Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-07-16
EAST OF TIE ROCKIES.
Robbers Set Fire to the Town Of
Pueblo in Colorado.
DEVASTATING STORMS In OHIO.
Making Provisions for Second-C Glass
Ocean Passengers Ex-
porting Beef-Etc.
DEVASTATING STORMS In OHIO.
ESPECIAL DISPATCHES TO THE srooaD-us1os.l
NARROW ESCAPE.

Sailors on the Flagship Richmond Con-
spire to Murder.
New YORK, July 15th-Edward Gratz.
Master alarms on the United States flag
ship Richmond, is recovering slowly from
the effects of a brutally and cowardly at
tack by several sailors, who tried to MUIR
der him while the vessel was at anchor in
the river Plata, in South America, accord
ing to adyices received here yesterday
GratZ has been Master Arms of the
flagship of the South Atlantic squadron for
two years past, and has been in the navy
since 1871. He was born in Germany, and
Joined the German army as q volunteer
private during the Franco German war,
and served in the Imperial Guards, holding
at the close of the war the position of First
Sergeant. At the battle of Sedan, when
Napoleon was captured by Prussian army
corps, Gra!z was promoted from the ranks
and decorated with the Iron Cross, the
highest distinction for bravery and heroic
conduct in battle awarded in the German
army.
HIS LIFE ATTEMPTED.
The Richmond sailed from Brooklyn on
December 26th. About two months ago
she anchored in the river Plata, about ten
miles of Buenos Ayres. Several sailors,
whom Gratz had reported for offcnses COM
mitted, conspired to get even with him.
On the night of May 18th Gratz retired
to his hammock. Shorty after midnight
five men stole up to the place where Gratz
lay, and one of the brutal seamen dealt
him heavy blow over the head with an
iron instrument, probably a Delaying pin,
while another gagged him. The blow
rendered him inseusible. The men then
pushed plank above the unfortunate man
and lashed it with small rope tightly to
the hammock in which Gratz lay, to all
appearances dead man.
OVER THE SHIPS SIDE.
The whole had been done so quickly that
none but those engaged in the attack were
aware of what was doing. The men then
fastened another iron to the small iron in
the upper end of the hammock, and car
ried Gratz on deck in the hammock. AVN
lngs had been secured in such a manner
along the deck that a person standing aft
on the quarter deck of the ship would not
see what was going on amidships. The
men carried the hammock to an open gun
port, and, holding TO the rope secured in
the end of the hammock, gradually al
lowed it to slip over the ships side They
dipped the hammock in the water two or
three times, TO soak it so that it would sink
quickly.
RESCUED BY BOATS CREW.
The men were about to cast off the rope
which held the hammock, when the quiet
ness of the night was disturbed by the cries
of Help" Helpw The cold water
had dampened the body of the unfortunate
man and restored him to consciousness.
The men became alarmed, and Just as a
quartermaster cried MAN overheard" ;"
they cut the rope and Gratz and the ham,
mock drifted down the stream
small boat belonging to Spanish ves-
sci anchored astern of the American flag
ship was just passing by, and the sailors in
1t soon hauled GTatZ in his hammock on
board. Blood was streaming from wounds
in the head. He was soon in the ships
hospital and the ships physician was
summoned. For more than two days
Gratz' recovery was considered doubtful
Only his great physical strength saved him
from death.
Gratz named FIVE men whom he suspected
OF the deed, and they were at once locked
up in the ships prison, where they are now
being kept in double irons, awaiting trial
by general Court-martial