Report of collector of customs at Sarnia., January 7, 1879

Report of collector of customs at Sarnia.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 17th ultimo, inclosing a copy of a dispatch from the United States Secretary of State to Her Majesty’s minister at Washington, complaining of the forcible removal of the American steamtug Crusader from Fairport, Ohio, while in charge of a United States marshal, under libel for debt, and instructing me to investigate and report upon the case. I would, therefore, respectfully submit the following meager details, which, after considerable trouble, I was able to procure from the captain in charge of the Crusader at the time of the occurrence. He states substantially as follows, viz:

“We had run into Fairport for coal, and just as we were ready to leave a fellow came aboard claiming to be a United States deputy marshal, who took possession of the boat. I asked him to show his authority, which he refused to do, and, leaving a man in possession, he went away. I claimed that the latter party had no right on board my vessel, slipped my moorings, and left for Sarnia, calling at Windsor and Port Huron on my way up. On arrival at Sarnia I put the man on the dock.”

The above is all I could learn from the captain.

The next phase of the case seems to have been the appearance of the United States district attorney from Cleveland, who ran alongside the Crusader with a tug, intending to remove her to the American side. He, however, found that she was in the custody of a posse of Canadian sheriff’s officers, who were holding her under a process for debt incurred on “this side,” and, of course, refused to allow her to be taken away. Considerable altercation ensued, during which the United States attorney made an attempt to draw a revolver, whereupon he was disarmed by the bystanders and brought before the mayor of the town on a charge of carrying concealed weapons. He was, however, released, and, after settling the claims of the creditors, in whose behalf the sheriff was in possession of the boat, she was quietly delivered over, all parties (the owner included) consenting, and taken to Detroit. In point of fact, the whole matter has been amicably arranged, and the parties to the squabble are, apparently, the best of friends.

I have, &c.,