The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-06-13
FROM NEW YORK.
IBY ASSOCIATED PRESS. |

By ASSOCIATED PRESS.
Rrclusiuelv 10 The EVENING Telegraph.
Particulars of the Awful Coolie ship Dis
aster.
NEW YORK, June 1S.--A San Francisco spe-
cial gives the particulars of the burning of the
ship Don Juan, which left Macao on May with
a cargo of coolies for Peru. The Don Juan
loaded at Macao taking six hundred and fifty
coolies on board for Peru, and on the 9th was
burned to the waters edge not more than fifty
miles from Hong Kong. The coolies, who have
arrived in Hong Kong, all aver that their treat
ment was humane, and they had nothing what
ever to complain of either as to the allowance
of food or the quality or quantity, and the whole
affair was simply accidental. The other view
in the question, namely, that the
Vessel was Set ON Fire
by designing men among the Chinese, is not ina
possible. One of the men distinctly AYERS that
he heard an explosion of gunpowder aft, and
also smelt q strong smell of it. Others again
say they did not hear any report; that they were
nearly overpowered by the sickening smell of
the ships material burning aft. 1t is to be re
GREETED that the European who had the .hu-
manity to open the matches did not succeed in
saving his own life, as he was overtaken by the
coolies, who made rush at the boat waiting for
him, and general scramble occurred to get to
Nv ehO 1SuiOPOono uoiuS dImo W PiONOhe ehC
coolies getting into it. In this scramble several
Chinese were drowned The boat, however,
ultimately succeeded in getting clear of the
ship, but had not gone far when it upset in
sight of but not within reach of the coolies. The
coolies then seem to have had little leisure to
look around, when they observed the other
three boats at distance. During this time all
the materials of the ship were ra pidly burning,
and
A Large Number Perished
in the hold, some of whom, no doubt were suf
focated, but the cries from others were piteous
Many, however jumped in the water and
escaped by drowning the more
Horrible Death by Fire.
While the luckless men were on deck and or
the bowsprit in this position one of the mast
fortunately gave way, and the men at onc'
made rush and scramble to reach 1t; they clunl
on with desperation, calling as loud as the,
could to save their lives. They had not beer
| long in the water before fishing junk came NJ
| and they were taken off, two or three at a time
| in a small sampan. A
The mast was held on the wreck by wire rig
| ging, and would otherwise have drifted away
to sea. The coolies state that there were no les
| than - +
Fifty Europeans on the Vessel,
| Some, no doubt, were lost In the boat that wa
| swamped. From Macoo, it is reported tina
thirty-fve of the crew have arrived there, an,
| are unanimous in stating that the
| Coolies Mutinied
| and set fire to the ship aft, in hopes of forcin
| all to abandon her, and SO take the vessel. /
seems they thought the fire could be extinguishe
afterward.
| Catacazy and Fish.
| The Tribune says:-We are conclusively as
sured that the statement from the Euening Pos
affirming that NJ. Catacazy, the Russian Ministe
at Washington, had written home letter dis
paraging the Hon. Hamilton Fish, and chargin
him with various misdemeanors, is unfounded
and the alleged letter forgery. The relation
of Mr.. Fish and NJ. Catacazy, official or per
sonal, have always been cordial and intimate
| and no word of difference has ever marred them
| Departure OF a United states Minister.i
Hon. John M. Francis, Minister to Greece
sailed on the Holsatia to-day.