The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-07-19

-. F0und Out. .,.e-,.r., -
- !" rFrom the Victoria lB. c., ColonistI ',, '
1t will be remembered by many In this
community that several years ago the ship
Alaska left ,Rurrard Inlet for; China with q
cargo of lumber. She, arrived at her desti-
patton In sufety. and was announced to haVe
sailed again for this port to- receive q Sc
cond cargo. Time=rolled on, aud at the
expiration OF the usual number of days al
lowed for the passage from China the good
ship;Alaska was annousced as educ" She
failed; however, to put In an appearance;
but This was not considered at all extraor-
dinary, as voyages from China vary in du-
ration as much as voyages to or from any
other place. But the days she was
overdue. gradually creptt into weeks,
and the weeks into months, and after
she had been reported '"missing" fora long
time, The. conclusion arrived ut was that she
had doubtless foundered or become the VIC
tim OF foul play. Years passed by, and no:
word came OF the rescue of any one who;
had been ON board the ill-tated ship, and at
last the faint glimmer Of hope which had
sustained the hearts Of friends OF officers
and crew died out. The vile OF thesuper-
cargo of the vessel, who had been watching
ard waiting" for many years, succumbed
was quickly followed by her only child.
The fact that during the time which would
be necessary for the Alaska TO make the
passage to this port there had been no heavy
| winds or storms was the main reason for the
suapicions Of foul play, and among those
who entertained them YVES gentleman
who happened to meet drunken sailor
| in a saloon in Japan. The old adage
in usno ueTitdS was again verified (as will
be, be,snBsequentlyse seen. for the sailor quickly
began to give a disiolnted narrative Of mu-
| tiny and bIoodsied. The gentleman Kept
the narrative in his memory, and following
up bis determination to unravel the mystery
surrounding the fate of the ship, encom.
passed the arrest OF several sailors who had
| been incrimnated by their drunken COM
| pnnion. One of these sailors admitted that
| he had belonged to the crew OF the Alaska,
and made full confession Of the circum-
l'stances concerning her loss. He stated that
when but few days out from Hong Kong,
sailing under light breeze, or the coast ol
Japan, the crew mutinied, and, without
moments warning, threw overheard the sec
ondimate, who was the only officer on deck
at the time. Hearing u commotion, the
captain and first officer rushed up. and
were Immediately murdered and given to
the sea. .,, -n.~ 10 .i,a.. .,~n 4. 81 Z
The supercargo, Nj. Thorndke, brother
Of the owner OF the ship who had $4,000 in
coin on board, shared the same fate Us The
.other officers. and the crew, having secured
the money and everything else of value tha,
fcould be readily moved, set fire to the yes
tseI, and, taking to,the boats, pulled for the
coast Of Japan. Having landed In safety
| they divided the spoilS, ;cherishing thehopt
| that, every trace OF their foul deed had beer
obiiterated.' But Time, :tbe certain avengel
Of crime, has proved that their hope wa:
fallaciolis,. as, foltowipgrciosely on the con
fession aboye referred, to, the arrest Of al
! but two of the criminals was effected, ant
they will in all probability quickly be called
on to pay the penalty demanded by justice