SEA MYSTERY

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 13 September 1924, Page 5

SEA MYSTERY

ABANDONMEIT OF MARIE CELESTE. A SOLUTION OFFERED. STORY BY CAPTAIN LUCY.

Mt OABLB—fKSBS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT LONDON, Sept. 12. The Daily Express publishes a lengthy story by Captain H. Lucy, who was wounded at the. Da r dene lies, and who has .arrived in London from India, purporting to give a solution of the classic sea mystery of the abandonment of .the Marie Celeste 52 years ago, when the ship was found drifting off Gibraltar with .all’sails set and not a soufc on board. Captain Lucy says learned the facts forty-two years ago* from a man named Triggs under oath not to reveal them until Triggs was dead, and he believes he is now at liberty to speak. He met Triggs at the Bay View Hotel, Melbourne, whej-e he was not known to da any work, but it was discovered that- he had about £IOO in the Bank of 'Australia. Captain Lucy found him a job as a boatswain. . . Triggs told Captain Lucy that he yffas boatswaiy of the Marie Celeste. They sighted a derelict and found an hoard a safe, which was forced, and was found to contain £3500 in gold and / silver. The captain took £I2OO, the \ mate £6OO, the second mate £4OO, Triggs £3OO and the rest was shared amongst the crew. The captain ordered that the derelict be sunk, as she was a danger to shipping. The question of the legality of taking the money arose. It was decided that they could not sink the Marie Celeste, as she had been “spoken,” so the captain and crew' quitted her in three boats belonging to the derelict, which were used to bring the money on board. They painted the name “London, schooner” on the boats, and on arriving at Cadiz they reported the loss of the schooner by striking a submerged wreck. They then separated. The qbieet in abandoning the Majrie Celeste was to make everything as mysterious as possible. Captain Lucy adds : “I saw Triggs’ papers showing that he signed on at Boston on board the Marie Celeste, but I confess he always covered his name. I believe Triggs knew the name of the derelict, but he said it was obliterated.” . : • '