The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-02-16
THE THAYER MUTINY.
TIE DESPERATE WORK OF TWO
INDIANS.
How They Captured the Ship AMI
Almost Butchered the En-.
tire Crew.

American ship Frank n. Thayer, from
St. Helena: The following is a plain,
unvarnished statement of the tragedy
on the Frank N. Thayer, February 2d,
Sd and 4th, about 700 miles southeast
OF this place, all of the affair having
been cleaned from eyewitness in an
investigation Just made by the United
States Consul, James A. Macknight, at
this place. However incomprehensi-
BILE OF incredible the story may seem,
il il the unanimous testimony OF the
captain and his wife and OF the four
teen seamen who survived and
reached here early on the morning OF
the 18th in an open boat. The Frank
n. Tbayer was a fine wooden ship OF
1900 tons, built in 1873 at Newbury-
port. Mass, hailing from the port OF
Boston, where her principal owners
live. She sailed from Manila for New
York November l, 1885, with a full
cargo. ofhemp, valued at $250,0OO, and
with a crew of twenty-five men, in
aluding two Manila Indians and two
Cinnamon. The only Americans were
she captain, Robert X. Clarke of Long
Island, and the mate and second
mate, Holmes and Davis. The others
were Germans and Scandinavians. A
few days after leaving Manila one of
the Indians complained OF sickness,
but when the captain decided that he
needed physic and offered him a dose
OF salts he made a wry face and re-
iected it, upon which the captain took
up a rop and gave him a cut or two
ever the shoulders, and after this per-
sussion he took the salts. Abso-
lutely nothing occurred in connection
with the Indians, that is remembered
by any Of the survivors from that time
until midnight on January I'd. Anew
minutes after midnight, January I'd,
Cant. Clarke was aroused from hissleep
by some one calling, Capt. Clarke,
Capt. Clarke" Half asleep, and in
his night clothes, he ran up the after
OOmpanion-way, and when he reached
the ton, received a blow with a knife
on the top of his head. He saw that
n of the Indians was his assailant,
and began to fight him as best he
could with his naked hands, but the
savage pressed him so close that he
was obligedto back down the steps. The
captain had struck the ruffian several
blows in the face, and prevented him
from making his thrusts with effect
but as the two reached the bottom OF
the steps, graphing with each other
the captain slipped in the blood and
fell. The Indian then plunged his
knife into his victims left side, anc
ran up the steps,
LkAvING HIN FOR DEA&
The captains wife was aroused by
his fall. and in q moment saw him en-
ter her room covered with blood. HC
merely said that he was hurt, ant
arming himself with a revolver, re
turned to the door. He called to thu
man at the wheel, Malone, telling hin
TO shut the upper door of the com
panion-way. III can't sir" said he
AWhy not?" asked the captain
'There's somebody there" said Ma
lone. Capt. Clarke then shut an
locked the cabin door leading to tn
approaching companion-way, and wen
through the forecabin to shut the door
leading onto the half deck. AS he di
40 he found his second mate, Davis
living dead at the door Of hi
room, and hastily closed an
fastened the outside doors, impresse
by the vagueness and uncertalnt
OF the danger of which had fallen upo
upon him and his charge. As he re
entered the after-cabin he heard
man at the door. 1t was a slldln
panel, so he showed it back a shol
distance and saw a white man, &. ,
Hendrickson, standing in the passag
He covered the man with his revoly'
and demanded what he wanted Their
The man cried, "Hide me, Captain
hide me-" But the captain was n
treasured, and demanded what
wanted, if he belonged to the murde
ers. etc; but the man only repeate
Glide me. hide me-" Failing rapid
from loss of blood from his wound
and fearing to trust the man, as !
would give no account OF himself, u
Captain told him to go away, al
again shut and locked the door. lie
erickson then entered the bathroom
the door of which opened upon Il
companion-way, and locked hlmse
in. He had scarcely done so wit
the Indian from whom he had retret
ed traced him to his hiding-place al
tried to induce him to open the doc
Fooled in this attempt he went ba'
upon the steps, and Hendrickson So
him stab Malone, the nan at t
wheel, and throw him overheard: -,
moment afteEthe death moan n q
struggle of Malone were heard by u
Captain, the Indians smashed in o
of the cabin windows, and one SAID
the other, "Go in" The fellow "
about to obey, when the Captain fir
two shots in rapid succession, putt
them to fight with a volley OF oat
and curses on their lips. lie tn
shut and fastened the shutters OF I
cabin windows and dashed the outs
doors fast. Mrs. Clarke now began
dress the wounds of her husband as
sat braced in a corner whence
could command the doors a
windows with his revolv
His head and face W
HACKED TO PIECES,
and from the cash in his left side,
below the ribs, the lower side OF
left lung p~rotruding. Who shall
scribe the sensations of that capt
and his wife at that dread hour? J
little daughter chung to her moth
dumb with fear, and the poor wifi
fragile and timid woman under O
nary circumstances, directed her !
efforts, with GOODNESS and deliberate
to the stoppage of the bleeding VIII
she knew would soon end her b
bands life. While they were thus
cupied they we're entirely ignorant
to who was engaged in the mutt
and knew not at what instant
cabin door would be forced and
murder completed. Meantime the
dams had beendoing CORY work abe
The mate, Holmes, was dying in
f~orecastle, the two men having fal
upon him and the second mate at o
at the opening of the fray. Mr.. Hol
had made his way to the forecastle
stead of the cabin, because the Indi
had gone toward the latter, an,
wounded man always has a keen sc
Of danUar He hail fallen on the I