The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-03
LANDSMEN JURORSIN
SEA MURDER TRIAL
Captain and Mate Of Barken-
tine at Bar for Letting
Sailor Drown.
ENGLISH LAW TO GOVERN
Dock Used for First Time In
History Of Federal Courts
Here.

Eleven men whose course IN life has
been as far removed as could be posi-
BILE from the vicissitudes of those who go
90 sea in sailing ships were chosen yes
terday for the jury in the United states
District Court that is to try Capt Adolph
Cornelius Petersen and his son. Adolph
Erie, for murder. The twelfth man, Ed
mund o. Hovey, curator of the geological
division of the American Museum OF
Natural History, has been In the tropic
and the arctic seas on professional mis-
sions, and will be able to give counsel
on terms, customs and practices of the
sea which may perplex stock brokers,
executives and civil engineers.
The Pedersens are alleged to have
caused the death Of Axel Hansen, a sea-
man, in the South Atlantic Ocean on
August last. The murder is said to
have occurred during a voyage Of the
barkentine Puaka from Victoria, B. c.,
20 Cape Town. around Cape Horn. that
was marked throughout by high handed
brutality toward the crew by Petersen,
sometimes called Hell Fire" Petersen,
and his two sons. Adolph Eric and
Leonard.
Hansen is alleged TO have cast himself
overheard after being beaten, imprisoned
and starved. While he was In the water
he tried TO save himself and grasped the
log line. Eric Petersen Is alleged to
have knocked down seaman who
turned the wheel TO bring the boat into
the wind and then to have held the ship
10 its course. Hansen's hold on the line
weakened and he was drowned.
Seized on Crews Complaint.
Capt Petersen and his sons were
taken from the Puaka at Cape Town
after the crew had made complaint and
were brought here with the crew. Pc
dersen and Eric, who was second mate
were indicted for murder on the high
seas Leonard. first mate. was indicted
for assault. The crew have been held
IN the Ludlow street jail as material
witnesses.
A murder indictment in the Federal
courts is tried under the forms of the
English common law. The indictment
follows the old model. 1t alleges that
the Pedersens "by force OF arms. not
having the fear of God before theii
eyes, unlawfully, feloniously, wilfuly
mallciously, deliberately. premeditatedly
and with malice aforethought, killed
Axel Hansen, a human being, late able
bodied seaman, and a member or the
crew of said vessel"
The elder Petersen, in civilian clothes
with trousers sharply creased ana neal
cravat in spotlessly white collar
would be marked anywhere as a sailor
His clean shaved cheeks have beer
deeply tanned; his eyes have the keer
glitter that comes from much peer1ne
through darkness and fog. He Is small
hut the width of his shoulders suggests
unusual physical strength. Eric Peder'
sen is slight, almost fragile in build. He
is IS years old and his face Is marked
only by that lack of character that Il
the badge OF youth.
The defendants were placed in docl
that had been built in corner of tn
court room especially for the trial 1
was the first device OF its kind In tn
Federal courts here. The prisoners
counsel. Dudley Field Malone and E. w
Mcdonald, eyed the continuance curl
ously when the Pedersens were marched
into it. Mr.. Malone made a protest, blu
Judge Hough would not allow 1t.
Calls Method Un-American.
Mr.. Malone will press his protes
against the dock when the trial Is re
stunned before the Jury to-day. He SAT-
yesterday that the contrivance was un
American and unprecedented. He added
that it had been placed in positio;
where It operated to deprive the defend
ants of their right to see the witnesse
Talesmen were questioned by Ben A
Matthews, Assistant United States At
torney, about their knowledge OF life oil
sailing ships and the terms in use b.
seamen He asked them II the position
of a witness as member of labo
union would influence their judgment
This question suggested that the labo
difficulties on the Pacific coast may b
figured in the trial. The seamen wit
nesses against the Pedersens We're
shipped for the Preaka on the Pacifi
coast and Petersen alleged when ar
rested that they were members of tn
]. w. W, who tried sabotage an
mutiny
Mr.. Hovey was the talesman chose
who had real knowledge of the sea. H
said he had been a geologist-studen
teacher and expert-for twenty-fiv
years During that time he had mad
many voyages. He left New York /
July, 1915. on a schooner for an expedI
ton to Arctic Greenland. The ship be
came icebound and spent the winter /
the North
Mr.. Malone asked IL there had bee
any difficulty with the crew during tn
winter. Mr.. Hovey said there had bee
no difficulty with the crew but that h
had trouble with the captain. Their
had been a difference of opinion, he ex
pla ined. as 10 the necessity and advisa
bility Of remaining were they were /
the ice field
The other jurors are Farquhar J. Mao
Rae. No. l, public accountant, 323 Yves
13Sth street: Abram L. Rothstein, manu-
facturer. SIS West 10th street; Harr
A. Conklin. secretary, 124 Waverle
place: Ralph S. Rainsford, engineer. ~
West Fifty-ninth street; Solomon .
Finger, president. Broadway and Ninety
fourth street; Edward H. Chison. eng
neer, 445 Riverside. Drive; Henry n
Bach, engineer 527 West 10th street
G. Douglass Green, stock broker, rs
Madison avenue; Lester FlorsheiI
broker. 412 East Fiftieth street; Forre'
p. Lindley, broker, $50 Park avenue
William D. Lovelace. insurance. 22
West 1l1th street.
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