Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-11-29
FIGHT Ar MASTHEAD.
Thrilling Event on Ellsworth Cap
tain's Vessel.

tain's Vessel.
The bark Mamie Swan, commanded bv
Capt. Hollis c. Higgins, OF Ellsworth,
which arrived at New York Saturday,
from Fernandina, Fla, reports thrilling
encounter between two sailors at mast
head during a storm.
While the Mamie Swan was at Porto
Rico six weeks ago Capt. Higgins signed
a Porto Rico sailor, Emilio Huelta, giant
in strength, short and swarthy.
The new sailor could not understand
English, and showed no disposition to
learn. He was slow and sulIen 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 s'the bad mani OF the
fo'c'sle.
After making Fernandina and loading
with lumber, the Mamie Swan squared
away for New York. While in the Gulf
Stream off Hatteras last week the barken-
tine plurged into storm. Seas were
piling higher every minute.
Capt. Higgins brought her head to the
gale ard ordered sail shortened. Huelta
ordered aioft to stow the upper topssiis.
Jansen sprang willingly and nimbly into
the weather rigging, while Huelta Jagged
in his usual snilen fashion, mumbiing
curses in his own language.
The storm had turned into a tropical
tornado, flashes of lightning being fol-
lowed by long peals OF thunder. The
clew lines showed that the men were not
handling the canvas. The mate bawied
sloft to the two sailors to s'avast and make
fast. Their actions were veiled in black
ness and rain, only occasionally relieved
by 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 fash illuminated the vessel
He saw Hueita attacking Jansen with a
scraper, such as il used for scraping
down mast. Jansen was defending him.
self as best he could, partly clinging to
the rigging on the head, while Huelta
was throwing his whole strength, careless
of consequences to himself, into his blows,
which were aimed at the stomach OF his
shipmate.
Darkness again shut out the view, and
the cries OF the wounded seaman we're
heard above the storm. Nothing had been
done toward furling the upper topsaii, the
barkentine was in peril, and yet two more
men must be sent aloft TO rescue Jansen
and arrest the "bad man.. Hnelta climbed
the shrouds to the cross trees, where he
stood, fiourishing his scrsper, ready &c
strike down his shipnates.
Two men found Jansen lying across the
masthead bleeding. profus ly from wounds
above the stomach. They carried him
down to the deck and he was sent below
II was a much harder task to, arrest
Hneita. They prepared lasso. A third
sailor climbed to assist them. While two
one in the weather and the other in the lee
rigging, kept Huelta busy making passes
at them, the man below lassoed his feet
Then with marlinspikes they knocked
Hueita of his feet and lowered him head
downward, over the upper topsal yard To
the deck, where the crew fell upon him
and bound him.
When the Mamie Swan arrived at Jersey
City, Jansen was conveyed to a hospital
and Deputy United States Marshal May
hew arrested Huelta. United States Com
missioner Rowe sent the Porto Rican to
TO the Hudson county Jail, committing
him in 5000 bail.