San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-11-24
A COLD FLOODED TRIO WHO
DESERVE THE HALTER.
HUsTLING FOR THE SHOES OF,
RETIRED BROADER
GENERAL.
Orators are in Demand-Harvard
Wheelmen - Brooklyn Arts and
Sciences-Yale and Harvard Gun
ners-New York Design Acadamy
The College Society.
Should Have Been Hangman's Day.

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. Alt is
doubtful if the three notorious mu-
tineer murderers, Thomas st. Clair,
Herman Sparf and Hans Hansen,
will be hanged today, in accordance
with the sentence, as further APP
peals are pending. The story of
the crime is, however, an interest
ing and thrilling one, their victim
having been an officer on the ship
Hcsper, named Morris Fitzgerald.
The crime was committed in the
South Pacific last January during
voyage from Newcastle, Aus
tralia, to Honolulu, and it was
peculiarly cold-blOOded one. The
conviction of the men was brought
about principally through the evil
dence of a fellOw-seaman, and
statements giving the most graphic
accounts Of how the unfortunate
officer was killed were made to
both Captain Lodergren and to
the United States Consul
at Papeete, Tahiti. The princi-
pal actor in the bloody tragedy
was Thomas st. Clair. Herman
Sparf and Hans Hanson were
proved to be his accessories. BY
agreement between them, accord
ing to the evidence and state
ments, the victim was brought
forward on that fateful night for
him on a preteXt that there was
something wrong with the ships
canvas or rigging. Hanson hav-
ing loOsened one of the sails to
make it flop in the breeze, st.
Clair imbeddel at Ratchet into
his brain and Sparf struck him
with bludgeOn. The unfortunate
mans head 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 possession of the ship and her
supposed treasure Of about $4,000
and to turn her into pirate. Capt.
Sodergren and First Mate Lucas
were also doomed, but Sparf and
Hanson, particularly Hanson, were
said to have weakened. The muir
derers were put in irons, and dur
ing the time it took to get to Ia
hiti the remaining officers Of the
ship were in dread, and Mrs. Solder
gren, the captains wife, kept watch
with handy revolver when her
husband was sleeping off duty for
fear of another attempt at whole
sale slaughter.
st. Clair was first tried, and after
ward Sparf and Hanson were tried
Jointly. 1t was urged on behalf of
Hanson that he did not know there
was going to be murder, and sim
DIV entered into the conspiracy
suppOsing that the second mate
was to receive only severe thrash
ing for a fancied grievance. The
jury could not bring in any other
verdict than guilty, However, ac-
cOrding to the evidence and under
the instructions of United States
Circuit Judge MCkenna.
AS the United States laws do not
make the same distinctions be-
tween murder, manslaughter, hom-
icide, etc, there is but one penalty
for murder upon the high seas, that
Of death, and considering the fact
some of the jurors agreed to the
verdict with great reluctance.
The three men have all been
sentenced to be hanged, but their
attorneys, Messrs, Smith and
Kierce, took appeals which effect
ualIy delayed their execution for
some time. st. Clair was to have
been hanged last month, and the
date fixed for Sparf and Hanson
was today. 1t will probably be sew
eral months before the appeals are
heard by the United States SUI
preme Court.