The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1903-11-26
MUTINY AND MURDER.


The Last Survivor of the Jefferson Borden
Tragedy Set Free After 80 Years in State
Prison.
RoCKLAND, November 21. Bearing in his
memory the recollection of mutiny and mur-
der on the high seas, of death sentence
committed to one of life imprisonment,
which in turn was committed to term of
thirty years, just as that period had reach
ed its expiration, Ephraim Clark, alias Will
liam Smith, leaves the prison at ThOmastOn
to-day. a free man. President ROOsevelt's
communication of the sentence reached War
den Smith Nov. 10Th, and the thirty years
of Clark's sentence, allowing for his good
behavior reduction, expires IRE to-day. he mas
been imprisoned since 1875.
Here are the brief facts in connection
with the tragedy: The three -masted schO0n-
er Jefferson Borden sailed from New Or
leans, La, March 4, 1876, bound for London,
Eng. with cargo of cOttOnseed Oil cake.
She was vessel Of about 600 tons register
and and was vas built at Kennebunkport, Me-, in
the Year 1868. While named for the Fall
River mill man, no member of the Borden
family had any interest in the vessel at the
time of the mutiny. She was owned by Asia
and Charles Tiff, two brothers OF Key West,
Fla, George W. Towne Of Boston and Will
MI.
tive of Edgecomb, Me-, the latter being her
captain on the fateful voyage. Beside the
captain there were on board: Mrs. Patter-
son, his wife; Coryden Trask Patterson,
first mate, his brother; Charles ID. Patter-
son, second mate, his cousin; Henry Aiken,
the steward; Henry Malinger, cabin boy
picked up by the captain in Calais, France;
Jacob Timber, Swede; George Miller,
Russian Finn John Grew, an Englishman,
and Ephraim Clark, alias William Smith,
native of Rockland, Me.
The voyage was stormy one, the vessel
leaked and the men complained that the
food was poor and the water salt The men
felt that they were being worked to the
limit of endurance and trouble arose be-
tween the officers and the men before the
mast.
The final break came the night of April
New Orleans, off the Western islands, in
latitude AZ degrees north and longitude 32
degrees west, about 1900 miles from Lon
don, for which she was making. Miller,
Grew and Clark killed the first and second
mates. The captain took alarm and kept in
his cabin till daybreak when ne opened hre
on the mutineers in the forecastle. He
kept up the fight for three days before the
trio. half-starVed and desperately wounded,
surrendered He took them in irons to
London, where he turned them over to the
police They were returned to Boston
Wher6 Gley were GIltu UtlOlC y uoIiCCo
Clifford and Lowell in the United States
di> trict court.
Grew escaped with ten years sentence
for mutiny but Miller and Clark were con-
victed of murder and piracy on the high
seas and were sentenced to death This
sentence was cOmmuted by President Grant
to Imprisonment for life in the States
prison at Thomaston, and here Miller died
in 1894.
Clark when interviewed said he was born
at Rockland, Me-, fifty-four years ago. He
said: 81 am not surprised at receiving my
pardon, but am much pleased. From the
moment l entered here / knew that some
day would get justice. Samuel Gompers,
president Of the American 3 Federation aatnd tGa OF
pardon for me. He has been at work on
the case twelve years. When get out L
shall GO first to Rockland, then to Union,
Appleton and Washington, Me-, where
have friends, and later will go to Boston
where l have sister, l shall never go to
sea again"
Clark is a member of the international
Seamen'S union of America.