The sun., 1919-06-07
Petersen CHARGES
PLOT TO KILL HIM
Captain Says Mutinous Sailors
Planned to Beach Bark
and Flee.
DENIES HE BEAT HANSEN
Says Squall Prevented Effort
at Rescue-Cites Log
book Confessions.

Capt. Adolph Cornelius Petersen be-
gan yesterday to tell his story Of the
voyage of his barkentine Puaka around
Cape Horn that led to the indictment
Of himself and his son, Eric, second
mate, for murder He Is on trial in the
United States District Court before
Judge Hough and a jury. The captain.
who has passed forty of his fifty-four
years at sea in sailing ships. denied
absolutely the stories Of seamen that
he was a cruel and inhuman master
who led the two sons he has bred to
follow him at sea In a course of MAIN
tanning discipline by beating the sailors
into abject terror.
He pictured himself as patient
and kindly man who endured many
grievances at the hands OF a lazy, In
expert and mutinous crew that included
desperate men who plotted to kill him
and Eric and force Leonard, another son
and first mate. to navigate the ship to
the Society Islands. where 1t was in
tended to beach it. He told of instances
where he tried with fatherly reasoning
to placate disobedient sailors and make
slapped the cabin boy, Smithson. In the
face once when he lied about the theft
of a pair Of handouts from a drawer In
the captains cabin. but this was the
limit of his application OF physical force
except on occasions when II was neces-
sary to hold unruly seamen SO that the
irons might be adjusted.
Denies He Assaulted Hansen.
He said that he never raised a hand
against the seaman Axel Hansen, who.
companions in the fo'c's'le testified, had
been beaten until his face was "a mass
of pulp" Hansen cast himself over
board on August 6 last and was
drowned. The Government alleged that
Capt. Petersen deliberately left Hansen
to die.
Capt Petersen declared that Hansen
went overheard in squall and that 1t
was impossible to make an effort to
save him He said that before he
reached the deck Eric nearly wrenched
the masts out of the ship by bringing
her into the wind in an effort TO save
Hansen.
II looked over the stern" he said.
st was break of day. you know; not
quite daylight. l did not see anything.
looked along the log line and saw
spray rising at the end Of 1t for min
ute. l heard one cry for help.
THE second mate sent Campbell aloft.
He went up the mizzen rigging. l
shouted, Can you see himr He says, I
can't see anything The wind was
shaking the sails in a way that threat
ened to break down the whole business
second mate to pay of. I could not see
any hope for the poor fellow in the
water"
Did you say to the man at the wheel.
To he'll with the man overboard?' "
asked Dudley Field Malone. his coun-
sci.
IT never spoke to the man at the
wheel. / gave my orders to the second
mate
Did you attempt to launch boat?"
mo. 1t could not live in that
weather. 1t would have smashed 10
pieces before she got over the side Of
the ship"
DO you say that you did not see
Hansen at all?" asked Ben A. Matthews,
Assistant United states Attorney.
II saw spray. Campbell said II was
Hansen on the log line"
1T looked like a human being at the
end OF the line. did 1t not?"
~ could not say It was human be-
ing or anything else. I saw spray"
According to the witness. the sharpest
words he used during an experience that
filled him with fear for his heavily laden
vessel and those on board were ad-
dressed TO his son Eric. Did you try
TO take the sticks out of her. he said
to the second mate In reproving him
for bringing the boat sharply into the
wind.