The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-12-17
4 STORY OF SAMOA.
The Recovery of the Remains
of Engineer Hale.
HIS DEATH ON A PACIFIC ISLAND
Alleged Brutal Conduct of Sea Captain-In.
difference Of a United States Naval Off
cer-Secretary Tracy Notified.

l0peCtdl W DlopdlCu
SYRACUSE, Dec. 16.-,Iohn Mccarthy, an
undertaken of this city has just re-
turned from trip to the Samoan islands
in the Pacific Ocean where he went to re-
cover the body Of Chief Engineer George
w. Hall of the United States steamer Nip
sic. He tells thrilling story of adventure
and brings back information rejecting on
the naval squadron in those waters, which
he intends to formally bring to the notice
ofSecretary Tracy. Engineer Hall, whose
wife lives here, died in the Samoan archi-
pelago June Is last, under mysterious
circumstances. Mccarthy refused at pres
ent to divulge what he has learned, but it
is inferred that the dead engineer was
abandoned on the most desolate island
of Tutulia while deathly sick, through
some disagreement with his commanding
officer. Engineer Hall had served his term
in the navy, and when he died he was on
his way home to retire on a pension, and
Mccarthy says that Chief Engineer Gowan,
of the United States steamer Alert, on his
return will give startling facts in this
frightful case of cruelty. The abandon
ment of Hall to his hard fate also involves
the steamship Zelandia, owned by Claus
Spreckels, whose commanding officer
refused to stop at Tutulia although
knowing of Halls preGicament.
Mccarthy told Spreckels Of this when he
got back to San Francisco. Spreckels said
that the report he received was that there
was storm and the man Of war could not
be sent. He also said that the United
States government had not acted fairly in
paving the English government S., 000more
to carry the sailors wrecked at Apia home
than his vessels would have done it for He
said further that he was not paid for carry
ing the mails, which, however, his steam
ships usually do from the Samoan group.
Mccarthy recovered the body, getting it
safely to Honolulu, and expressed it home.
In relating his experience he said
t'Having secured a metallic casket and embalm-
ing material at San Francisco, l saw Claus
SpreckelS, the great sugar king, and arranged
with him to ship the casket by his steamer the
Zealandia, which was TO meet at Honolulu and
go on to Tutuila. He agreed to land me there
and bring me back for S40O half of which was for
my own passage, 500 for the body. In addition,
paid SIPS for the passage OF my wife to Homo
the steamer Australia. We landed at Mailuka.
in the Sandwich islands. There 1 left Mrs. Nc
Carthy, and took the steamer Zealandie few
DAYS later, which had on board the caSket, en-
balming fluid and other things necessary for the
duty had to perform. 1t was question at that
time whether 1 could be landed in Leon bay, in
which is situated the island of Tutuia. The re-
ceipt for my passage read that was to be
landed there il practicable. This was to guard
against rough weather, reaching Leon bay at
night, or other possible contingencies. Tutuila
is not a regular port. The United States govern,
ment vessels meet steamers there and get mail
but landing can be made only in small boats.
Claus Spreckels had told me that he thought 1
would get through all right, as trouble was eX-
perienCed but once so far as he could remember;
that was when poor Hall was left there to die.
AT that time Spreckels said there was heavy
sea and it was impossible to stop. At least that
vas the report made to him, was sick five of
the seven days # took to get from Mailuka to
Leon bay. When was able to get on deck one
of the officers OF the vessel told me was all
right If we got to Leon bay in day time, but if
we got there at night L might be taken on to
Australia and not get home till spring My
chances of landing would be better on another
ship, he said, than on the zealandia, because the
captain OF our vessel was cruel and knocked ma
tiVes from his ship. They were afraid of him or
any one on his ship Sometimes, he said, when the
natives tried to get on board the ship, he would
order their hands cut with knives and let them
drop into the sea. had been told at Honolulu
thai the captain was cruel. was
in constant dread that he would do
something TO prevent me from getting of
Finally met the captain and asked him what
my chances were to be landed at Tutulia. He
repliedin a gruff way that they were not good
that might have TO go to Australia. told him
the family OF Hall had desired me to ask him
why he didn't stop there in June and take Hall
OF the island He said that he had made
his report to the proper authorities, that could
see that If l wanted to when got back to San
Francisco, if l ever did get back. l told him
that the FAMILY Hail QeaIl. he
replied that he could not help that. He is
German and one of the cruellest menI ever saw.
asked him how was TOT leave his vessel at
Leon bay and get TO Tutulia. He said he didn't
know, unless we met United States ship. A
little sailing vessel, he said, came from Apia for
the mail, but took no freight. I asked him how
long it would take me to get boat from the ma
tiyes He said about an hour, think. l asked
him if be would wait that hour until could get
a boat in case had to. He said he would not,
as the Australian government would fine him
SIS an hour for every hour he was late. 1 told
him that would willingly pay the fine, whatever
il might amount TO II he would only agree to
consent He refused and seemed to be overjoyed
at my predicament. / tell you II l ever prayed
in all my life it was that day and night
that we might reach Lion bay in the day time.
Well, on Sunday morning We sighted Leon bay
and there was the United States man-of-war
Adams. When we got near an oricer came on
board our snip / showed him my papers and
told him thai WAS after Halls body This Of
fear paid no attention TO me. Why, probably
will never understand. supposed that if Imet
an officer OF an American man-of-war and ex-
planned my errand that / would be given all the
assistance possible, but il was not so. We for
tunately had on board the Zealandia the gov
ernor OF Australia and his suit and the captain
did not therefore dare display so much of his
temper toward the natives as usual. Several of
them got aboard the ship, Offering curiosities for
sale. ran to them. Offering them gold and try
ing to make them understand wanted to get
ashore. When the United States officer saw
how determined was he told me he would take
VI.
cred into the boat and reached the man -of-war
all right. LieuteI ant Commander Wood
: worth was In charge, owing to the alb
sence OF the commander, who was sick
and had gone away for rest.
Lieutenant Woodwork said, hs was bound for
Apia ana asked where / was going offered
him my papers 70 look over, but G refused to
read them and insisted upon my telling where
was goirg, and what brought me to that part Of
the world. Finally he looked carelessly at my
papers after l had forced them upon him. /
then explained my mission. He gave me so
little encouragement that / talked with a
sailor BE told me that some of the
natives would take me 10 Leon bay
nine milea or. for 81. agreed TO
pay that amount. We lowered the casket, cask
Of embalming fluid and other things into small
boat The casket fell into tine sea and would
have been lost had it not been that 1t
had been pecked 70 that it would float
This frightened the natives, and it was only af
ter struggle that got them TO help get in into
the toat There was priest on board from
Pago Page. He told me that the priest at
Tutuiia was French and knew very little Eng
lish: so he gave me letter TO him explaining
my mission. Finally the man-of-war went eight
miles into the bay and the natives towed me the
rest OF the way.
Mccarthy Iesurrected the body and pre-
pared il for shipment. A priest at the place
gave Mccarthy much damaging testimony,
which is embodied in mis- complaint to Tracy.
Portugars Evil Ways.
LONDON, Dec. 15.-The Daily Telegraph