Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-01-22
A Remarkable Narrativs-Tsrrible Scenes
on shipboard.

From the London Telegraph.
Fiction and fact are equally outdone
by the almost incredible narrative related
in the log of the Dutch vessel Finne-
china, which has just arrived in Cork
harbor from South America. 1t seems
that London sailor, Rogers by name,
shipped on board the Finnechina ct Bue-
nos Ayres as foremast hand upon her
voyage to Cork. Capt. Hotze, the Hol-
lander in command, had in his cabin q
large sum of money; the fact was we'll
known; and Rogers appears to have de-
termined to obtain the coin at the price,
If necessary, of wholesale murder. The
ships com pany was short, consisting
only-besides the solitary prate-ef cap.
tain, first and second mate, cook and
three seamen. On the fourth day out
from Buenos Ayres, when five of these
seven were upon deck, Rogers put his
astonishing villainy into execution. The
first mate was standing in the open gang
way, when Rogers, with sudden thrust,
pushed the poor fellow into the sea. The
cook, hearing the cries of the drowning
man, and most likely thinking that he
had got into the water by accident, ran
| to the taffrail with q rope to throw to the
mate; and, while he was leaning over
Rogers toek him by the legs and pitched
him also into the water.
The second mate, who came running
aft in order to help, was encountered by
the miscreant, who had meantime got
| hold Of an ak, aud brandished it furious
ly. The unarmed Dntchmau retreated
before the murderous wretch, and jumped
| down the companion just as the COM
mander, alarmed by the outcry, was hur-
rying upon deck. The two men cane
into collision and fell; and while Capt.
Hotze and his second mate were rolling
upon the cabin floor together, Rogers
clapped down the hatch over the ladder
and put the pin into the staple. Thus
there were three of the ships company
imprisoned below, and two men only
remained on deck, an American and an
Irishman. The assassin stood amidships
between the two, and swore that he would
kill them with his ak if either disobeyed
him in the least particular. He ordered
the one to keep forward, and other aft,
and made them steer the vessel by turns;
directing her course, as he supposed,
back to desert part of the Brazilian
coast
His idea seems to have been to run the
ship ashore and find some way of killing
the survivors. But the compasses were
wrong; and thus, instead of making the
land, the captured ship, in the possession
while steering parallel to the coast line.
Twice, during this time, the captain got
a shot at Rogers through the gratings,
but without wounding him seriously.
Four days and nights the desperate
creature stood, ak in hand, overawiRg
the two sailors on deck, himself master
of the vessel, and he is said never to
have closed his eyes, keeping q wild
beasts watch of fear, rage and avsrice.
1t appears rather strange that nothing
could be done by the two men together.
Did they dare to sleepf Had they any
food and water, or was the lonely pirate
thus provided Perhaps il Was his plan
TO starve them TO death at the helm. or
to weaken them until they could be
easily killed. For him, at any rate,
there was Nc relief, no respite from his
desperate sentinelship; and at the end
of the fourth day nature gave him over
into the hands of his intended victims.
The villain fell suddenly asleep as he
crouched, watching the Yankee aud the
Irishman, beyond the range of the Cap
tain's pistols. The long awaited oppor-
tunity was eagerly embraced. The
Irishman sprang silently forward, and,
seizing the ak, with one blow all but
severed the head of Rogers from his
body. The matches we're opened, and
the three prisoners let free. The head
of the vessel was then turned toward
Rio Janeiro, where full statement was
made of the deplorsble adventure and,
after due investigation, the Finnechins
shipped fresh crew, and came quietly
across to Cork harbor, where the sur
vivers of the tragedy have told their ex-