New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-26
TRAGEDIES OF THE SEA.
HISTORIES RECALLED BY
THE HERBERT FULLER MURDERS.

HORRIBLE CRIMES COMMITTED ON THE GOOD
SHIPS WILLIAM HALEs ANNIE NJ. sMuLL.
FREEMAN CLARK. FRANK L. THAYER.
THE MARINER AND OTHERS
Once more the ocean has furnished one OF those
absorbing and thrilling tales which cause lands
TO shudder and make mothers. wives ana
sweethearts more than anxious for the safety
OF those afoat The little American barkentine
Herbert Fuller. creeping into the harbor Of Halifax
Tuesday morning last with her boat towed by n
line at the stern conveying the bodies of her cap
tain and his wife and the second Of the vessel
added another chapter to the grewsome record OF
death which Is familiar to those whose business
connects them with the sea or takes them out on
the bosom OF the waters. The mystery Of the whole
affair only adds to its terrible nature and whether
that mystery is ever unravelled not. there VIII
always be thrill Of horror when the picture OF the
little bark and her trailing boat comes before the
eve of the mind Sailors as a class. happy
go-lucky OF people, and it Is doubtful II the les
son conveyed in the story Of the Fuller Is Needed
by shipmasters any more than dozens or similar
stories have been But the lesson is there and to
the landsman II Is incomprehensibe that man
should take his wife with him on vessel. separated
from a gang OF men of whom they know nothing
by the short length OF q ships deck and often with
do Of the crew. and neglect even the ordinary pre-
cautions looking toward security while slumber has
them In its grasp On shore, doors ana WINDOWS
even In quiet country settlements where the most
danger is to be expected from an occasional prow-
ing tramp are barred and boted, and ngress to the
sleeping apartments Is rendered difficult to any per-
sons save those who make a business of entering
other peoples apartments On board ship all Is dill
ferent At one end Of the vessel is the crew. gen.
orally with some rough half vicious men, penned In
the forecastle when they are below, OF widely Ill
vergent ratonaliies their passions under no control
save that of fear and bound by the mutual interest
Of getting all they for the least return ana an
enduring. although often unfounded, dislike OF the
men who live aft At the stern Of the ship are the
officers and II the captain has his wife with MIN
there is an added element of danger in case the men
are inclined to take exceptions their food or their
treatment, just spelling for hght' ana are
only waiting for a chance TO get back at the men
whom they consider their natural enemies. Shouid
the men wish 10 take advantage OF the preponder-
ance Of numbers and make way with the oHcers
who are running the ship, there is little to hinder
them The doors leading to the main deck arc never
locked and in the night the officer in charge or the
deck Is generally on the quarter deck, unless his
presence Is required elsewhere, and the boy VINO
stands the door on the main deck 10 keep tap on
the time not often capable Of offering any forcioe
resistance to the sudden attack OF body or armed
men bent mischief.
THE TRAGEDY ON THE WILLIAM HALES,
The history Of the merchant marine or the united
States and England Is fecked with gore ana snip
after ship has added her quota to the slowly IN
creasing list OF tragedies Of the sea, without any
change being made In condition OF AFFAIRS which
practically invites attack. and leaves the means OF
defence to be seized at time when they are most
needed in a haphazard sort of way which seldom
serves to avert disaster. Less than four years ago
the cable brought the message that the American
bark William IIales had been the scene OF tragedy
which cost three lives while the vessel was on her
way from this city TO Cape Town. In this case
CAPTAIN Charles Buckley and his wife were MUIR
dered by the Chinese cook. who afterward jumped
overheard The captain had occasion to demonstrate
with the cook for his incompetency but nothing
serious occurred until August 49, 1892 when they had
a quarrel over the bungling way IN which the COOK
had drawn some water After this incident the COOK
appeared to be meditating revenge on the captain
and the mate finally warned the captain that ne
feared the Chinaman intended to do mischief cap
tain Buckley laughed at the mates warning, paid
no attention to the cook. and on the morning OF
August q the mate was Startled at nearing Mrs'
Buckley screaming for help lie rushed 10 the
cabin which the captain and his wife occupied to
give them assistance. and as he descended the COM
panonway the cook rushed on deck In their caoin
the mate found the mutated bodies OF Captain
b,cked their bodies into halves. The mate called
for the crew to help him in finding the murderer who
had hid after leaving tho cabin The search pro-
ceeded with caution, as the men had wholesome
fear of the weapon with which the COOK was armed
a long sharp knife He was found crouchng In a
corner but before the crew could put INTO execu-
ton their plan to seize him the Chinarnan Jumped
from, his hiding place and. with wild cry sprang
N the vessels rail and thence headlong into the
sea That was the last of the Chinaman. The pooies
of the captain and his wife were consigned 10 the
ocean and the Hales. after reaching cape Town
under command of Morrison, the mate, was brought
hack TO this port by Captain Gilkey, who was sent
out to Cape Town by her owners. and afterward
engaged in the peaceful occupation OF running De-
tween this port and Cuba.
THE ANNIE NJ sMULLs CHINESE COOK
Another Of the seas tragedies, this time also con-
nected with a vessel well known in New-York ma
rine circles, was the attempt OF the Chinese COOK
and steward OF the Annie NJ. Smull to murder cap
tain Howes and his wife. while the vessel was on her
way from Trapani to Boston, In March, 1892 The
,u, Cinnamon had shipped in New-York for the
voyage TO Marseilles Trapani and back, but before
the trYp was ended the steward had become insane
from the Of opium. and was put In irons ana
confined between decks after an attempt at suicide
Jntercesslon by the Chinese cook brought about his
release but after a few days OF sulkng he again
attempted to Kill himself and was again paced In
irons short time afterward he was again liber-
ated but a night later was found In the
mates room armed with Ratchet. while the officer
was asleep He had previously been in the captain s
cabin but on the wfc's awakening had gone out.
The captain then began have suspicious that a
conspiracy was on foot and armed himself with a
revolver forbdding the steward TO come :nto the
cabin again. and taking the boy aft to do the cabin
work The next day the mate came rushing into
the cabin with the information that tho steward had
turned his mur1erous TO the cook and was
killing his companion In the galley. The officers of
the ship and the watch deck made "A rush for the
galley broke in the door and found the men on the
door. and the steward. with knife and butcher :
axe busily engaged In cutting the cook into small
pieces The cook was rescued. ard after his wounds
were dressed told the officers OF the designs the
steward had on the lives Of Captain Howes and his
a.,d thnt hecalIsn he MOull enter INTO