The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-30
GOVERNMENT SHIP !
A CRIPPLE AND JINX
Fires and Mutiny Follow Sea
ries of Breakdowns on
Castle Wood. /
TEST KILLS ENGINEER
Part of Crew Attempts to De-
sert After Perilous Trip
to Buenos Ayres.

II Capt. Alexander Mitchell. expert
navigator and master during many years
Of ships of all the kinds there are. has
his way he will sail no more in charge
of the fabricated ships of the Emergency
Fleet Corporation. He locked one
called the Castle Wood at the Bush
Terminal in South Brooklyn yesterday
after trip to Buenos Ayres that was
Of the kind that drives able seamen to
the Sailors Snug Harbor before their
time.
The ships engineer was killed while
testing machinery two hours before the
steamship sailed from Brooklyn on April
8. The accident was an evil augury. butthe
ancient superstitions of the sea are not
permitted to interfere with schedules
In these high pressure days. The body
was sent ashore for burial and a new
chief engineer was summoned to ship on
short notice for the journey. Capt.
Mitchell cast of his lines on time.
Trip One of Excitement.
From the time the Castle Wood nosed
into the harbor channel and pointed
southwark not a moment Of peace did
the captain know. Defective machinery
made the voyage n continuous success
sion of worriaorns experiment and re-
pair. She had to come back to Brook
Ign after being two days out because
of a broken propeller. Resuming the
voyage she limped into Newport News
after three days with the steering gear
In tangle.
The steering gear made trouble all
the way to Buenos Ayres. AS II the
difficulty of navigating with the essen
tial apparatus out of order were not
enough, fire occurred. Capt. Mitchell
guided his steamer up the Plate River
with his own hands, while the first and
second officers directed the crew at the
pumps.
The first fire was not serious enough
to interfere with the arrival OF the Cas-
| tie Wood at Buenos Ayres. The second
fire was almost disastrous. 1t occurred
while the steamship was moored in the
| river and burned its way through the
hold until most of the cargo that had
| occasioned the voyage had been burned.
Another Fire Occurs.
The return trip was a repetition Of the
| southwark journey. Machinery was con-
| stantly giving trouble and the crew had
| but little time in the hunks. There was
another fire and another long spell for
all hands at the pumps
Mutiny developed. At the Barbados
some of the crew seized a lifeboat and
| asserted an intention to go ashore and
desert. Capt. Mitchell called the harbor
police and caused a peace that had in 1t
nothing of contentment for the seamen.
| During the remainder of the voyage tho
master ruled his ship with firm hand,
and when he got her to port summoned
| deputies from United States Marshal
! Powers Office In Brooklyn to make ar
rests.
Eight of the crew were arraigned be-
| fore United States Commissioner Nc
Goldrck. The following were charged
with melting to mutiny and held In
81, 900 bail each: James c. Petersen.
| 36, Philadelphia Daniel Kelly. 80, New
York city; Henry Bruening, 90, New
burgh, N Y: Vincent O'Toole, %. San
| Francisco Lawrence Wagner, 20, Roch-
ester, n. Y, and G.. A. Japensen, 49,.
| Philadelphia.
Two other seamen, Homer Beach, II,
and Henry w. Burlinshame. 81, both of
| Philadelphia, were held in $500 bail
each charged with refusing TO stand
watch and with threatening to assault
the chief engineer All of the defend
ants pleaded not guilty.