The Jersey City news., 1901-03-09
%
Strange Chancery Suit Aris-
ing From the Loss Of
the Frigate Hus-
sar in 1880.
WENT DOWN WITH ss,soo,ooo
Union of Joseph G. Harts-
horne and George w.
Thomas to Recover
Money Results in
Legal Dispute.
WENT DOWN WITH $4,soO,OOo

case of more than ordinary interest
Will soon come up in the Court of Chan
Gerry of this State, reviving as it will a
history of the sinking of the British
frigate Hussar with s4,sOo,0OO on board in
the East River off Port Morris, on the
morning of November %. 1850. There
were many American prisoners taken
from prison ships about Warabout Bay,
Brooklyn, who being chained below. went
down with the ship. The loss of these
lives created a deep feeling of indignation
among revolutionary patriots throughout
the country. The Brooklyn heirs of a
man named Joseph C. Hartshorne, who
formed company to recover the treasure
with a New Jerseyman, George w.
Thomas. formerly, of Hackettstown, have
begun suit against his estate and al
though of a minor interest it rakes up the
interesting history of the Hussar.
Hartshorne and Thomas secured from
the United States Government authority
to search for the treasure sunk, and
which money belonging to the United
States, the Government agreed to give
them for their services and expenses in
obtaining it 80 per cent. of the money so
secured.
The foregoing agreement was made in
May, 1885, between John Sherman, then
Secretary of the Treasury, and George w.
Thomas. After setting forth the arrange
ment as to the percentage of the money
to be received by each party the United
states was to receive all things prop
rly named as relics,' that is to say, guns,
military arms, munitions of war; naval
stores and other apparatus held as relics.
Thomas agreed with Hartshorne that if
the latter would at once advance s., 900 the
former would when the money was raised
give him s37,o00 The money was advanced
and believing that Thomas would be sue
cessful Hartshorne subsequently ad-
vanced $4,000 Thomas, unknown to
Hartshorne, afterwards made a con-
tract with one Charles w. Jencks
of Brooklyn, who agreed to risk
in the enterprise $4,000. and Thomas
agreed to give him fifteen times that
amount when the treasure was recovered
The work was begun by chartering the
wrecking schooner Georgiana Belle. but
When divers went down all that was re-
covered consisted in some 1900 cannon
palls twenty-six cannon, two of which
were sold to an Englishman for the
British Museum for 81, 800; large quantitiea
of cordage, many bushels of gun f1ints,
several buckets with the name Hussar OH
them, and many hundred human bones,
skulls, manacies, chains, glassware and
ships bell. Then, so Mr. Hartshorne
swore, Thomas stopped the work, saying
that he didn't want to raise the treasure
at that time, but sell shares for a
new company since more money was
needed for the work. With that Harts-
horne became suspicious and, on investi-
eating, learned that Thomas had bought
a mansion house and two lots of land in
Hackettstown, in this State, and also a
farm of about 1872 acres in Warren coun-
ty. paying for it $4,000 and stocking it
with carriages, horses, cows, sheep,
Shetland ponies. hogs and other ami
mails
Mr.. Hartshorne then instituted a
| Chancery suit to compel Thomas to live
! up to specific performance of his con-
tract, and also threatened him with an
application to the Secretary of the Treas
ury to have the Government contract re-
yoked. During the legal proceedings a
lot of testimony was taken before Law
years w. G. E. See and Willard C. Fisk
Samuel c. Mount, also of this city was
counsel in the case. The correspondence
between the parties developed an odd
mixture of religion and business, as may
be seen from this specimen
''Hackettstown, March Is, 1882.
Brother Hartshorne:-
:" Have some old curbing to
remove in order to give security to the
life of my diver. The dear
Lord has overshadowed my work won
derfuily. Grace comes to the
heart when the need is felt. My heart
| and soul come in closer rapport with the
Infinite Father in our prayer meetings
/ here than can be realized in our city
churches On Monday the dear Lord
willing, l return to the wreck. AS I
write, may the dear Lord, keep you and
yours until we listen to the echo of the
call. Come up higher then may we join
in one song. To Him Who Has Re-
more. Enclosed hand you my note for
$1,000.
Your brother in the Lord,
GEO. w. THOMAS
In another letter, speaking of the work
of recovering the money, Mr.. Thomas
said:-
| II feel ! have no cause for Interrupt
/ ton or delay until I have reached the
/ object and been the means, as the hand
| of God, of recovering the long looked for
blessing. But Gods will be done If /
secure it. Praise His Holy Name. 1t
will be the JOY of my life and satisfac-
ton of my heart to see to how great a
degree His cause and kingdom can be
advanced. Have just come from the
/ wreck"
| Thomas's supporters at last wearied
with his promises and demands for more
money, formed a company for the pur-
pose of carrying on the work themselves,
| and they succeeded in having the United
/ States Government annul all obligations
, between 1t and Thomas. The wreckine
schooner Gergrana Belle and other prop
erty was attached, and when the attach
ment proceedings were disposed of and
| the goods sold the enterprise proved an
| absolute failure. No part of Harts-
horns money had been repaid and he
instituted a suit for a receiver OF
Thomas's property at Hackettstown
Lawyer s. c. Mount argued the case
in Chancery befors Vice Chancellor Bird
who held that the complainant was EN-
titled to an account of the moneys thus
| advanced.