Evening star., 1900-07-31
MAKES A VICIOUS ASSAULT
PUNGY CAPTAIN ATTEMPTS TO MUIR.
DER HIS WIFE.
Becomes Crazed by Drink and
Threatens Helper and Passen-
gers-The Pungy Stranded.

DIR. Christian Strack. editor Of the Wash
ington Journal. and Mr.. Carl e. Gundlach,
the costumer, whose place Of bushes is at
No 927 E street northwest, returned on
the steamer Harry Randall last night from
the lower Potomac. where they had had an
exciting time on the pungy United. Capt.
John H. Williams. The captain and his
wife and VIM. c. Conoway, a colored deck
hand were the only ones on the boat be-
sides the Washingtonians. On the way
down the river the captain became intoxi-
Gated. 80 the police were informed last
night. and viciously assaulted his wife.
DIR. Strack and Mr.. Gundlach were obliged
to leave the captain and his wife were they
were, alone. and they fear she is seriously
injured.
1t is stated that Mr.. Gundlach. who Is
going to build cottage at Chesapeake
Beach employed Capt. Williams to take
quantity of building material there for
him. He concluded that he would take the
trip on the pungy and invited the doctor to
go with him. The necessary provisions
were furnished and Saturday the boat left
the 9th street wharf. Capt. Williams. 1t
soon became apparent, was more anxious
to get LIQUID refreshments than he was to
obtain food. and when 1t was seen that no
was fast getting into a condition that would
render him unfit to sail the boat, the liquor
was hidden from him. He managed to
find it. however. late Saturday night and
took so big drink of it that 1t robbed him
of his senses. and instead of handling the
sail or giving orders to his colored assistant
he became possessed of the idea of getting
rid of his passengers and crew. The boat
was then in the vicinity of Maryland Polnt.
Pump Rod us Weapon.
The captain went about with the pump
rod, which he endeavored to use as a
weapon. He had succeeded in frightening
everybody aboard. and the colored deck
hand, becoming tired of lodging the pump
handle, grabbed the captain and held him
while the passengers bound him with a
rope. The captain was kept on deck until
nearly daybreak, with the ropes tied around
him. He showed evidences of recovering
from the effects of the liquor he had taken,
and begged so hard that he was finally re-
leased. Soon afterward he imagined that
the passengers and the colored man wanted
to kill him. To avert this, fancied danger.
he got into the yawl with his wife and
directed the colored man to take them
ashore. Again he became troublesome, and
during a row between the captain and his
wife the oar was dropped in the river and
pungy and the shore. Conway made pad
dies of a piece of board that was in the
boat and requested the captain to use one
of them while he used the other. Instead
of padding. Captain Williams used the
piece of wood on his wifes head. injuring
her severely.
Reach the Shore.
Finally the crazed man ard his wife
reached the shore and went into the woods,
where they stretched themselves on the
ground beneath a tree. They were there
when DR.. Strack. Mr.. Gundlach and the COL
ored man left the pungy in skir. They.
too, went ashore, hired n team and drove
seven miles to Matthias Point. There they
employed a man to sail them to Riverside
Charles county, Nd.
Passing the pungy, which was then
stranded. the occupants of the little craft
called the captain to see If he would an
swer. In response TO the calls he appeared
at the cabin window, and when he saw
them he returned to the cabin. His wife
was not seen.
After their exciting experience the Wash
ingtonians boarded the Steamer Harry Ran
dali and returned home, reaching here
about 10 O'Clock last night.