The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-17
MUTINY SCENTED IN
HIGH SEAS DEATHS
Four of SchoOners Crew Held
as Slayers Of Skipper
and Mate.

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. ia tragic tale
of the seas was unfolded here to-day by
four survivors of the British schooner
Onato. picked up while drifting several
hundred miles from shore by the Ameri-
can steamship Zirkel. The survivors, all
from New England, say the captain of
the Onato. a James Brussia, and his
brother, Ernest. first mate, were crushed
to death by the shifting Of the ships
cargo.
Their stories, however, do not agree
with that told by Capt. Daniel A. Sulli-
van. master of the Zirkel, which arrived
here to-day, and all four men were
locked up In the Gloucester immigration
station on charges of mutiny. They will
be turned over to the British Consul.
Capt Sullivan declared that when he
drew near the schooner he plainly could
see what appeared TO be a general fight
raging upon the little crafts deck amid
ships. and that one of his officers said
he had heard what he believed to be two
pistol shots.s
The survivors, Douglas Nicholl,
Thomas Motion, Lorenzo Ash and
Ernest Frizzard. all told virtually the
same story. except as to some of the
details, which the authorities said were
conflicting.
Killed During Gale.
They declared their officers met an
accidental death while the entire
schooner's company of six was battling
to save the craft during a terrific gale.
Capt. Brussia and his brother. they said
went below deck to look after the cargo
and were crushed to death when II
shifted.
The crew OF the Zirkel first sighted the
Onato about AS o'clock on the night
of October S, when about 500 miles due
east OF Newfoundland.
There had been heavy weather and a
high sea was running" said Capt. Sulli-
van of the rescue ship about 10 :45
p. NJ. lookout reported a light about
mile away two points off the starboard
| bow. 1t was a fare and plainly called
! for investigation.
| Il gave directions to bear down upon
! the light and soon we were close enough
! to see that it was two mastet
schooner. We rugged up a flare and IT
| the increased light we saw what APP
| peared to be general fight raging
upon the schooner's deck amidshlps.
! I'VE were just closing in with the
! schooner when our steam steering gear
I broke and we drifted away out of con
| troll. We hastily rugged up hand steer
| ing gear, and while we were at thi!
| work the schooner came down the wine
! and crossed under our stern.
Saw Human Body.
Il plainly saw a human body, at
tired in dark clothes, lying on the mid
| ship hatchway. Then the schooner wal
gone right of into the night again, will
only her flare showing. One of my off
GERS said he heard two reports. which h,
believed to be pistol shots, but which
might have been from a gun with which
they were trying to shoot a line ABOARD
US or may have been intended as sig
| nails.
when we again came alongside tn
four men asked us to save them. ant
with much difficulty we launched boat
Several times the high seas almos
swamped it, but finally we managed L
take the survivors from the doome'
craft The Onato drifted away and dis
appeared in the mist"
The Onato, a 105 ton schooner. wa
bound for a Newfoundland port iron
Oporto, Spain, with a cargo of salt
officers of the Zirkel believe the littl
craft sank shortly after the four me-
were taken of.
The Zirkel left Rotterdam in ballas
! on October l.