Evening star., 1911-01-30
Murder and Assault, With In
+. tent to Kill, Alleged.
EXCITEMENT QUIETs DOWN
Version of Fatal Row Aboard Oyster
Boat Near Colonial Beach.
MATE CHURCHLER'S STORY
Heavy Guard Placed About the
Prison at Montrose, Va. to
Prevent Lynching.

Prevent Lynching.
With Capt. Dorsey Aliens body on
its way to Baltimore. Mate John Adams
Churchler probably dying in Providence
Hospital, the body of the negro cook.
Charles Maddox, recovered from the
Potomac and three sailors. George Wal
lace. Henry Brady and Tom Evans.
heavily guarded against lynchers. in
sumably all the participants in the
mutiny aboard the bugeye oyster
dredge Irene Ruth Saturday morning
off Colonial Beach Va. are accounted
for. That another man was involved
in the tragedy, negro. said to be
still at large in Westmoreland county.
but closely pursued by a posse, is an
uncertain rumor.
The statement of Mate Churchler.
made before lie lapsed into unconscious
ness and confirmed by admissions from
the three prisoners and developing cir
cumstances, gives vivid picture and
apparently an accurate and complete
account of the battle on board the lit
tie boat and the causes that led up to
it,
Charge of Mutiny and Murder.
After a preliminary hearing at Oak
Grove, Va, the prisoners were lodged
in Jail, charged with murder, mutiny
and assault with intent to kill. The
excitement that provoked the operators
of the Potomac oyster fleet to talk of
lynching has quieted down in a great
measure, but the three men are never
theleSS protected by large guard
against possible attack.
At the hearing at Oak Grove yesterday
zoo captains Of the oyster fleet and 100
or more citizens of Colonial Beach gath
cred While their attitude was regarded
as menacing. no attempt to take the pris-
onerS was made.
Prominent citizens of Colonial Beach
and will aid the authorities in keeping
order The chief of police of the town
declares he is competent to deal with any
1ynching bee.
Similar Crime Recalled.
So much feeling has not been mani
tested in twenty years. when similar
crime was committed in that section of
the country. In 1891 the captain of the
schooner May Brown was murdered by
his crew. which mutinied, it is claimed,
because of his harsh treatment
Mate John Adams Churcher, with n
fractuered skull, cuts on the face and
arms and other injuries, is unconscious
and near death on a cot in the marine
ward at Providence Hospital. He was
brought to Washington last night ahra rd
the river steamer City of Milford, and
was removed to the hospital from the
7th street wharf.
Churchler accuses Capt. Allen Of strik-
ing the blow, with a monkey wrench,
which laid him COW. He blames the cap
tain for causing the trouble. The mate.
tervals when pain wou permit him to
talk told his story of the tragedy while
on the way to Washington.
Capt. Allen resented his mates remon-
strances against the mode of punishment
meted out to a dissatisfied sailor who
tried to get away from the Irene Ruth.
This precipitated the battle, said Church
Ter. that resulted in two deaths and
Churchler's own probably fatal injuries.
Blames the Captain.
Irons, confinement, starvation, revilings
and beatings were considered by Church
Ter too much of. a penalty for the sailor
to pay for trying to get away from the
bugeye. The mate interviewed between
the prisoner and the master of the
dredger, when Capt. Allen again offered
to strike the man. Churchler declares.
The mate was hit with a monkey wrench
by the captain, for interfering.
The negro cook, Charles Maddox, who
was killed later. interfered to protect
Churchler. and hit Capt. Allen over the
head with an iron bar The captain
dropped, said Churchler, and the rest OF
the crew took the opportunity 10 get into
the battle.
The captain was beaten into insensbil-
ity by the crew. Churchler said. lie him
self received another blow that made
him lose his senses.
The trip from Baltimore went along
all right until we came UP into the Po-
tomac." Churchler said. 1T was then
that Capt. Allen started to boss the boys
and curse them.
Finally. one OF the crew. do not know
his name-became disgusted, and placing
his clothes on top Of his head Friday
night he plunged into the icy river and
started to swim for shore. Before he had
gone far he became tired and then struck
out for another oyster boat which was
not far away from us.
The captain of that boat was a friend
of Aliens, and he placed the man i'm
irons and sent him back to the Irene
Ruth. When Allen found that the man
tried to get away he became furious. and
after removing the irons from the man he
had him locked in a ROOM
ION Saturday he went to the room and
cursed and hit the man, who at that
time had had nothing to eat for nearly
twenty-four hours The pair came on
deck a little later and the captain began
his TRADE again.
Warned of Possible Trouble.
After the captain had gone on that
way for over an hour l went to him and
told him that he should quit or maybe
he. would get himself in trouble The
captain picked a monkey from a
box and hit me on the head with it,
"The cook. Charles Maddox. who is a
friend Of mine. then went lor the cap
tain, and he struck him over the head
with a big ir6n bar. 1 saw the captain
go down on the deck, and then there
was a general fight
Somebody hit me again. and that is
all I remember until 1 awoke just now"
Churchler did not know until informed
aboard the steamer that the cook had
been killed.
The body OF Capt. Allen. made ready
for burial in an undertaking establish
ment at Colonial Beach. was brought to
this morning. 1t will be
reshipped to Baltimore. where 1t will be
met by friends.
Body Of Cook Recovered.
Several oystermen gave their craft to
The Colonial Beach authorities yesterday
! fternoon for use in hunting for the body
~ the colored cook, Charles Maddox.
After graphing with hooks in the water
near the scene of the crime for several