The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-25
IT MAY NOT BE THE FLAG OF
THE BON HOMME RICHARD.
DOUBT CAST UPON THE AUTHENTICITY OF A RELIC IN THE
HANDS OF THE GOVERNMENT

THAT letter is taken from the records OF
the secretary Of state for the state Of New
Jersey. and is authentic. II may be
noted that no reference is made in Mey
ler's letter 10 the astounding act OF STAT
ford In leaping overheard after the flag
a part OF the story added later, no -oubt.
But there is the vital fact which casts
doubts upon s,afford's story; II Is not
likely that Capt. Landais, the treacherous
Frenehman. who turned Paul Jones Of
ficers out OF the Alliance and ran away
with her to France, would be likely to
want, much less preserve. flag used by
his mortal enemy more than five years be-
fore And in certificate from the adj
jutant generals office of the state OF New
Jersey, Stafford is first spoken OF as a
midshipman on the Alliance and then as
the same on the Bon Homme Richard, a
physical impossihility. as all who are IA
millar with that glorious cruiser must
know,
The fact seems TO be that the marine
committee, which was a continually vary
Ing and loosely constructed body, was
fooled In the first instance.
And afterwards, so was the adjutant
generals office OF New Jersey And so
was the United States government. There
can he no doubt. however, that James
Bayard Stafford manufactured consider
able evidence In New Jersey 20 prove that
he had served on the Bon Homme Rich
ard, but there is conclusive proof here in
the archives at Washington that every
allegation he made is false
THE assertion that Stafford was cap
tured from British cruiser, which had
previously taken the Kitty. an armed
merchantmen. can be disproyed by the
log of the Bon Homme Richard Paul
Jones never captured more than one
British cruiser. which was the Scraps
Nar "a
cruiser or such a vessel az the Kitty-in
the Official report OF the cruise now on file
at the navy department. There is no rec
ord OF such person as Stafford among
the officers. men. marines or volunteers
In the Bon Homme Richard or any Of tho
navy lists OF the time. There is no men
ton OF him among the wounded although
he is said to have been wounded In both
arms. Nor is there any record OF prize
money. due. claimed or paid to Stafford
as there is n record OF that paid to all
other officers and men.
"In Paul Jones Official account OF the
battle he says nothing of the unprece-
dented heroism of an officer leapiug over
board into the sea 10 recover a flag He
does say, however that three of his petty
officers became panic stricken. which oc-
casioned the gunner to run aft on the
poop, without my knowledge. to strike
the colors. Fortunately for me- can
non bali had done that before. by carrying
away the ensign STAFF He says further
that when the ship sank. thirty-six hours
later, she went down with a flag left at
her peak by his orders. He does not men
ton Stafford's name, nor does Stafford
appear among the list of officers Of all
grades on the ship who testified concern
Ing Capt Landais' treacherous conduct in
the Alliance. Fennimore Cooper. Sands
and Sherourne, all authorities on the Bon
Homme Richard fight, DO not mention
Stafford or his alleged achievement on