Guilty or Not Guilty?

When young James Gale Hubbell joins the whaling voyage on the ship Hibernia of New Bedford, Massachusetts, he expects a heroic adventure on the high seas. But Hubbell soon discovers everything is not as it seems on the ship. Safety precautions have not been accounted for. The tempers of the ship’s leaders flare at the slightest provocation. Hubbell and his crewmates soon find themselves commanded by their Consul to sail a ship unfit for the sea; its mast rots and hull leaks.

In this true story, the crew’s refusal to endanger their lives in this manner launches them into the fiercest physical, emotional, and legal trials of their lives, in which their every principal will be tested.

About the Author

John Twyeffort Hubbell and his family have traveled widely and lived in numerous states: New Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and North Carolina. After graduating from Deerfield Academy, Hubbell earned a BA form Princeton University, as well as MAs from Wesleyan University and Rutgers University. He worked primarily as a secondary school English teacher and coached football, hockey, and lacrosse. He also served as a host and historian at the Biltmore House and supervised work groups in both East and West Africa for Operations Crossroads Africa, forerunner of the Peace Corps.

Always involved in community efforts, Hubbell was president of his homeowners association, officer at his retirement community, and trustee of a school, as well as a tutor for underprivileged children. He served as a deacon in one church and as an elder in two others. He also sang in choirs and community choral societies. Both Hubbell’s wife and two grown sons are published authors. He has retired to Asheville, North Carolina.