The Washington times., 1905-11-23
DUEL ON MASTHEAD
IN STORM AT SEA.
A Powerful Porto Rican
SIashes His Shipmate.
DISCLOSED BY LIGHTNING
Bad Man Lassoed by Crew After
He Had Fled to
Crosstrees.
BY LIGHTNING

NEW YORK, Nov. A.-Ihe South sea I
barkenstine Mamie Swan. commanded
by Capt. Hollis l. Higgins, who, with his
wife and parents, has sailed the Yankee
merchant cruiser for fourteen years and
met with many striking adventures, had
the climax of ner thrilling episodes on
the way up the coast from Fernandina.
While the Mamie Swan was at Porto
Rico six weeks ago seaman fell sick,
and Captain Higgins signed a Porto
Rico sailor. Emilio Huelta, in his place.
Huelta was a giant in strength He was
short and swarthy, powerfully built,
and revengeful.
The new sailor could not understand
English and showed no disposition TO
understand. He was slow and sullen in
obeying an order. and was always in
trouble with the mate. in whose watch
he was. He had quarrel after quarrel
with his shipmates, who avoided him as
the bad man OF the fo'c'stle.
After making Fernandina and loading
at that port with lumber the industrious
Mamie Swan squared away for this
port While in the Gulf stream off Hat
! teras last week the barkentine plunged
/ into a storm Seas were piling higher
every minute The buoyancy loaded
vessel rode well, but the water In cata-
racts even then washed over the deck
/ load.
Aloft in Fierce Tornado.
| Captain Higgins brought her head
around to the gale and ordered sail
shortened. Hueita and Otto Jansen. Of
the port watch, were ordered aloft at
eight bells of the middle watch in the
bowling ''twister TO stow the upper
topsL Jansen sprang willingly and
nimbly into the weather rigging to
climb to his work, while Huelta Jagged
in his usutl sullen fashion, mumbling
curses IN his own language.
The storm had partly turned into a
, tropical tornado, flashes of lightning.
followed by long peals OF thunder, add
ing to the terrifying display The clew
lines showed that the men were not
handling the canvas The mate bawled
aloft TO the two sailors to ''ayast and
make fast" Their actions were veiled
in blackness and rain. only occasionally
relieved by a lightning bolt.
The sound Of an angry man and a
frightened man in combat reached the
/ deck The mate looked up to the mast
head as a fash Illuminated the vessel.
He saw Huelta attacking Jansen with
/ a scraper. such as is used for scraping
/ down a mast. Jansen was defending
himself as best he could. partly cling
Ing TO the rigging on the head, while
Huelta was throwing his whole
| strength, careless of consequences to
himself. into his blows. which were
dtlAicl ~ the SAoAt4dSn VI his
Rescuing Injured Man.
Darkness again shut out the view.
and the cries of the wounded seaman
, were heard above the storm. Nothing
, had been done toward furling the up
per topsail the barkentine was in peril
, and yet two more men must be sent
G aloft to rescue Jansen and arrest the
bad man. Hueita climbed the shrouds
c TO the cross-trees. where he stood
{ | hOuTishing his scraper, ready 20 strike
down his shipmates.
The two men found Jansen lying
. across the masthead bleeding profusely
= from wounds above the stomach. They
P carried him down the rigging to the
: deck and he was sent below.
Il was a much more trying task to
arrest HUelta. They prepared a lasso
X A.. third sailor climbed to assist them
!, While two. one In the weather and the
!, / other in the lee rigging. kept Hueita
: busy making passes at them. the mar
: below lassoed both his feet. Then with
mariinspikes they knocked Huelta OF
n his feet ana lowered him head down
I ward over the upper toDs'l yard to the
n deck where the crew fell upon him and
:, bound him.
q When the Mamie Swan arrived a
Nineteenth street. Jersey City. Janser
: was conveyed TO a hospital and DEPUTY
q United States Marshal Mayhew ar
y rested Huelta Yesterday United State
e Commissioner Rowe sent the Port,
q Rican 20 the Hudson county jail, com
= I'm IN,