Daily Kennebec journal., 1896-07-23
Examination Of Alleged Muir.
derers Will Occur Today.
Monck, the Passenger, Tells What
He Knows Of the Tragedy.
Suspicious Directed Towards Mate-Excite
ment at HalIfax-Further Particulars.

| the news of a triple murder on tn,
| barkentine Herbert Fuller on the ar
rival of the bodies of the three victim.
| and the arrest of all on board the yes
| sci, has in no wise abated. The street!
around the police station where thos,
| in custody are held here, today, are
| crowded with people. The remains o.
Captain Nash and wife have beer
sealed up and await the arrival of the
dead captains brother.
| At II. the hour at which the magis-
trate's investigation of the tragedy was
to commence, it was announced thai
Medical Examiner Finn's report on tht
post mortem examination was not
ready and that the inquiry would not
| be proceeded WITH today.
The story that Leslie Monck the pas
substantially: When Mrs. Nash
| screams awoke Monck he realized that
| something was wrong and put on his
clothes. Then he loaded the revolver
and went out in the companionWay
He did not see any person as he emerged
| from his room. He took n look into
| the chartroom and saw the captain ly-
ing on the floor also observed blood.
He thought that some mishap had be
fallen the captain ana went forward to
call the captains wife to come to the
assistance of her husband.
ON reaching the room q horrible and
sickenng sight met his gaze. A horri-
bly, mutalated body of the captain S
wife lay on the floor. 1t then dawned
on Monck what had happened to the
captain and he hastily proceeded to the
second mates room to find that he had
been murdered. Monck trembled with
fear as he did not know what to do,
or how many of the crew We're impli-
Gated in the tragedy. At first he
started aft and was about TO go on
deck. He thought the murderer of muir
derers might be waiting for him to
come up and kill him. He retracted
his footsteps and Went up the forward
companionway. No sooner had he
placed his head above than a billet of
wood was hurled at him by Mate Bran.
Mcnck levelled his revolver at the mate
and the latter begged him not to shoot.
Monck was suspicious of the mate, but
did not say anything to him.
The crew We're aroused and they We're
Mortified at what had taken place AT
ter consultation Wheelman Brown was
placed in irons and the mate assumed
command of the vessel. Suspicion
rested very much upon the mate.
Monck says he and Chas. Spencer the
colored steward talked the matter over
afterwards and they proceeded to look
for the captains revolver which up to
that time could not be found. They
searched the chartroom, and it was not
there. They looked in the captains
room. in which Monck had been sleep
ing and it was found underneath the
mattress. 1t was loaded when they
found it and Spencer took it to protect
himself against any further outbreaks,
as Monck had his own revolver
Monck and Spencer seemed to gain
in each others confidence and they
worked together. Spencer who is evi-
IDENTIFY very shrewd man. took in the
situation minutely and kept close watch
on all that was going on. Spencer was
very suspicion of the mate and fire.
quently told Monck of it. Monck says
the mate was very cool all through the
whole affair. Bran suggested that the
bodies be thrown overheard and the
cabin and rooms cleaned up. This
being done.
After the bodies had been removed
from the rooms. Monck locked the
doors. took the keys and kept them
himself. The mate, Monck says never
touched the bodies. The others helped
fix them up and put them in the small
boat. During the morning after the
murder, Spencer and Mate Bram had
conversation in course of which Bran
asked him if a certain washing powder
was good to wash clothing with. Spen- |
Ger said it was as his wife used it at
home. Later on, Spencer watched Bran |
and saw him get a shirt, that he wore |
on the night of the murder. and put it |
in bucket of water and throw a large |
quantity of this washing powder on top
of it. Spencer became more suspicious.
No steps We're taken at that time,
but the same close watch was kept on
the mate. The mate had full charge
Of ship all this time and was navigat-
ing her himself Monck and Spencer
lid not think he was steering her for
he nearest port. Monck consulted the
chart and found the mate was taking
The vessel off her course and heading
n another direction altogether.
Monck and Spencer came to the con-
'lusion that they would have to place
he mate in irons. Spencer first seized
Bran. while MOnck stood over him with
| loaded revolver. The mate did not
'esist All hands were ordered on deck
md remained there all the time. as it
vas feared that some of them were in
eague with Mate Bran.
Monck consulted the chart again and
ound the nearest port to be Bermuda,
)ut as the wind was not favorable for
falling in that direction the port of St
Johns or Halifax would have to be ,
made for. and it was decided to head
or Halifax. Bran, when searched, af-
er being put in irons, had an old rusty '
evolver. 1t was taken from him and !,
brown overheard
The mate is the only one Of the crew
Who keeps his mouth closed, and when
Questioned regarding the affair pleads
hat he knows nothing concerning the
ragedy. Last night, all the prisoners
lept well at the station house. particu- !
arly Monck and Spencer, who were