The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-06
SHIPS COOK DRIVEN
TO DEATH, is CHARGE
Sailor Says "Hell Fire" Peder-
sens Cruelty Caused Victim
to Jump Overheard.
PUT HIS CREW IN IRONS
Captain and Sons May Have to
Meet Accusations Of
Murder.

James Campbell, one OF the seamen
aboard the barkentine Puaka, which
reached Cape Town last August after
being four months out from Vancouver,
b. c., with most OF the crew in irons
and Capt Hell Fire Petersen and his
two sons ruling from the poop deck with
guns In their hands, told a story of
cruel treatment at sea to United States
Commissioner Hitchcock yesterday.
Campbell. 2S. a native of Kingston,
Ont. who never had bunked in a fo'c'sle
before he signed In April as an able
seaman for a voyage on the Puaka tes-
titled under examination by S. l.. Miller
Assistant United States Attorney. and
Edward w. Mcdonald counsel for the
Pedersens. VINO are charged with fog
ging seamen.
Campbell said that soon after the
voyage began Capt. Petersen began the
practice of summoning the men aft one
by one to the cabin, where they were
beaten. He said the cruel treatment
caused the cook John Henry Stewart, to
jump overheard.
Cook Left to Drown.
He said he heard somebody shout that
a man was overheard and ran to the
rail. He asserted that Capt. Petersen.
who was on the afterdeck. shouted to
him:
Get to hel, out OF there!''
what did you do?" asked Mr.. Miller.
II got away. sir"
How was the weather.
Dead calm"
Did the captain order boat outT'
''He did not"
Campbell said that Petersen told him
the cook was no damn good" He as
serted he saw black and blue stripes on
Stewards back and sides where he had
been beaten.
Campbell said that while men were
still bleeding from beatings Petersen
compelled them to sign statements for
use before the American Consul He
said he signed his name as a witness 10
these statements. Mr.. Miller asked him
If he had hesitated TO be a witness.
81 did not" said the sailor. 81 knew
what was good for me-"
Campbell said that when the vessel
| neared Cape Town Petersen tried to get
him to sign a statement in which other
| members of the crew were accused o.
| having plotted to scuttle the ship. He
said he refused and was dropped man.
acled in a pump hole. where the Peder-
sen boys pumped water on him.
Mr.. Miller offered one of the state
ments signed by seaman. 1t was ruled
out Before Campbell finished his story
OF the voyage the Commissioner said his
testimony warranted holding the defend
! ants for the action OF the Grand Jury.
| Mr., Mcdonald asked for an opportu.
/ nifty to try to discredit Campbell's testi-
mony. and the hearing was adjourned tc
! to-day.
| Defence Charges Plot.
Mr.. Mcdonald had copies of the depo
sit!ons taken at the inquiry of the Amer
! lean Consul at Cape Town. He showed
a statement In which AXel Hansen, g
seaman who is alleged to have beer
driven to suicide by Petersen. wa,
/ charged with being In the employ of &
( German agent The statement was at
| tributed to Bjarne Olsen. a member o.
the crew. who died at Cape Town. Par
| of it follows:
"Axel Hansen told me that the Count
n man who lived in Minneapolis. woult
| pay us we'll for destroying the boat. a,
he had received money from him befor,
for doing the same kind OF work--de
, stroylng an oil tank steamship on tn
| Pacific coast. I figure that he got abou
| $4,000 for this"
The members OF the crew, who are be
ing held in the Ludlow street Jail al
material witnesses in a murder invest
! cation. were taken before a Grand Jur,
! yesterday