Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-03-21
FRIGHTFUL MASSACRE.
Hundreds Of Men, Women and Children
Slaughtered.

Hundreds Of Men, Women and Children
Slaughtered.
A gentleman of Alameda writes as fol.
lows to the Argus of that place:
1 learn from Captain Kustel of the
schooner Panonia, which arrived at San
Francisco last Saturday from the South
Pacific Islands, the following strange news,
which really seems so strange and extra.
ordinary that it can hardly be credited,
proper to make it public. give it there
ties furnishing the information, and do not
vouch for or hold myself responsible in any
manner for the correctness or truth
thereof
Captain Kustel states that while at
Strong's Island he met the missionary
brig Morning Star, which did some trading
with him, bnt no mention was made by
the Captain or officers of any unusual event
having occurred but before parting with
the vessel he got into conversation with a
passenger on the brig, named Ellis, who in
formed him that terrible massacre had
taken place at Drummond's Island, in the
Gilbert group, and that three or four hun
committing the terrible deed were led on
and melted by Hawaiian missionary of the
American Missionary Society. Captain
Kustel also states that when he reached
the island IF Ponape, in the Caroline
group, he met William B. Chute, owner
and supercargo of the schooner Elizabeth,
of FIJI, and from him learned the same
story, he stating also that the slaughter
included men, women and children and
that the bodies were left lying on the
ground under the cocoanut trees, and the
dogs were feeding on them. And finally,
when the Panonia reached Maxim Island,
he met Captain Evers, of the British
brig Isabella, which vessel had been
wrecked, and Captain Evers and
his crew came up as passengers on the Pa
nonia. This Captain Evers told the same
story, only increasing the number of killed
to q thousand or fifteen hundred. The
story as farther gathered and given by
Captain Kustel, is that the natives on the
south part of Drummond's Island were ad-
dicted to the manufacture and use of a ma
tive liquor made from the cocoanut that
they refused to give up this practice, and
rejected Christianity. So they were dis
armed under some pretext and then set
upon by the people from the other part OF
the Island and slaughtered without mercy.
Now this is the story as gathered from
three different islands, and there seems
but little room to doubt that terrible
slaughter has taken place. But that
party could have been melted and led on
by missionary is too incredible for belief,
and for the sake of Christianity and of
humanity 1 hope this part may be ex-
planned away. 1t seems strange, however,
that the Captain of the missionary
brig should have suppressed all news,
as he must have known all the facts,
and could have given or sent by Captain
Kustel full statement. The next news
that comes, however, will probably be
through missionary sources, and the ignor-
ant and oppressed native have but little
chance to present their side of the case. I
am informed that the whole matter was
written up and forwarded to the Sydney
papers for publication, and we may not get
full particulars until it comes through them.