The record-union., 1894-06-20
Story Told by the Captain Of the
British Bark Invernie.
HINTS THAT HIS WIFE WAS MUIR
DERED BY A DOCTOR.
Claims That He Was Drugged and
Several Times Imprisoned by the
First Mate and Other Members of
the Crew-The Bark and Crew and
Passengers in the Custody of the
Special to the REcoRD-UNIoN.

Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
SAN FRANCISCO, June 19.-The British
bark Invernie, Captain Willox, arrived
to-day. sixty-four days from Newcastle,
New South Wales, with most remarka-
bic story of mutiny and crime. Just be-
ing himself DR.. Armitage applied for
passage for himself and wife to San Fran
cisco. Captain Willox gladly took them
on board, as his own wife needed the s9rv-
ices of physician.
About two weeks ago. at sea, Mrs. Will
lox gave birth. to a child, and Armitage
officiated as surgeon. He used the in
struments in such manner that the child
died, and the Captain, seeing that he was
unskilled as a physician, ordered him
away from his wife.
Armitage appealed to the mate and crew,
telling them that the Captain was killing
his wife. The crew, led by the mate,
mutinied, and the Captain, after being
drugged, was locked up. He managed
to get out just in time to see his wife die.
Several times he was imprisoned by the
crew, but he managed to break out.
Armitage's real name is Eustace Alex
ander. He deserted his wife and baby in
Sydney and fed to Newcastle with an
other woman, where he joined the Inver-
ME.
The bark and crew and passengers are
now in custody of the Port Warden.
Captain Willox tells the following story
of the troubles on board his ship: while
the ship was lying at Newcastle, New
Zealand, my wife suggested to me that
she come to San Francisco on the Mari
posa, and l could join her on my arrival.
l accordingly wrote to my brother in Ia
coma. and he was to come to meet her.
Before sailing, however, Armitage came
to me with letter of introduction from
the agents of the ship, and l agreed to
take him and his wife, whom he de-
scribed as a trained nurse After we
had been out few weeks L found that
the First Mate spent all the time he was
on watch talking to Mrs. Armitage;' and
when he was off watch she spent the
most of her time in his cabin. While
this was going on, 'Dr. Armitage,' would
be asleep on the deck. I wrote to the
mate, telling him that when he was off
watch he could do as he pleased, but that
when he was on duty he aEasf attend to
his work and do what he was paid for
Then the trouble began. The mate and
Armitage got the crew to side with them,
and the only men | could depend on
were the Second Mate aud the carpenter.
Things got so that had to put some of
the men in irons.
Things were in this uncomfortable
state when my wife was taken sick on
Friday, the Sth instant. She was not very
bad, but grew worse up to Saturday after
noon. On Sunday morning / sent for
Armitage, against the wishes of my wife.
II Q came and said he would have to oper-
ate on her. When l saw him handle the
instruments / knew he was no doctor,
and told him so. Then he began to
butcher her, and finally he gave it up
and said there was no hope. I was al
most fainting, SO one of them gave me
small glass of brandy. Whether it was
drugged or not / do not know, but do
know that after drinking it was raw
ing lunatic.
when l came to myself I was in
irons and locked up in the forecastle.
This was on Monday the 11th inst. In
the afternoon they brought the body of
the dead baby to the door, and held it up
at the grating for me to look at. A few
hours later they dropped it overheard.
All this time my wife was dying, and
they would not let me out. With the aid
of the carpenter l managed to breaE Jail,
and made rush for the cabin where nv
wife lay. They jumped on me, and, actiug
on the mates orders, l was put inla straight
jacket. | worked out of the straight
jacket, and, with the aid of the second
caught me and the mate jumped on me,
and again / was ironed. On the morning
of last Saturday they came to me and said
that if would forgive them, and promise
to make no report against them, they
would let me out. / agreed. and at 10
A. NJ. they set me at liberty. I at once
went to my poor wife. What they had
done to her while I was away l don't
know, but when | reached her she was
unconscious. At $50 Saturday night she
died. The men have got up all sorts OF
stories, but will tell the plain and un-
vanished truth"
The sailors, headed by the first mate,
have drawn up a series ofcharges against
the Captain, which they say they will lay
before the British Consul. They say that
he drank to excess during the voyage,
and abused them on various occasions.
Second Mate Jones is equally positive,
however, that there is not one word of
truth in the charges.
The Coroner held an autopsy on the re-
mains of Mrs. Wiilox, and ascertained
that death was caused by peritonitis. A.
further examination will be made to find
if criminal operation had been per-
forrpa6