The New York herald., 1922-08-26
SAYS CAPTAINS FIST
KILLED MAN ON SHIP
Surgeon Testifies Pantry
Worker Was Victim of So
lar Plexus Blow.
SELF-DEFENSE PLEADED
Shipping Board Officer Had
Put Baxter i'm Manacles
and Chained Him.
SELF-DEFENSE PLEADED

The death OF II. C. Baxter. chief nan
tryman. aboard the Shipping Board
vessel President Van Buren, while on
route TO England last June with a party
or vacatonists. was due to a solar plexus
piow from Capt. George II. Miles. then
IN command OF the ship, according 10
testimony given yesterday by DR.. George
w. Farquar ships surgeon on the vow
age. at hearing before United States
Commissioner Hitchcock.
capt Niles was arrested last week
on a complaint by Assistant United
States Attorney G. Tarleton Cold
thwaite. charged with murder on the
nigh seas. After several days in the
Iomps he was released this week In
$4,000 bonds. The case was first
brought before American consular Off
Gals In London by passengers
Tells How Man Died.
Or. Farauar testified Baxter was In
perfect physical condition when the ship
sailed from New York for Tilbury. Eng
land.
Two days before Baxter died DR..
Farquar found him manacled and
chained to a stanchon by orders of
Capt. Miles. His temperature next
morning was raging at 1071a.
1t was reported to me on June 81
that he had had a fit" DIR. Farquar
said. Il had him carried to the ships
hospital, where he soon revived and
told me he was all right"
Inc surgeon said at the time he
thought Baxter an epileptic. but changed
his mind when Baxter quickly recovered
and did not show the reaction ordinarily
following JJa lt,,r~ -
indicate that Baxter was addicted to
drugs. as Capt. Miles had charged.
While the pantryman was in Capt.
Miles office once, DR.. Farquar said
the captain said to Baxter: Here my
man. IL you don't work you don't eat
II you were a younger man I'd take
you out on deck and beat you up"
After that Baxter was turned over to
Chief Officer Miller with instructions to
put him to work.
Captain Accused Baxter.
DR.. Farquar said the evening before
his death Baxter was apparently out
of his mind.
Il asked Capt. Miles what was the
matter" said DR.. Farquar. HE told
me the pantryman had assaulted him
and he had defended himself. Capt
Miles then had him placed in a sling
and hoisted out OF the hold to the deck.
The next day I found him in a coma
tose condition and gave him strychnine
and digitalis. ] noticed a red mark
about six inches long under his left
shoulder. Because of the handouts. his
wrists were slightly gangrenous"
DIR. Farquar did not examine the
body before Baxter was buried that
afternoon at o'clock.
Il don't think Capt. Miles was sober
when in the hospital. He woke up Bax-
ter" DR.. Farquar replied in answer to
question. "He was excited. and I
wanted to get him out of the hospital
so Baxter wouldn't be further dis
turbed."
II told Capt Miles / believed it was
going to cause trouble. Then Capt. Miles
told me he had check for $4,000 In his
safe and II lost my position because OF
the mans death he would look after
me. He introduced me to young woman
on the ship. who, he said. was his
adopted daughter"
On cross-examination by Capt Miless
lawyer, DIR. Farquar admitted signing
entries in the ships log about Baxter's
case, but could not remember an entry
stating Baxter had refused TO work and
therefore had been placed in irons. He
also said that In his report he had stated
that Baxter's death was due to 'acute
mania and morphinism."
did you believe that report to be
correct?" asked Capt. Miles's counsel.
Yes, ! believed II at that time, but
Capt. Miles had not then told me about
the solar plexus blow"
The hearing will be continued at 10
o'clock this morning.