Gypsum Queen

In 1915 a schooner, the Gypsum Queen, sank off the Irish Coast during a storm. The crew took to boats, were picked up by a freighter without loss of life. Fifteen years later the owner and captain, Freeman Hatfield of Nova Scotia, bobbed up with the story that the Gypsum Queen had been torpedoed by a German submarine. He claimed indemnity and in 1931 finally got from the Canadian Government $71,276,72. Year later Captain Hatfield abandoned the sea, went to the U. S.. opened a small chicken farm in Candia, N. H. An old seafaring friend of his lived there.

In December 1934 police officers marched up to the door of Captain Hatfield's chicken farm, arrested him. The Canadian Government had at long last discovered that the Gypsum Queen was not torpedoed but had foundered in heavy seas. It charged Captain Hatfield with larceny and obtaining money under false pretenses, asked for his extradition. For more than two years Hatfield was held in jail at Manchester while he fought extradition.

In the Federal District Court he pleaded that he was being held without justification, lost the case. Early this year he won a partial victory. The U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals found the lower court unjustified in holding him for larceny, but justified in holding him for extradition on the charge of obtaining money under false pretenses. He next appealed to the Supreme Court, without success. The U. S. State Department issued an extradition order, and last week Captain Hatfield reluctantly entered the custody of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. As he set off for Ottawa to await trial he hoped "for an early return to my snug harbor at Candia.''

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