The morning call., 1893-04-03
A SOUTHERN CRIME
The Story May End in
San Francisco.
MURDER OF c. V. KINGSLEY.
He and His Murderer Famous in the
Chilean War-A Tragedy of
COcoS Island.

a letter received last Thursday via the
San Jose from Panama to d. Parker, an
employe Of the wharf company at Amapala,
Honduras, tells of the unfortunate ending
OF the life OF Charles Vance Kingsley, a
south American newspaper man, at one
time special writer on Ell Mercurio. the
official organ of ex-President Balmaceda Of
Chile, published at Valparaiso.
Young Kingsley, Pedro Pedrado of CAL
lao PERU. George p Osmenson, an ex-
Southern Pacific Railroad engineer in the
employ of the Arizona division of the COM
pany, and Willard Purie, an agent for the
Guayaqull copper mines, started in Decem-
Der from port in Peru for Cocos Island
ostensibly for the purpose Of digging for
the supposed treasure hidden there, but
more probably for a pleasure trip.
Pedrado and Kingsley Quarrcled during
the whole tIip. but the cause OF their dis
putes is not definitely known.
On The night Of January % Kingsley
struck the Peruvian with an oar, which in
suit Pedrado did not resent at the time. but
! sulked below and awaited his opportunity
to get even. 1t came on the night OF the
| 80.
The four men navigated their vessel
| themselves /; 1t was small schOoner-rigged
barge OF about twelve tons burden.
| Osmenson and PuriS were below decks
asleep while PedradO and young Kingsley
! were on watch above.
Kingsley was at the helm and had turned
| to look astern. The Peruvian watched his
! chance and sprang upon his transporting
victim, stabblng him twice in the back.
| Kingsley fell forward on his face and did
not utter sound beyond groan. The
murderer lifted his body over the stern rail,
| cast it overheard and calmly took the wheel
! till morning.
| When Osmenson and Purie came on deck
| he co0lly admitted the crime, declared that
! he and Kingsley had disagreed and that he
had killed the young man in self-defense.
The schooner was Immediately put about
and headed for Guayaquil.
Pedrado was watched day and night at
| the point of revolver. When nearing
| Guayaquil barge approached the sloop and
Padrado was put aboard in charge of GU S.
| toms official. This official permitted the
wretch to escape, but authorities on shore
subsequently put forth every effort to re-
capture the man. a reward was offered for
his head and the untrustwOrthy official
VINO assisted him was thrown into prison.
AT Panama details Of the crime were very
meager. However, this much is known of
the murderer, That he was the same Pc
dradO who during the Chilean revolution
brought boatlOad of cartridges from Cal
lao to the insurgents at Pisagua right under
the nose OF the cruiser Maglelanes The
full account of his hazardous trip was writ
ten up In the New York and San Francisco
papers at the time. The man was we'll
known to all the customs officials at Guaya-
quill, and the officer that permitted him to
get away was one of the men who was with
him in the Psagua affair.
Kingsley Is an Englshman and well
known In South America as writer. 1t
was be and Max LOwenstein, the famous
writer of procamatioEs for Bamaceda, who
cOnStltutRd the press censorship bureau for
the DietetOr's Government. With Kingsley
originated the story Of the famous naval
battle of ChamaTal, which took in the
Worlds correspondent and foated one Of
the biggest fake stories of the Chiian re-
belOn. His people reside in Liverpool,
England, ana are very wealthy it is said.
Padrad0 evidently left Guayaquil on the
German hOsuioS line tramp steamer En-
pire and is heading for the United States
A reward OF goo is offered for his cap
ture. The case is in the hands of a we'll
known local detective. who does not care to
speak OF the matter except that he has in
formation that the murderer is coming this
way.
Cocos Island and its supposed treasures
have been matter OF history for the past
fifty years 1t was only a few months ago
that party Of young men Of Stockton left
this city In a small slOop to seek the mil
lions which are supposed 10 be buried
there.
Many stories are extant concerning how
the wealth was hidden on the island, the
original version being that about sixty years
ago Spanish pirate seized an English vessel
carrying rich treasure. killed all on board
except the British captains little girl and
boy, scuttled the prize and sailed for Cocos
Island.
On the north side of the island is a small
bay, and on the margin of this harbor is
supposed to be buried the gold, TO the value
of 100000 Years passed, and the chill
dren grew up to manhood and wOmanhood.
The pirate captain released them, thinking
perhaps time had effaced the memory of
their awful capture.
But no. the black rocks Of Cocos were
photographed upon the boys mind and he
readily Identified them when taken there by
searchers twenty years after his adventure.
Many have been the expeditions fitted ont
10 find the hidden wealth. Every one has
met with signal failure, usually attended
with disaster.
Young KingslsY's sad death adds another
CHAPTER OF romance 10 the already YOum-
inOus history OF COcos Island