The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-07-17
MYSTERY Of
MARIE CELESTE
THE COMPLETE DISAPPEARANCE
OF HER CREW ONE OF THE
MODERN MYSTERIES.
The New York World says:


The case o. the Marie Celeste is
perhaps the strangest of all deeo-sea
mysteries. Sailors, novelists, even
psychologists, have sought for years
to solve it. The affair has passed tlto
nautical history. Fancfful writers
have added melodramatic or weird
touches to the original account, until
at this late day, it is impossible &c
be certain Of each details truth.
The brig Marie Celeste sailed from
New York harbor on November Z
1873. bound for Genoa, and carrying a
cargo o. petroleum and alcohol. She
had crew of ten men and officers
(n' silly Germany, and was captained
by 3. S. Briggs, who took on the voy-
age his young wife and their two year
cid child The Marie Celeste passed
the island of st. Mary's in the Az
OF es, OF November "a. So muck is
known from the entries in her log
TIL, rest is mystery.
Or December 4, the Del Gratia.
which had left New York for Gibral-
tar several days later than the Marie
Celeste, sighted a vessel moving along
In g. rather eccentric fashion, Under
partial sail. She was the Marie &C.
leste.
To the hail OF the Del Gratia no re-
uly was given. A boat was lowered
from the Del Gratia and her mate was
rJwed across to the Marie Celeste.
The mate, scrambling aboard, found
himself the only living creature upon
the vessel. He made a hasty search.
The cargo of alcohol and oil were IL
perfect condition. In the forecastIe
the sailors chests were found undis-
tui bed, their clothing and money IN
touched. In the cabin there was sheet
music on the open melodeon, and on
the table were scissors, needle, thread
and cloth, as though a woman ND
hastily tossed there the sewing on
which she was engaged. A clock tick
ed on the wall Toys were Strewn
carelessly about the floor.
In the captains stateroom a gold
watch hung beside the head of Briggs
berth. The impress of a baby head
was stiN to be seen on the pillow Of
the crib. In the cooks galley food
was set out ready for cooking. 1t is
even said, in one report, that a fire
was burning in the stove
Nowhere was there the slightest
sign Of haste, o. disorder, or muffin
Gus struggle. Yet everyone had de-
serted the brig. Food and water were
pIenIys everything was IN good con-
dftiOn. There had been no storm. A
little bottle of medicine on the cap
tain's table was standing upright. The
least rough weather would have upset
1t. Why, then. if there was no gale,
no mutiny, no famine, no pestilence,
should the briggs occupants have van
ished? Or, if they deserted the ship.
why did they leave their clothes, mon
ey, pewelry, etc, behind them? If,
on the other hand, the ship had been
oveThauled by latter day pirates who
slaughtered passengers and crew,
why we're not the valuables stolen?
In the mates cabin was found the
log slate. This slate was full of the
usual routine entries. AT the bottom
of the list was scraWled: Fanny,
my dear wife" Some accounts say
that one of the ships boats was gone.
Others declare the boats were all in
place, making the problem Of the
wholesale Disappearance still more
perplexing.
Since that time no news whatever
has come from any Of the occupants
o. the Marie Celeste IF they left the
ship IL is certain that they never
reached land anywhere. Every now
and then some sailors ''deathbed con-
fession" pretends to throw hight on
the affair. But these confession"