The sun., 1895-01-06
ROUSED THE MEEK OLAF.
FOURTEEN KNIFE CUTS IN ABLE
SEAMAN BURkE,s BoDY.

Two Are Deep npd Dangerous -Burke nnd
Buiiied the Forecn-tie All the way
rrom Yokohama Got Drunk Mis first
Night Ashore and Provoked = Little
swede Into Retaliation with n Knire.
Bill Burke was looking for fight all the way
from Yokohama. Bill Is a big fellow, o feet in
his stocking feet, and very ugly when he gets
started. Most OF his life he has spent on the sea
and that hasn't improved his temper Bill Is
particularly ugly when he gets q chance to
drink. ....
The last ship Bill Burke was on dropped him
at Yokohama. When the Kambira came along
short Of men he got job. At the time he was
hired he had his temper concealed in such
fashion that the Captain who hired him did not
see IT, The Ksmbira hadn't been out from Yo-
kohama more than day when Bill displayed
his temper to some Of the men and to the mate.
The mate had travelled the sea all his life and
knew something about tempers
He took Delaying pin to this one. and he was
Just on the point OF using II when Bill Burke
put his temper away temporarily. After this
when he showed his temper It was only to the
seamen. He was such q big fellow that none of
them cared to tackle him. The result was that he
lorded 1t over the forecastle. He got the best of
the mess and II his own bunk for any reason
didn't suit him he got up and yanked somebody
out and took another
There was one man among the crew to whom
Burke took n particular dislike. He was Olaf
Larsen. n little Swede, not much more than Ave
feet tall Olaf was as hard as nails, hut he
couldn't stand up against such big fellow as
Bill Burke. and he knew it, Olaf had no temper.
At least nobody had ever seen 1t, and all his
mates liked him. That may have been the rea-
SON Rili Rurke didn't like him any ratn
anybody was ever hit by flying plate 1t was
Olaf. Nine times out of ten 1t was the bunk
Olaf was in that Bill Burke wanted. and 1t was
Olaf who was yanked out in the cold. Olaf pro-
tested less than the others.
Burke's temper kept getting worse the longer
the ship was out, and dozen times before the
Hook was sighted the Captain and the officers
seriously considered chaining him up for time.
But the Kambra is big ship. and it takes a
good many men to handle her. An able seaman
could hardly be spared. and that fact alone
saved Bill from the chains. He knew about the
talk. and he was sullen and uelier than ever.
lie even yanked Olaf out OF bed twice in one
night. and he drank Olafs share Of the grog as
we'll
The Kambira rounded Sandy Hook on Friday
afternoon and was towed up to Pier 81, East
River. 1t was the first chance for a day on land
that the men had had for months. and In the
evening they all went ashore except Olaf Larsen,
and anot her Larsen who is bigger than Olaf.
The two Larsens were left on watch. Olaf taking
the early part Of the evening Olaf crawled
into his bunk about midnight, and some time
after this Bill Burke came back to the ship. He
was pretty drunk He swung along to the fore
castle and clambe down. BY the dim light
of the smoky oil lamp he saw Olaf Larsen in his
bunk.
With whoop he yanked Olaf out and tossed
him on deck. Olaf was hardly awake. Burke
started up after him. swearing he'd break every
bone in his body. Olaf was just getting up from
rushed at him. swinging his mighty arms. Olaf
went down before him like shot. Then Burke
Jumped on him He stood q the body
pleaded. not for mercy, but for fair show to
defend himself At last he managed to crawl
from under his assalant and stagger TO his feet.
but Burke WAS on him again and bore him down,
beating him with his fists.
The temper that Olaf had and that nobody
had ever seen before showed itself then. He
became n little fury, striking, kick ing. biting,
yelling with rage. At last he succeeded In toss
castle. When he came back he carried II short,
sharp knife. Burke was about to renew the at
knife, upifted, was plunged into his tormentor's
breast and and as quickly withdrawn: with, Burke stag,
tSe eHm vas B e az
again. and the blade was buried in Bill Burkes
body near the hip. Then Burke cried out but
He riung to the big fellow. the hand with the
knife going up and down. cutting a cash each
Is many wounds 1t eoversd SS 6af It p spnshed he'd
the deck and rails. To Olaf It was exhilarating.
Saef ss he hs 5 sI
leaped upon him, cutting and slashing wildly.
-, At this moment three others OF he crew of
the Kambira clambercd over the rail. and two
policemen who had heard the cries in the street
came after them. They rushed at Olaf and held
ment and then the passion left him He cried
like child He told in broken tones the story
of the fight up to the time he had first cut
Burke. What ne had done after that he did not
remember.
An ambulance came ana took Burke to thu
Gouyerneur Hospital. The policemen took
Olaf to the Madison street station. The
doctors at the hospital found fourteen wounds
on Bill Burkes body. There had been
many more slashes but they did not go
further than the clothing, which WAS cut into
strips. The first two wounds. the one in the
breast and the one over the hip. were the most Sc
rious The doctors said that either might cause
death. The other twelve were slashes, and
reached no vital part.
Olaf was arraigned in the Tombs Court. His
eyes were red, and he was all of a tremble. The
policemen told how serious were Bill Burke's
wounds, and Justice Burke said he wOnld have
to hou Olaf to await the result of his assailants
injuries. The Others Larsen and q sailor named
Tay lor were also held rs witnesses.