The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-03
INDIAN PIRATES.
SWORN STATEMENT OF A MIMQUN WHO SUR
v1vED THE WRECK OF THE GEORGE s.
WRIGHT.
From tho San Francisco Call, July %.

WRIGHT
From tho San Francisco Call, July %
PORTLAND, July 20, 1871
Following is q sworn statement of Billy Coma a
Mimqun Indian, in relation to the murder Of tho few
survivors OF the ill-fted steamer G orgc s Wright
now on trial at Viclora:-
al know Woe Hantun, the prisoner. / worked on
the Georges Wright AS coal sser Two months aud two
weeks before she lost When the boilers exploded
heard noise upon the main deck Was In bed at tho
time, with my pantaooas Got up ana went deck,
where found four soldiers. The soldiers woke up
the captain and mate and tried to wake up the balance
Of the Four soldiers lowered boat and tried
TO get tho captain into It, Tho captain said he would
not leave the steamer, but would die right there.
The soldiers then took hold OF the captain and put him
into boat followed tho captain into the boat
There were NUMBER OF passe myers on board--can
not say how many. Ono Of the soldiers
oicer-a big man, with black whiskers and dark
complexion. He had gold his aud
brass buttons; stripe on each shoulder OF gold
color and small eagle on the cap The mate also got
into tho boat We were three hours getting TO land.
When VIC landed We made u fire. The captain had
nothing On but his undershirt and pantaioons. Wo
gathered lot of brush and ourselves up with
1t in order to get warm, cold The captain
told me to look for the fire and let 1t 20 out
for II II went out we should die OF cold. At four
O'Clock IN the morning VIC had u big lre and In
Clans IN canoe Kept distance oil IN the water. Tho
captain told them TO come and take them where there
were whIto people. He told the Indians lie would give
them i5UO 10 take them 10 Bella, where there were
white people. The Inl. ms replied Wait while and
wo 90 aud get blankets" Interpreted this 10 the
captain and he said, ..An right" We stopped there
ali night waiting tor the lndaus to return The cap
tam land his watch down close to the fire Four SOL
ders lay side OF the ire The mate lay along
side the captain and sat down by the lro 10 watch
IT, The captain, mate and tour soldiers were
O'Clock that morning four Indians arrived In
small canoe and came stealing through the brush
where We were heard the old man, Ahsee,
OF the prisoners, propose TO snoot me- called to
them not 10 shoot me- and II they did not they would
get lots OF blankets. then woke up the captain aud
told him the Indians bad come 10 do them harm. As
the captain was getting up the prisoner Wee Hantum
fired Two Shots. One SHOT cmcrcd the captains
stomach and the other entered his breast He fell and
crawcd upon his hands and feet short distance ana
then cropped over Another Ind AN, Of the prison.
crs shot the mate While he was lying down. The
guns used were lint trading guns. lie fired three
shots at the mate; ono hit him on the head,
the breast and one in the back. While this gong
Altscc brought out powder and hell ed 10 load the
guns. The mate died. The soldiers got up and
ran away, when Wee antum and TWO other Indians and
the prisoner hred on Them They were all killed.
Indian not here picked up the captains watch aud Ah,,
picked up box that contained money. One ofthe
they had shot groancd which scared thcm ard they
went toward the beach and got into canoe taxing the
money box with them. They returned In n short tmo
and put the dead mon In a and cd heavy stones
to the necks aud sank them IN the water haa eaten
nothing for four days they wan cd me TO 20 with
them In The canoe starred 10 walk loot - Bella.
The Indians said that II did not 90 the they
would shoot me, and then went with them to Wat
kenu stopped there for time, and they guvc
me an Indian woman to say noihing about the muir
She Is low up among he Indians. The iirst
white man told of tbc murders was Tom stafford,
convict guard. ! was Ia the chain gang when told
him. II was IN the summer time. The old man Ahit-
zee, chief OF the Watkcnas. told me n informed upon
the murderers lie would Kill nc anu all my people,
! would not have spoken oil these matters Her
kimcr had not spoken OF II and informed about It. /
m
know how many DAYS there are III month Ii WAS "a
boat, painted White that We landed III from the q.
s. Wright, anu she aftciward burned for nrewood.
There were Two large boats anu small one board
the Wright. The big boat too heavy 10 move.