The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1911-03-05
sI30,000 SUIT
NOW ON TRIAL
IN SAVANNAH.
SPECIAL MASTER APPOINTED BY
JUDGE sPEER TO FINISH
TAKING TESTIMONY.
Owners of the Schooner Marie Pal.
mer Suing Owners of the Tug Ed
gar r. coney, of This City, for a
Large Amount.

An unusually interesting case, in
which a Brunswick company is the
defendant. and in which a number of
people of this city are interested,
mas teen on trial before Judge Speer
in the United States court at Savan-
nah during the past two days.
1t is the case of the owners of
the schooner Marie Palmer against
the South Atlantic Towboat company,
of this city, owners of the tug Ed
ward F. Coney, and the sum involved
in the admiralty suit is $4,000. The
case was taken up Friday and con
siderable evidence introduced, which
was continued yesterday, but was not
finished. Owing to the large amount
of testimony in the case Judge Speer
decided to appoint a special master,
who will continue the evidence and
make a report to the court Judge
Paul E. Seabrook was appointed yes
terday afternoon and he will con
tinue with the evidence tomorrow.
This case is well known to local
people, but the following interesting
article in relation to it, which an
peared in yesterdays Savannah News,
will tie of interest:
Several visiting counsel and more
than a score of witnesses, many of
whom are coastwise pilots, were
elated yesterday morning over the
tact that an admiralty cause in
which they were interested was
reached on the calendar of the United
States court. They had all been in
Savannah since Monday, waiting for
the case to be tried. Although
Judge Speer held court until 2 o'clock
the examination of the first witness.
Captain Arthur c. Cnaney the libel
liant, was not concluded.
THE case is one of the most i'm
portant maritime suits that has been
tried in the court here in years, as
the movants claim damages amount
ing to 100000 for the loss of the four
masted schooner Marie Palmer. and
$40. 900 for the loss of the schooner's
cargo of fertilizer which was being
shipped to Savannah from Cateret,
Y. J. In view of the enormous amount
of testimony Judge Speer considered
referring the matter to a, special mas
ter for the taking of evidence, but
decided to start the trial and see
what progress could be made. The
court may this morning refer the case
to a master.
Basis of the Suit.
The style of the cause is Arthur
G. CLANCY, master and part owner Of
the American schooner Marie Palmer,
and bailee of the cargo. suing on be.
6alf of himself and other owners,
against the tug Edgar F. Coney. The
case is tAsed on the allegation that
the schooner foundered on Frying
Pan Shoals at a point ten miles
southeast of Cape Fear lighthouse,
December /, 1909, as q. result of the
dangerous and improper course taken
by the tug Edward r. COney, which
was under contract to tow the vessel
from Beaufort, ~ c., to Savannah.
Captain CLANCY was an interest
ing witness. lie said he had been a
seafaring man all his life. explain
ing. in response to the next question,
that he was born on the water. He
was master of the Marie Palmer
when the schooner foundered He
declared that the storm which the
schooner weathered just before put
ting itno Beaufort for hartOr because
of stress of weather was the worst
he had experienced in his long ca
reer The schooner was leaking bad
ly, but was running before the storm
all right and all was well until the
pumps got clogged up. Buckets were
used to bail out the water and pre-
vent the vessel being swamped, until
the pumps were in commission again
Just tiefore the port Of Beaufort was
made. After some repairs had been
made and a survey of the damage
taken, according to Captain CLANCY
contract was made with the tuG
Edward F. Coney to tow the loaC
TO Savannah
Schooner Goes Aground.
THE start from Beaufort was be
gun December 1. Before they hat
gone very far Captain CLANCY and hi!
first officer discovered by takni
soundings that they were running
dangerously near Frying Pan Shoals
They signalled to the master of tn,
tug ahead warning him Of the dan
ger, but he replied that the cours