St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-22
TACKLED BY PIRATES.
Well-Planned and Cunning
Attempt to Capture a
British Steamer.
Tie Remarkable Goodness and
Bravery Of a Young
Wheelman.
Over One Hundred Pirates
Sent to the Bottom OF
the Sea.
The Thrilling Story Of One of
the Most MuPdefouS Of
Melees.

called the Fairfax arrived at Slan%hal
in distress, and upon investigation her
damages were found TO be so extensive
that she was sold TO corporation known
as the Golden Tea company. 1t was
composed OF five English tea houses,
and it had four eOaSting vessels IN It's
trade. This steamer was wanted to
establish a line to the Lioo-kioo
islands. in the Pacific ocean, but
more particularly TO the island of
Kiu-Siu. where the company IN
intended to establish a branch head
quarters.
The Fairfax was sidewheeler Of
about eco tons burden, and noted as
being very fast. She was changed about
a great deal in making repairs, and
when | went aboard of her rs wheels
man found several things to excite my
curiosity. The cabin had been done
away with. and i'll its place was an
officers meSS-rOOm aft and a comfort
able dining room for the men forward.
The space between was used fOr berths
and storage. Inoticed that great deal
of the interior wood work was covered
with heavy sheet iron, which had
been painted to resemble wood. The
doors were very heavy, and were
further protected by metal. The en-
CINE room was entirely inclOSed, and
when came to the wheelhOuSe l was
surprised 20 find it so arranged that iron
shutters hung on the inside could be
closed to make 4 little fortress Of the
place. Two rifles and pair of reyolv-
ers comprised the armament. When l
came to ask questions Of the mate he III
formed ME that we were going among
a lawless and desperate lot, and were
prepared for
ANY EMERGENCY.
In addition to what | had seen he
showed me a SiX-pOund field-piece on
the promenade deck, and a score or
more of rifles in a room set apart for an
aTmOry.
The steamer made her first and sec
ond trips without adventure. The crew
In each instance was composed almost
entirely of white men-English, Amer
lean, German and French sailors, who
had been picked up in Shanghai. The
cook, steward and StokerS were natives,
and on each trip we carried quite
number of native passengers. On the
third trip about half of the white crew
had to be replaced with natives, and
native passengers.
remarked on the singular fact that
all were men. and the mate explained
matters by saying it was a religious
body on its way to famous temple sit
uated on the island we were bound for.
They looked to me like crafty, villain
Gus lot, and my fellow WheelSman, who
was an American named White. pre-
dicted that we should have trouble
with them before the voyage was over.
We had scarcely left port before we
saw to it that all our weapons were
loaded, and We got 1.-THE hang" of the
iron blinds. so that we could shut them
quickly. One of us would certainly be
in the wheel house, no matter at what
hOnr trouble might come.
As the steamer only had small load
of freight. aud that was all in the hold,
the party of natives were QuaTtered on
the lower deck. The weather was very
mild and they did not need covering.
The distance from Shanghai to Kiu-Siu
is about 2j0 miles. As we left port at &
o'clock in the morning, and averaged
twelve miles per hour until 4 next
morning. we were pretty fairly across
the big bay created right there by the
lay Of the coast and the location Of the
islands. came on watch at O'Clock. 1t
was then fairly daylight,and the sea was
smooth and everything very quiet. My
chum gave me the course, reported that
there was nothing new, and went off to
turn in. He had scarcely disappeared
when | rose two junks dead ahead, and
five minutes later the lookout on the
bows reported them to Mr.. Graham, the
first mate. 1t could not have been
more than two minutes after this when
] heard shrill cry of
''MURDER!"
followed by two pistol shots and rush
of feet, and | realized that trouble was
at hand. | rang the bell for the engi-
neer to stop and then shut and secured
my blinds, and l was not moment too
soon. The wheels had scarcely ceased
TO TevOlve when | heard the patter of
feet outside, followed by EXPLANATIONS
of anger and disappointment. Then |
used the speaking tube to warn the en-
gineer, and he speedily informed me
that he had made himself a close prS-
oner.
My iron shutters were provided with
portfolios, and when | looked down
upon her bow deck | saw the dead
bodies of the mate and lookout lying
there and covered with blood from nu-
merOuS knife wounds. None of the
natives were in sight, but directly
fierce yell arose from the lower deck,
followed by pistol shots, and knew
that the saifrOn-faeed WretcheS were
numbering the white men as fast as they
could get to them. They left me alone
for about quarter of an hour. Then
about half a dozen of them came up and
demanded my surrender. From their
dialect | knew them to be COreans.
They called to me in that language.
saying they had full possession of the
steamer and had killed all but two Of the
crew, and that my life would be spared
if l promised to do as they directed. /
communicated with the engineer, found
that he was all right, and he added that
the captain and some of the crew were
in the armOry and prepared to hold out
to the last. Then informed the pirates
that l could not think of surrender. and.
as they began battering at the door
with capstan bar, showed the muZzle
of a revolver out and killed one and
wounded another before they could get
out of range.
There was only a breeze blowing, and
that was at our backs. The two junkS
were coming down slowly, having to
make frequent tacks. and when about
mile and half away | saw that they
were loaded with men. 1t was put-up
job between the two parties. and all the
details were thoroughly understood.
The engineer had been blowing off
steam to prevent an explosion. and
asked him to hold fast and give me
show to carry out plan which had sud-
denly suggested itself. Fortunately
for US the native stOkers had just fired
up before they got the signal. They
had murdered the chief, who was an
Englishman. and also the oiler, who was
a German, and had left the furnace
doors shut as they rushed up on deck to
join in
THE MURDEROUS MELEE.
The boilers were therefore making
steam at lively rate. AS soon as the
engineer understood what l wanted he
started ahead, and / took the wheel and
brought the steamers head in line with
one of the junks. We were headed
about north. One of the junks was
headed southeast on her tack, the other
southwest. They were, therefore.
nearly brOadside onto me- We went