The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-21
KIDNAPERS OF TARS.
Heavy Sentences for Men Who
Stole BawnmOre's Crew,
RENEWAL or Moous vIvENol.
bed News for the British Columbia
0ealers-Losses Of Cattle On Ranges
- the Upper Province.

NANArNo, Feb. 0.-(Special. AFTER .
lengthy trial. occupying three days of the
special asslze, the four members Of the
Coast Seamen's Union were found guilty
OF kidnapping the crew of the British
steamer Bawnmore. The attorney general
appeared for the prosecution in person
and fought hard for conviction. He
claimed the colonial secretary had given
him instructions to cable he full report Of
the case to London. The prisoners were
well defended by the ablest counsel in the
province. but the fact that they were
caught In the act of carrying Off the sea-
men could not be overcome. No money
was spared by the union in order to get
the men of, but without avail, for the jury
had no alternative but to return . verdict
OF guilty. Judge Crease this morning sem
fenced them ~ follows: McNally three
years, Robinson two years, Massey and
Poitine one year each.
THE story Of the kidnapping for which the
four men were convicted Is briefly a. follows:
The British steamer Bawnmore. seeking cargo,
arrived at Nanaimo from San Francisco on jan
uafy l6. 1892, with . non-union crew, and
locked At the Esplanade wharf. Eric Aarhuse,
A. Anderson, G. Fiore, A. 7. Grip and G. F.
Bragner comprised the crew. There was also
tav Joransen. the boatswain. With the excep-
ton OF the stowaway. the seamen and boatswain
had all signed articles in Europe for the round
voyage. On the nigh. of Wednesday, January
Is. the crew were asleep in the forecastle of the
Bawnmore. when, shortly before midnight,
they were rudely awakened BY the entrance
OF fourteen or fifteen strangers, who ordered
them to get up, pack up their things and
turn out OF the forecastle. In spite of their
denominations those who delayed were hauled
out BY the intruders. One man. Antoine L
Grip. had . revolver put TO his head BY . man
who has not as yet been apprehcnded. By dint
OF threats and rough handling the crew were
hustled on deck, where they found their assail-
ants to number between thirty and forty. The
boatswain tried to demonstrate, but was knocked
down by McNaily. who had at frat tried to bribe
the men with whisky. They were huddled into
q boat alongside the steamer, and having been
placed In another boat, were. with their captors,
taken over to Newcastle island at the dead of
midnight They were taken to . cabin belong
ing to . man named James Cody. Arrived ct
the cabin they were put up in the loft, and Rob-
inson was placed on guard, having first
received orders from one Of the despera-
does not yet arrssted that IL any of the
crew attempted 70 escape to shoot them
down. Robinson had . revolver for that pur-
pose. 1t had bsen the kidnapers' intention to
take them away, but not until the Bawnmore
ouOulO nave letk the men 70 De kept on the
island In the meantime. 1t was apparently not
deemed wise to keep them In the house. On
Thursday they were sent to the woods and there
guarded BY armed men, one of them being
Hanson. During their stay on the island they
were solicited to join the Seamen's Union.
Bragusr, one of the captves. consented to Join,
and he was taken over to the office of the union
and there Joined, being given copy of the by
lava The others were taken over later, but did
not join, the ONCE being locked. After this the
captives were again taken to Newcastle island,
and there they were put on board the sloop.
down In the hold and sail made for Seattle,
though 1t wss said that they were going to
Vancouver. On the sloop in command were
Massey, Robinson and Poltine. The police
were on the alert and they soon gained clue to
the whereabouts OF the crew of the Bawnmore.
The police went to Newcastle island, but no one
was there. They arrived after the sloop had
left: but they received information concerning
the sloop. The steamer Clutch was secured, the
sloop overhauled, the captives rescued and their
three captors caught The trial of the accused
men commenced on February II at Nanaimo
and was concluded on the 18th. After an alb
sence of three hours and a half the jury returned
q verdict OF guilty against McNaily, Poltne,
Massey and Robinson and acquitted Hansen.
The verdict was coupled with strong plea for
mercy. especially In the cases of Massey and
Poltine1