The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-02-25
MURDER ON SHIPROARD.
4 Gang Of Thieves Board the american
Ship India.
One OF the Sailors Shot and Instantly
Killed,
No Arrests Mades

Thursday morning about . qaaTtes % 5
o'clock, sailor, named Sydney Tsrbox, a
years old and native of Bath, Maine, belong
ing to the American ship India, lying ct Post
80, head Of Market street, was shot through
the heart and instantly killed while in . room
close to the main hatchway, (starboerd side Of
the ship. by one of gang of thieves, Who
boarded the vessel for the purpose of rob.
berry.
The cover Of the main hatcaw az had been
removed by the thieves, who intended going
down in the hold to steal cotton, when they
were discovered by Tarbox, who gave the
alarm and jumped up in his berth, when one
of the gang fred through the blinds of the
window just as he was about to open it after
he had given the alarm, killing him instantly.
The thieves, when discovered, had already
entered between decks where lot Of cotton
was lying loose, and had cut the bands of
about FIVE bales of cotton and placed the
contents in about seventy sacks, which they
removed from the ship and placed on the
wharf ready to be placed in skiffs and carried
away.
They failed in accomplishing this, as they
were discovered by the unfortunate sailor
Tarbox, whom they murdered, and were COM
PEELED to make their escape, knowing if they
remained to carry off the cotton they would
be arrested. The gang, after committing the
murder, left the vessel and made good their
escape, leaving behind them coat, cap, and
a pair of large shears that they had used in
cutting the bands of the cotton that they had
placed in sacks. These articles were found
between decks, where the cotton was opened.
and taken in charge by the harbor police.
1t is supposed that they were passing the
cotton off the side when Tarbox was awak-
ened and gave the alarm which. cost him his
life. The thieves were discovered by the OH.
GERS of the ship after the murder had been
committed, and on retreating down the land
ing, fired three or four shots at them to keep
from being followed.
Capt. Patten, the commander of the ship,
states that about o'clock Thursday morning
he was awakened by the steward and cook Of
the ship, who knocked on his door and told
him that shot had just been fired on board
the ship, and they heard some one groan. He
Immediately jumped up out of bed, and, in
company with the steward, cook and one of
the hands rushed out on the deck and looked
over the side of the vessel and SAW gang of
men running down the wharf in the direction
of the ship as they retreated, and were soon
lost to SIGHT.
The main hatchway was uncovered, where
the thieves had been down in the hold storing
away cotton in sacks ready to carry of. the
room opposite the main hatchway was opened
when he discovered the unfortunate sailor
Tarbox in q sitting position in his berth, dead.
The captain states that no watchman was on
duty on the night Of the murder, as all of the
cotton had been stored away on board the
vessel. and there was nothing for him to
watch. Seventy sacks of cotton that the
thieves had stolen from the ship were found
on the wharf and carried back on board the
ship, and some five or six sacks were filed in
the ships hold.
The captain thinks tits wonderful that the
ship was not set on fire, as the thieves had
several candles lighted in the hold Of the YES
sci, where the cotton was slowed away; and
had they set fire to one of the bales, the ship
would have burned. Tarsox must have di g.
covered them and given the alarm and then
sat up in his berth, and was about to open
the window, when one Of the gang fred
through it.
Sydney Tarbox leaves an aged mother in
this city who was entirely dependent on him
for her support Strange to say that in the
space of two years his eldest brother was
killed by the Indians; his uncle and another
one of his brothers were drowned at sea. This
is one of the boldest attempts at robbery that
has ever been heard of before, and it is to be
hoped that the police will exert themselves in
trying to find and arrest the assasins and
thieves.
An autopsy was held on the body last even
ing by Dr.. Cooper, City Physician, when it
was found that the ball entered the left
breast. just below the nipple, passing through
the heart, and causing death instantly.
Coroner Chastant impaneled jury and
adjourned the inquest.