The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-09-02
r xtraorlinnry Tragedy ON sssipboarsl.

EXTRAORDINARY AFaSSaas Oh DhApoOHESs
A communication from Smyrna of August
4, published in the London Echo, has the
following:
"a fearful tragedy at sea has just been
brought to light here. On Sunday last one
of the small native coasting craft came DASH
ing up against the Cerigo quay ut Smyrna
in manner which led to the belief that she
had been abandoned. On boarding her, the
dead body Of an elderly man, who ap-
peared to be the captain, was found lying
on the deck. The body was much hacked
about, the head being nearly severed from the
trunk, and the clothes torn and in disorder,
leaving the impression that severe struggle
had taken place. Near the remains was
found a large hammer smeared with blood.
sail lose by. He was uninjured, but ap-
BILE could be elected from him. The craft
was partly loaded with cargo of melons,
but no papers whatever could be discovered.
The same evening the small steamer, on It's
way to Cordelio, fell in with another body
Mt sea fearfully mutiated. The public was
still lost in copiectures respecting this strange
event, when, on Wednesday morning, a
Russian monk presented himself at the
view with the consul He said that he had
embarked at Scio for Smyrna. ir company
with Persian, on board coasting tchirnek
manned by two men, with little boy.
Some hours before doubling Point James,
CASTLE, the monk overheard conversation
between the Persian and the captain. The
Persian said that the monk had about him Il
sum of e300 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 being at the
same time TO be got rid Of. The captain
agreed, and it was arranged that the Persian
should 20 below to he'd, so as to divert suSp-
cion. The conversation took place in Turk
ish, but the monk is perfect 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 careless and indifferent
way near the bows, Invested himself of his
clothes, and said to the captain, who was
at the helm, that it was so hot he would
sleep on deck in preference to going down
below. 'Sleep in peace said the skipper !;
Il will take cure and wake you when we get
to Smyrna They were at the time not
very distant from the coast, and the Russian,
availinS himself Of the chance, slipped over
the side and swan in safety to the shore.
He landed at Ayou-Gcorgu, T;ilik, and then
made his way to Smyrna. The consul at once
communicated this statement to the Turkish
authorities, and on the police making in
quircs at the Persian rendezvous of Agem-
Khan they found that Persian had arrived
there from Scio on the previous Sunday.
On the monk being confronted with this
Persian, he at once identified his fellow.
traveller 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 full confession of his crime, and his
story is that. after waiting some time below,
rs arranged, he had gone up on deck, and
finding the priest gone, believed that the
captain had facilitated his evasion. High
words enSued, and the Persian murdered
the captain with the hammer. He killed the
sailor also and threw the body into the sea.
He wrapped the boy round and round in Il
sail, thinking to sutlocatc 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 To the shore in Il small boat which
the coaSting craft dragged in its wake. This
story may read like an cmanation from the
morbid fancy Of an Edgar Allan Poe. but it
is in all particulars exact in its grim and lite
raj trIIth"