Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1893-12-01
The STORY OF A CRIME
Three Notorious MurdererS Trying 10
Save Their NeCkS.
AT WHOLESALE SLAUGHTER
MutInOus Sailors Commit Murder on The
High Seas 10 Get Possession oil
aShlp and her Cargo.

SAN Francisco, Nov. 24.-It is doubt
full # the three notorious mutineer muir
derers. Thomas st. Clair, Herman Sparf
and Hans Hansen, will be hanged today,
in accordance with the sentence, as fur
Their appeals are pending. The story OF
the crime is, however an interesting and
thrilling one, their victim having been
an officer OF the ship Keeper named Nor
ris Fitzgerald.
The crime was committed in the South
Pacific last January during voyage IRON
Newcastle, Australia, to Honolulu, and
it was peculiarly cold-blooded one.
The conviction of the men WAS brought
about principally through the evidence
OF fellow-seaman, and statements CIV
ing the most graphic accounts OF how
the unfortunate officer was killed were
made to both Captain Lodergren and to
the United States consul at Papecte, la
hiti The principal actor in the bloody
tragedy was Thomas st. Clair. Herman
Sparf and Hans Hansen proved to be HE
accessories. BY agreement between
them, according to the evidence and
statements, the victim was brought for
ward on that fatefnl night for him on a
pretext that there was something wrong
with the ship'e canvas or rigging, HAN
son having loosened one OF the sails to
make il flop in the breeze. st. Clair i'm.
bedded Ratchet into his brain and
Spraf struck him with a bludgeon. The
unfortunate mans bead and the upper
part of his body were literally hacked
and dubbed to a pulp and then he was
thrown overheard.
The object OF the crime was to get pos
session OF the ship and her supposed
treasure OF about $l4, 600 and to turn hei
into a pirate. Captain Lodergren and
| First Mate Lucas wore also doomed, but
Sarf and Hanson, particularly Hanson
were said to have weakened. The muir
derers were put in irons, and, during the
time it took to get to Tahiti, the remain
ing officers of the ship were in dread
and MIS-. Lodergren, the captains wife
kept watch with handy revolver wher
her husband was sleeping oit-duty To-
fear of another attempt at wholesale
slaughter.
st. Clair was first tried, and afterwart
Sparf and Hanson were tried jointly. |
was urged on behalf of Hanson that h
did not know there was going to be
murder, and simply entered into the con
spirscy supposing that the second mat
was to receive only severe thrashin
Tor fancled grievance. Inc jury coul
not bring in any other verdict thai
guilty, however, according to the evi
dence and under the instructions c
United States Circuit Judge McKenna.
As the United States laws do not max
the same distinctions between murder
manslaughter, homicide, etc, there
but one penalty for murder upon tn
high seas, that OF death, and considerin
,, that fact some of the jurors agreed to tn
verdict with great reluctance.
The three men have all been sentence
to be hanged, but their attorney
> Messrs. Smith and Kierce, took appeal
/ which efiectually delayed their executio
for some time. st. Clair was to hay
= been hanged last mouth, and the da
| fixed for Sparf and Hanson was toda,
1t will probably be several months b
fore the appeals are heard by the Unite
States auDreme court.