The herald., 1896-01-24
Mutiny and Murder Aboard the
Schooner Maria
OFFICERS AND PASSENGERS
Are Killed and Thrown Overheard by
the Mutineers
QuarreIing Followed by Fighting and Death
Among the SaiIors-The Captains
Wife and Son Rescued

Associated Press Special Wire.
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. ga trading firm
in this city has received advices from the
English consul on the island of Yap, one
of the Pelew group. in the South Seas, re-
garding one of the most atrocious sea trag-
edies that has been reported for months.
On November 10th the crew of the Amer
lean trading vessel Maria mutinied, it is
said, and murdered Captain Brown. Mate
Hohlmann and passenger. The captains
wife and their son were nearly killed by
blows from an AK. The tragedy was re-
ported from Singapore on November Goth,
but it was enormously stated that the mu-
tiny took place on the Spanish ship Maria
Secunda. The Maria is an American ship
flying the Spanish ensign.
The mutiny occurred off tn, Andrew
Islands. Captain Brown retired at 10
o'clock at night. leaving the boatswain, a
watch. Mate Hohlmann had already
turned in.
The boatswain stole quietly forward and
gave word to the crew that the time had
come to act. He secured a Ratchet from
the cooks galley fuel box and, stealing be-
low to the skipper's cabin, he struck at
Captain Brown with the weapon nearly
Brown turned on his side and gave
dying groan, which awakened his wife:
Mrs. Brown raised on her elbow and
shrieked for help. Mate Hohlmann heard
her cries and sprang from his berth to 60
to the rescue of the woman. Hover had
stationed Pelew boy behind the door to
the mates cabin. The lad was armed
with an ak, and when Hohlmann made his
appearance on his way to the captains
room the boy dealt him 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 anything 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. He came on deck
as directed and was struck at by one of the
sailors. He ran to the rail, bleeding 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 ,sand Mrs. Brown and her
boy were kept close prisoners, it being the
intention of the mutineers to put them
ashore on an isolated coral reef near An
drew island.
Before the island was reached the Chi
swain got to fighting among themselves
and knives were drawn. Two half-breeds
were killed instantly and another died of
wounds received. All the mutineers we're
more or less wounded.
The provisions gave out, and when cruis-
ing off Andrew island the schooner was
manned solely bv the boatswain, two Chi
nese and a half-preed. The vessel was
steered into port and the king of the islands
gave the murderers food enough to last
them several weeks. Before the vessel
sailed again, however, the king became
suspicious. boarded the craft, rescued Mrs.
Brown and her boy, the former more dead
than alive, and took the mutineers pris-
oners.
The Spanish gunboat Valasco put in at
Andrew and took the murderers to Manila
for trial. Mrs. Brown and the boy were
taken to Yap by O'keefe's schooner. They
are now at the millionaire traders station
awaiting news from the Velasco.