Eben Graham, owner of the Scotia Steamship lines, has his go-between, Austin, bribe Lathrop, the chief inspector of shipping, not to condemn the boat “Estelle,” as it would mean a loss of a great deal of money to Graham. Lathrop accepts the bribe and shortly afterwards the “Estelle” makes an excursion trip loaded with women and children, among whom are Lathrop’s wife and baby. The ship catches fire and burns at sea and all the passengers are lost. When Lathrop hears of the disaster, he shoots himself, having first written to Bruce Graham, the district attorney, and brother of Eben, telling him that, although he is guilty, the real criminal is Eben Graham, who bribed him. Bruce goes to his brother and accuses him of being responsible for the accident, and that he is going to see that he pays the penalty. Graham is much alarmed, and believing Bruce to be secretly in love with his wife, Vivian, he tells Bruce that the day he indicts him he will file suit for divorce and name Bruce as co-respondent. The next day Eben Graham sees in the paper that the government is after the “man higher up” and that a wealthy ship owner is to be indicted in the “Estelle” matter. Graham knows the wealthy ship owner to mean himself, and that night he sails on one of his freighters, “The Andres,” to escape punishment. “The Andres” is run into by a derelict loaded with dynamite and both ships are entirely destroyed.