Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-08-14
KILLED On THE SEA
Horrible autcheries by Two
Brothers
WHO STEAL AN OCEAN BRIG
And Saii Away to Murder the Captain
and Grew for Plundsr-
Hsartless Cruelty.

0AS = - <@>>~p <@s9> So 49, -
tails were received yesterday by the
brig Galilss. from Tahiti. Of the foulest
case Of murder and piracy known in
the south seas for years. The story in
its wanton hatchery recalls that ter
ribls chapter in Robert Louis Steven
sons novel. "The wrecker." in which
the crew of the Flying Bird Was slaugh-
tered at Midway islaiad.
The old California schooner Dolly j..
which served for years a. q pleasure
yacht for King Pomare of Tahiti, was
recently sold at the kings death aud
christsned the Niuloay. She WAS fitted
out by merchants of Papeiti for .
cruise among the South Sea islands.
The vessel WAS loaded with goods for
trade and, besides, there was 5000 on
board. wherewith 70 buy copra and
pearl shell. Captain Castella was IN
command. The mate WAS . man
named Roedique, the supercargo was
Willie Gibson. the cook ksnakH from
the island of Mola and the remaining
four Of the crew were Kanakas.
The Boat Disappears.
The captain was not well known In
Tahiti, but everybody knew ROedique.
h il man OF splendid attsinments
and can speak English. French, Ger
man and all dialects OF the south seas.
He has brother who has been trader
IN the Klngswell group. Both men are
exact counterparts of Case, the villain
in Stevenson's ION the Beach at
Falesa."
Several islands were touched at and
on all of them the three men had .
good time. Money Was no object ana
they had the best of everything. They
returned to the Kingswell group and
while on drunken debauch the BROTH
ers and Molal had . quarrel.
Told His Tale.
Molai, after being refused money,
went ON board q Spanish wan-of-waf
in the harb0r, told his tale aud before
long the two brothers were in irons and
crew from the mau-of-wsr were IN
charge. Ou board were found s.. 900 In
cash, sixty tons of copra and ono ton
of pearl shell, 30 the men must have
spent 5000 In about three weeks.
When the Galilee left Tahiti the
schooner was ON her way to Papeiti
and the next vessel that gets in from
there will t.ll the fate OF the brothers.
On the night before the vessel Was to
sail from Papeiti she disappeared. The
owners wero worried aud sent out .
gun bat, but the search was fruitless.
Finally they learned she was trading
In the PermOto group. From Permoto
the schooner went to the Kingswell
group and there Roedique's brother
was taken ON board as Z passenger.
Then the deviltry began.
Poison In the Food.
The brothers determined to seize the
ship. cargo and S. 200 in treasure; and
| in order to do 30 got M0lai,th cook, to
( help them. As they were nearing the
Marshall group the cook put poslOn In
the food Of the four men, and they
died in terrible agony. The R0edique
brothers stood over them, watched tne
death struggles of the four poor devils
and chuckied because there was no
| Outcrv.
Molai hid himself in the galley and
the brothers proceeded to finish thu
job. Captain Castella and SupercargC
Gibson were sitting in the cabin eating
their dinner. Mate Roedique entered
the room. his brother following. Thu
| mate walked up 10 the captain ana III
brother to the supercargo.
Shot Them Both.
Like clockwork two pistols were
drawn, two shots sounded like one ant
the brains of the captain and super
cargo mingled on the dinner table.
The mess WAS cleared away and tn
brothers ate dinner while the cool
steered the ship. After dinner thu
six bodies were thrown overheard and
the Roediques seemed to enjoy watch
ing the sharks making their dinner of
tho dead men.
The Rodique brothers, it is sscer
tanned are escaped c0nvicts from tn
French penal colony of New Caledonia
They gained their liberty 1T Noume
about two years ago and reached
Australia in . small boat. From
Aussralia they went to Cape Colony
then to the Sandwich islands and hnaI
ly TO TAHITI. They are men of fin
education, but hardened desperadoei
who have probably committed othe
crimes than this Wholesale butcher,
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