternoon the ST James sailed dep
uty marshal visited the ship and engaged the
steward in conversation.
rs Captain Tapley on board?" he asked.
NO sab; he no be here sah.'
when will he be board?'
That no know. sab. reckon, he no be here,
sah OATS what 1 reckon
Don't he sail with the ship"
Dat don't think sab. He goes and he don't
goes. He-he-he's be on board and he don't
States marshal started out on hunt He
searched the hold and the crows nest. He found
stOwaways and captain. The ropes were
being cast off. and yet no captain. The marshal
however, decided to stay on board until Sandy
Hook reached and then get off with the
pilot. He thought some heavy wave might shake
the ship sufficiently to bring the missing officer
to light. At the very last moment a huge keg
was rolled on board and the ship got under way.
All during the down to the Hook the stew
ard sat the barrel and beat lively rat-tat-
too with his heels. The sound of the kicks had
a hollow hum like that which hangs in a bell
after the hammer falls.
The marshal got off with the pilot, and now he
is kicking himself that he did not investigate the
empty sounding barrel. The officers of the Sea
man Branch of the Legal Aid Society also say
that the captain went on board his ship in the
barrel which the steward guarded so steadfasty.