Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-11
When Crews Abandon Ships.

NiiciieSteT q Co. ana seven lSliHs
owner of the phantom ship Marie
Celeste. recalls the story of that her
| maphr3dite brig, the fate of WHOSE
crew, as well as that OF her skipper 5
family viii never be solved.
Two other recent condolences, the
picking W by the British tank steamer
Roumanian, to the northward Of the
Azores, Of the Norwegian bark Remit
tent, seaworthY pfovisioned and fully
Tieeed, and the falling in with tho
abandoned schooner 5. +. Blackburn,
near Hatteras, by tie Ward lrer Es-
peranza, with her lights burning, also
bring back the tale 10 memory.
But Captain Torgersen and his crew
Of the Remittent were picked up by the
Norw, gian steamer Fimrcite. bound
from Newport News FOR Genoa, and
they nave just been landed at tie Ital-
ian port.
The Esperanza a week ago found the
S. +. Blackburn 1l5 mites south OF
Cape IIatteras, her clock running, a
light burning in the fo'csle, her ships
p2pers missing and no sign of life. Bot
the steamship Tiverton had rescued all
but tive Of the crew, while the revenue
cutter Onondaga went our from Nor
folk and took off The remaining two
men.
The Marie Celeste sailed from New
York on October :, 1873. ON December
the British brigantine Del Gratia in
3S % north latitude and liza west lon
gitude. midway between the Azores
and Lisbon found the brig scooting
abaut like brainless chicken, under
tansails. foresail jib and foretupmast
staysail, with yards squared. The gang
way Vas unshipped, the fore hatch was
living bottom inward on tine fore deck,
The lone. boat was sone and her Jolly
boat also. THE log book was left behind,
bit he chronometer and the ships
papers wer" missing. Tie last entry IN
the lo.s book was on November -. IN
aieating that she had been cruising
without crew for eight or nine days.
Upon the cabin floor lay Il naked cut
Iass with dark stains upon its blade,
which afterWard proved to he only rust.
4 yial Of medicine stood upon the ta-
BILE. together with pieces of cloth,
needle and scissors. The pumps were
dry and the cargo WAS intact.
John &. Seagar. according To Captain
Winchester, had chartered the Marie
Celeste To Meisner. Ackernlann Il Co,
u carry alcohol tn Genoa. captain Is.
6. Briggs, of Marion, Mass, was her
master, and he took along his wife and
year-ald baby. Albert q. Richard
son, Of Stockton. Maine, vas her mate
and Albert Gining of New York, her
second mate. while her crew was COM
POSED OF Edward William Head of Ne"
York. Volkerti Larenzer, Arien Haf-
hens. p. I.orenzer and Gottlieh Goods
haod. all Of Germany.
When the bel Gratia. Which hitd sail
ed fran New York five DAYS after the
Marie Celeste. overhauled her her
sail WIS snugly faried ana
Tie head sheets were flowing
size had evidently been running before
n strong breeze previous to her abandon
nent. and rounded TO in order to enable
the crew to launch the Jolly boat. This Is
what happened, according 10 Captain
winchester. Under pressure caused by
high Temperature the alcoholic fumes han
escaped through the porous red oak
casks. Mixing with the foul air i'll the
hold they had generated gas when
bleW off the fore hatch. Volumes of va
nor resembling smoke belched forth, lead
ing Captain Briggs to believe that ms
vessel was on fire and about to blow up.
Knowing the explosive nature of his
cargo he lost no time. but with his wife,
child, crew, chronometer and papers
dropped into the jolly boat astern.
With her mainsaii slowed she had no
after sail to keep her TO the wind. She
would acquire sternway and back of she
would spring away. leaving boat and oc-
cupants astern. She would hang in the
wind. raising the hopes of the sailors
bending to the oars
Then, spilling the wind from her square
sails, her lib and staysail paid her off and
again forced her to run before the wind
Her yards being square, she would pay
off first on one tack and then on the
other, leading the people in the jolly boat
hopeless stern chase. until the short,
quick chop of the Azores swamped the
boat with all its occupants.
The Marie Celeste built of green timber
Der in Nova Scotia in 1869, stuck on the
way when launched Her first ven
lures were unproftabe In 1911 she
ran ashore near Jamaica and ruined
her captain, VINO blcN ou' NJ
brains She was towed to New York
and sold as a wrecked ship to Boston
man for American registry.
After the Boston man had refitted her
aud secured a license to fly the American
flag the Marie Celeste was seized for debt
and Captain Winchester bought her at
auction for $500 Captain Briggs owned
one-eighth. Her timbets were rottinG. 1t
cost Sal 500 to make her seaworthy Then
she was seized for sailing under fraud
ulent register, and it cost her innocent
owners pretty penny to secure her re-
lease. In three years she cost her new
owners $So0o net.
After Captain Winchester had brought
her back from Gibralter, whittier the Del
Gratia's prize crew had taken her, he
sold her to Cartwright & Harrison, VINO
kept her for about five years. losing $500,
and then sold her to Knowles freeman q
Co. of Boston.
In July, 1885, Captain Gilman c. Par"er,
the Marie Celeste's last master, was tried
in Boston ON the charge of barratry.
With him Abraham q Wendall George
W. Miller, Raphael Boris Emile Boris.
sullivan A. Freeman and Knowles Free
man We're charged With conspiracy to de