The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1891-01-13
THE CHINESE PIRACY.

The piracy case which we report
elsewhere in a brief notice is of
so exceptional a character that
having since received the Hong
kong Daily Press for the 18th of
December last, with a very full re
port of the affair, we give the fol-
lowing condensed account of it:
The British steamer Namoa left
Hongkong at s A. NJ, Dec. 18th. for
the East Ports with a general
cargo, five European and $50 Chi
nese passengers,among whom some
fifty or sixty proved to be we'll
organized band of pirates. Of the
other Cinnamon many were return
ing to their native villages after
working some years in California
or the Straits Settlements, and had
with them their savings, represent
ing in the aggregate very consid-
cradle sum of money. This must
have been known to the organizers
Of the gang, who all got on board
as passengers without exciting
suspicion. Indeed so little was
any trouble expected that a
passenger seeing the stand of
arms on the top of the COM
panion-way made some remark
on it to the captain, who replied
with a smile, "They are a relic of
the past; years ago we used to
want them, but we don't ever re-
quire them now" An hour later
he was dying in his cabin, shot by
a pirate, and his ship IN pirates
hands!
At about l P. NJ, after FIVE hours
steaming and from forty to fifty
miles from Hongkong the officers
and white passengers went to
lunch, and it was remembered
afterwards that just then a number
Of the Chinese passengers appeared
to be grouping themselves together,
each with a cigar as Git was sup
posed badge of recognition.
The pirates divided themselves
into four parties. all armed with
revolvers, and attacked slmultan-
eously the officers and engineers
saloon in the fore part of the ship,
the bridge, the engine room and
the after saloon. The first victim
was q gentleman who. being un-
well, was taking his lunch on deck;
be fell with four bullets in his head.
at the same time thequartermaster
on the bridge was shot and thrown
overheard, alive or dead IS not
known. Some Of the pirates hadevi-
IDENTIFY been deck hands OF fremen
in steamers before. they took posses
sion Of the wheel and engine-room
and steered and worked |
the ship till their comrades had |
been through all the baggage.
Meanwhile the saloon party were |
firing pistols and throwing stink
pets down the saloon skylight, but
the passengers retreated to their
cabins and no one was hit. The |
leader now called, in "pidgin Eng
lish," to the captain saying that |
they meant to rob all the passen-
gers and promised be should not
be hurt if he would go on deck and
with them. He went up
and was shot through the breast
before he reached the deck, but |
to stagger to the, sofa in
his own cabin. They now sent
down the second officer under a
guard to tell the saloon passengers
to come on deck and they should |
not be hurt. They went up and |
were hustled into the little cabin |
where the captain lay dying, the
door shut and nailed up and an
armed guard placed over them.
The second officer was taken with
pistols at his head to the treasure
room and commanded to open it,
which he did with aIacrity,-much
to the pirates disgust it was empty.
One of the engineers was shot in
the arm while at lunch, he got
away to the engine room, and the
pirates by threats and promises
kept the fires and engines attended
to. Four other men were shot in |
mere wantonness but not fatally. |
In the course of the afternoon the |