The New York herald., 1879-10-24
DESPERATE RIVER PIRATES,


A SCHOONER LYING OFF SOUTH BROOKLYN
BOARDED BY GANG OF THIEVES WHO RAN
SACK THE cABIN-oNE OF THE MARAuDERs
SHOT BY THE MATE.
The schooner Annie L. Palmer. lying OF Burtis
dry dock. foot of Ferris street. Red Hook Point
South Brooklyn, was boarded by river thieves at an
early hour yesterday morning and her officers
were assaulted and robbed. The schooner arrived
here in ballast Wednesday forenoon. from
Newport. r. l.. and anchored in the river at dis
tance of about three hundred yards from the shore.
Her consists of Captain Wilson Lewis. Mate
j. L. Newman. Steward A. j. Orme and two seamen.
The Captain has been in and out of New York Har-
Dor for the past five years. and though he had heard
of several instances of river piracy he had had
any personal experience in that way. The weather
was thick. and the rain fell in ftful showers on
Wednesday night aud "all hands retired to their
hunks about eight O'Clock. leaving watch deck.
About O'Clock boat hauled up alongside
the schooner. Eight or ten men cambered over the
short ladder to the little cabin. which is about
square. In it the captain. mate and stew
ard. Finding the door fasened they burst it in. As
it few open the first Of the band lost his balance
and fell Hat on the cabin floor. The mate, who had
risen from his bed and secured his revolver fired at
the PROSTATE man, wounding him in the
side and causing him to yell with pain The mate
again pointed his revolver at the ntrudeis and dis
ut him, and he overpowered. None of the shots
took effect Newman, but lie knocked down,
beaten and kicked about the head and face in most
merciless manner. Captain Lewis was about to
get out of his bunk when man sprang
toward him. and. placing the muzzle of q
pistol to his head, warned him to be still
or he would blow his brains out The thieves, who
were all armed. wore cloths about their faces,
to make their features They then
proceeded break open the lockers and trunks
and to possess themselves OF various articles OF
value. The steward made his escape through
,l.,tu Ittrit, fh.. md t,,t,
forecastle, where he joined the two sailors.
AS soon the thieves found that he had
Castle door and placed barrel OF potatoes over the
matches, tnat the men could not get out. After
stay in the cabin OF about an hour the desperadoes
went off, taking the precaution before leaving to
and hatehes The sailors gSt out of the forecastle
about three O'Clock. and released the captain and
mate.
THE MATES NARRATIVE.
''I the first board to hear the thieves" )" said
the mate in narratng the occurrence to Captain Ed
ward Reilly of the Eleventh precinct police in
ence OF HERALD reporter II heard somebody
window. but couldn't any body. heard the
noise again and got my revolver. The door then
open and eight or ten masked men, wearing cloths
round the lower part Of their faces. rushed
into the cabin. 1 shot at one Of them
after he fell on the deck. and put slug in him.
Then shot at the rext one. and tried to discharge
my revolver again; but it was old. rusty thing.
and wouldn't go off, Then the gang closed in on
me. They pummelled and beat me on the
head with their revolvers, and knocked me
down; they kicked me- When they let me
revolver and said, If you move IN inch III blow
your brains out They demanded my money and
took 81 63 from my trunk. They ransacked the
cabin. The fellow had shot got up and was walk
ing round in q stopped way. swearing vengeance on
me and saying he would shoot me s. before he went
been for the Interference OF one one Of the
gang Tao Wounded the captain
going to kill you before leave this vessel
The man supposed was the captain of the pirates
said to me, You have only done your duty. You
same circumstance. While they were in the cabin
they were quarrelling among themselves. One fel-
low struck another in the face, and the man that
was struck drow revolver and was going to shoot
him."
CAPTAIN LEWIS STORY.
Captain Lewis said that he could not rest very well
on Wednesday night. and though the mate was the
first to hear the thieves he had been in and out Of
his bunk times before the pirates broke into
the cabin. There kerosene oil lamp burning
there 1t the time. 1t gave but low light, but the
thieves turned it bright possible while they
were securing the plunder. man stood at his side
ana held a revolver to his head telling him he would
blow his brains out if he moved: The captain said
that as they threatened to kill them all before
they lett the vessel he thought 1t was best
for him to remain quiet. "They STOLE said Cap
money, my clothes and other property. They took
about all am worth, and suppose am luck ky>not
would be murdered. They were wrangline among
themselves all the time they were in the cabin and
their language was vile. One fellow was about to
take my boots when the boss captain told him
he should not do so and made him put them back.
The watch stolen hunting case. marked Paul
Henri Robert, Locle. No. ~. 0.U33.'"
The mate told Captain REILLY that he thought he
could identify one of the thieves II he were
brought before him. They were nearly all young
men Of medium height. The he shot.
he says, was a big man. One of the fel-
lows lett soft black hat, with q stiff prm.
after him, taking the stewards hat away in
its stead Captain Lewis stated that he had heard
that coal laden vessel in the harbor which got
under weigh and sailed day break. had also been
boarded and robbed by gang which hebelleved to
be the same that had visited his vessel
Captain Reilly says he is of opinion that the thieves
were from the New York side.