A sea-faring mystery
-conspiracy theories-
by jason margolis


the name mary celeste has become synonymous with concepts like the ghost ship from scooby doo, but it endures as a true and tragic tale of the sea. the story begins on nov. 4, 1872, with a friendly dinner engagement between old friends captain morehouse and captain benjamin spooner briggs. morehouse was captain of the english cargo ship dei gratia, while briggs commanded the american brig mary celeste. the two vessels happened to be moored at neighboring piers on new yorks east river and the mary celeste was due to set sail the next day.
a month and a day later, the dei gratia crew spotted a two-masted brig sailing rather erratically in an area of the north atlantic between the azores and the coast of portugal. after attempts at signaling the unknown vessel failed, morehouse cautiously brought his ship near the other to investigate. he was more than alarmed to discover that the mystery...