The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-12-18
FRESH HAPPENINGS.
The Mignonette CannibaIs SEN
fenced to Death in
England.
An Arkansas Train. Robbers Confession
Two Great Women In Ma
p0le0nic View.

The Captain and Mate u the Mignonotte
Sentenced tn Death.
[Cab}e dispatch from Londonl
Capt. Dudley and Mate Stephens, Of the
wrecked yacht Mignonette. who were found
guilty of murder IN killing the boy Parker
for food to keep themselves alive. have been
sentenced to death. 1t is believed they
will certainly be pardoned. The scene
during the pronouncing OF sentence was
most impressive. The room WAS crowded.
Lord Chief Justice Coleridge read the
judgment Of court, citing authorities at
length. The court declared that the taking
of human life could only be justified on
the plea Of self defense. The commission
q murder for the sake of preserving ones
own life was unjustiiable. OF course
1t was duty to preserve ones own life.
but the duty often required one not to save
but to sacrifice his own life. The court
must apply the law aud declare That the
prisoners were guilty of willful murder, for
which there was no Justification. If this
judgment was too severe the court must
leave the prisoners to the clemency Of the
crown. The prisoners were asked what
they had to say before sentence was pro-
nounced. Both Capt Dudley and Mate
Stephens pleaded for mercy. in view OF
their terrible situation when the deed was
done. Lord Colerdge said it was the jury's
privilege to recommend prisoners to mercy,
and then he sentenced them to be hanged,
but without the black cap.
The Secretary of State for the Home
Department advises the Queen TO respite
Captain Dudley and Mate Stephens.
The yacht Mignonette, thirty three
Australia May 10, 1884 June III she foun-
dered during storm in the Indian Ocean.
Capt Dudley, two seamen, and boy
named Parker escaped in boat, but had
no provisions except few turnips, and
were wholly without water. BY the twelfth
day their food, including a turtle which
they had caught, was exhausted, and their
sufferings from thirst were maddening
The boy Parker was wasting away, and
the others hungrily watched his approach
ing dissolution. The twentieth day, after
the party had been without food for eight
days, the CAPITA n fastened young Parker's
death by opening vein In his arm. Tho
three survivors eagerly drank the boys
blood as it gushed from his arm, and they
cut his flesh from his arm and ate it I'M
cooked, but with some degree of modem
ton. The Captain kept the body and
served out to himself and the two sailors
such ations "a were necessary to preserve
their lives. They prolonged their wretched
existence in this way until July 5, whom
they were rescued.
An Arkansas Train Robbcr Confcsses.
Little Rock special
The confession OF Joseph Cook, the
ringleader of the train robbers who sue
cessfully side tracked the passenger train
and plundered the seventy-ive passengers
on the Arkansas Valley Railroad in the out
.1r ,,to - h. MI Cat, ,.,Ik FOL IL
story of the latest ,ring train no bbery.
There were four in the Clifford,
Parker, Frank Kline, and myself. We first
commenced to plan fhe robbery a week ago.
We studied out and arranged matters in
Klines room on Centre street. / was
chosen Captain. After the robbery we
walked straight to Little Rock, stopping on
the way to burn Our masks. Reaching the
city we separated. l accompanied Kline to
his room, where the swag was divided.
We placed it in small sacks and hid it.
He then named coal-shed and a vacant
building, where it was concealed. The
officers easily found the plumber. which
consisted of twelve gold and silver watches
and $500 in bills and silver. The property
is being returned to the owners as fast as
identified.
Cook has resided here some time, and is
well known. He is native Of Austin,
Tex. Clifford is niroad man. and came
here three weeks ago from Chicago. His
home is at Nashville, Tenn. Parker is Q
boy Is years old. His parents are es-
teemed residents Of Little Rock Frank
Kline, who effected his escape, is car
riage- trimmer, and belongs at Logansport,
Ind. At the preliminary examination the
prisoners were remanded to Jail. and bail
fixed at $40, 900 each. The penalty for the
crime In the State is seventy seven years
imprisonment