The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-24
in THE SOUTH SEAS
A MutinOuS Crews Awful Deeds on a
Trading Vessel Last November.
THE CAPTAIN WAS MURDERED
His Head Nearly Cut orr While In
Bed-Others KlIled-The wife
and Child Rescued-Pitched
Battle on Board.

San Francisco. Jan. GA trading
firm in this city has received advices
from the English consul on the island
of Yapa, one of the Pelew group In the
South Seas. regarding one OF the most
atrocious sea tragedies that has been
reported for months. on Nov. 10. the
crew OF the American trading vessel
Maria. mutinied. IL Is said. and muir
dered Captain Brown. Mate Holman.
and a passenger. The captains wife
and their son were nearly killed by
blows from an axe. The tragedy was
reported from Singapore on Nov. 90
but II was enormously stated that the
mutiny took place on the Spanish ship
Maria 'Securda. The Maria Is an Am
erican ship flying the Spanish ensign.
The mutiny occurred of the Andrew
islands. Captain Brown retired at 10
o'clock at night. leaving the boatswain,
named Hover. on deck to stand watch.
Mate Holman had already turned in.
The boatswain stole quietly forward
and gave word TO the crew that the
time had come 10 act. lie secured
sharp Ratchet. and stealing below to
the shippers cabin he struck at Cap
tain Brown with the weapon nearly
cutting the sleeping mans head from
his body. Brown turned on his side
and gave a dying groan. which awak-
ened his wife Mrs. Brown raised on
her elbow and shrieked for help. Mate
Holman heard her cries and sprang
from his berth TO go to the rescue of
the woman.
Hover had stationed a Pelew boy be-
hind the door to the mates cabin. The
lad was armed with an axe. and when
Hohlmann made his appearance on his
way TO the captains room the boy dealt
him a terrific blow on the head. killing
him instantly.
The passenger was Gagged below. but
all the firearms were removed from
the cabin and he could not find any
thing with which TO defend himself.
The mutineers were afraid TO attack
him In the saloon, so they called TO him
to come on deck. saying that his life
would be spared. lie came on deck as
directed and was struck at by one OF
the sailors. He ran TO the rail. bleed
ing from a cut on his shoulder and
jumped into the sea.
The mutineers then took the corpses
OF Captain Brown and his mate. made
them fast to an anchor and pitched the
weight into the sea. The schooner was
headed for Andrew island and Mrs.
Brown and her boy were kept close
prisoners, Il being the Intention OF the
mutineers to put them ashore on an
ISOLATED coral reef near Andrew.
Before tine island was reached the
Chinese cooks. native sailors and the
boatswain got TO lighting among them
selves and knives were drawn. Two
halfbreeds were killed Instantly and
another died OF wounds received. All
the mutineers were more or lees wound
ed. The provisions gave out. and when
cruising off Andrew island the schoon-
er was manned solely by the boat
swain. two Chinese and a halfbreed
The vessel was stecred into port and
the king OF the island gave the murder
ers food enough 70 last several weeks.
Before the vessel sailed again. howev-
er. the king became suspicious. boarded
the craft. rescued Mrs. Brown and her
boy. the former more dead than alive
and took the mutineers prisoners.
The Spanish gunboat Valasco put in
at Andrew island and took the murder
ers TO Manila for trial. Brown
and the boy were taken to Yapa by
O'keefc's schooner.