Henry Merchant

The Gleaner was blown up on November 6, 1919. Four members of the crew were killed and two injured. She had just left Manhattan for New Bedford and, as she neared the Narrows in New York harbor, she hailed a lighter off 69th Street, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, and pulled up to fill the gasoline tanks. There were three explosions in rapid succession. The first exlosion shot the vessel through the water at least 20 feet from the lighter. The second explosion sent the vessel out of the water and blew the crew overboard. The third blast blew the ship to pieces, and the burning wreckage float toward the Narrows.

Captain Louis Doucette suffered a broken arm and burns, and Eugene LeBlanc was burned severely.