Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-09-04
AN EXTRAORDINARY TRAGEDY
A Horror Of the Sea.

A communication from Smyrna, OF
August 4, published in the London
Echo, has the folloGing;
"A fearful tragedy at sea has just been
brought to light here. On Sunday last
one Of the small native coasting craft
came dashing up against the Cerigo
Quay, at Smyrna, in a manner when
led TO the belief that she had been
abandoned. On boarding her, the dead
body Of an elderly man, who appeared
to be the Captain. was found lying. on
deck. The body was much hacked
about. the head being nearly severed
from the truak, and the clothes torn and
in disorder, leaving the impression that
a severe struggle had taken place. Near
the remains was found large hammer
smeared with blood. A little boy, under
ten wears, lay wrapped in a sail close by.
He was uninjured, but appeared to be
stupefed, and nothing Ineligible could
he cot from him. The craft was partly
loaded with a cargo Of melons. but no
papers could be discovered. The same
evening the small steamer, on its
way TO Cordeho, fell in with another
body at sea, fearfully mutilated. The
public was still lost in conjectures re-
specting this strange event when, on
Wednesday morning, a Russian monk
presented himself at the consulate here,
and asked for an interview with the con-
sui. He said that he had embarked at
Scio for Smyrna, in company with
Persian. on board a coasting tchirnek
manned by two men, with little boy.
Some hours before doubling Point James
Castle, the monk overheard conversa'
ton between the Persian and the cap
tain. The Persian said that the monk
had about him a sum of f3O0 in gold,
besides some bank notes, and proposed
that they should murder him for the
purpose of obtaining possession OF the
money, the other sailor at the same time
TO be got rid of. The Captain agreed,
and 1t was arranged that the Persian
should 90 below to bed so as to divert
suspicion. The conversation took place
in Turkish, but the monk Is per-
feet master Of six languages, and
understood perfectly all that was
said. He did not lose his presence of
mind. but took up his position in care
less and Indifferent way near the bows,
Invested himself OF his clothes, and said
TO the Captain, who was at the helm, that
1t was SO hot he would sleep on deck in
preference to going down below. Sleep
In peace, said the skipper; / will take
care and wake you when we get to
Smyrna. They we're at the time not
very distant from the coast; and the
Russian, availing himself Of the chance,
slipped over the side and swan in safety
to the shore. He landed at Ayou-Geor-
gin, Tifik. and then made his way to
SMYRNA. The Consul at once commu
nicated this statement to the Turkish
authorities, and on the police making
inquiries at the Persian rendezvous
of Agem-Khan, they found that a
Persian had arrived there from Soio
on the previous Sunday. On the monk
being confronted with this Persian, he
at once identified his fellow-traveler on
board the coasting craft. The Persian,
Of course, was arrested, and the stolen
money belonging to the monk was found
among his effects. He has since made
a full confession of his crime, aud his
story is that, after waiting some time
below, as arranged, he bad gone up on
deck, and finding the priest gone, be-
lieved that the captain had facilitated
his evasion. high words ensued, and
the Persian murdered the captain with
the hammer. lie killed the sailor also,
and threw the bsdy into the sea. He
wrapped the boy round anu round in
sail, thinking TO suflocste him. He then
ransacked the vessel, and taking all the
money he could find, including the large
sum found in the pockets Of the monk,
made his way 10 the shore 10 a small
boat which the coasting craft dragged in
its wake. This story may read like an
emanation from the morbid fancy Of an
Edgar Allen Poe. but il is in all particu-
lars exact in its grim and literal truth"