Daily Kennebec journal., 1896-12-18
MONK TESTIFIES.
The Herbert FuI|er's Passen-
ger Goes on the Stand.
He Gives Horrible Details Of Murder
and Voyage to Port.
Makes Good Impression and His Testimony Is
Damaging to Bran.

today, in the trial of Mate Thomas
Bran for the murder of Captain Nash
The witness was examined by United
States District Attorney Hoar and his
testimony was given with clearness and
intelligence and with just comprehen-
sion of its Importance. His demeanor
was modest and unassuming and evil
IDENTIFY made a deep impression on the
jury. He was slightly nervous during
the recital of the most tragic parts of
his story.
His testimony was continued this
morning With description OF the cabin
rooms and their location. Witness had
never seen the wheel lashed. Witness
proceeded to tell what occurred at the
time of the tragedy. He salu that on
July IS he retired at about 8 o'clock
leaving the two mates and the man at
the wheel on deck, Captain Nash and
his wife We're below. The captain was
reading in the chart room.
Last saw Mrs. Nash on deck just af-
ter supper walking with her husband
Bran stepped up and spoke to them.
Witness went to bed and was awakened
by a scream. He didn't pay much at
tention to it at first, but hearing a
gurglng sound coming from the cap
tain's room, he called, Captain Nash,
Captain NASH
Receiving no reply, witness partly
dressed and took from a drawer a box
of cartridges and loaded his revolver
Going out he went into the chart room
and saw the captains cot on its side
and he lying on the floor. Witness put
his hand on Captain Nash's shoulder
and said Captain Nash" He didn
answer but made a gurgling sound
Witness then went to Mrs Nash s room
and called her Receiving no answer.
he entered, but didn't see her in her
bunk. but on it some dark splashes.
Witness started to go on decn by way
of forward companionway. Saw Bran
on deck walking up and uown and
pointed his revolver at him and called:
MI. Bram,' He threw a plank at
witness, but did not hit him. He said:
Come below. the captain has been
murdered. HIS reply was. No. no. nol"
Witness said, Come down and see
for yourself
He went into his stateroom. remained
about two minutes and came out with
his revolver which witness had re-
quested him to get. They went up on
the windward side of the ship and Wit
ness asked where the second mate was.
The reply was: There is mutiny and
he is forward with the crew. and they
will probably rush up"
Witness tod him to cover the man at
the wheel With a revolver. which he did.
while witness covered the forward part
with his revolver. Bran then said the
second mate had given him whiskey.
which was drugged. and made him sick
AS they walked together Bran stag
gered tie then began to cry and
clasped witness around the knees and
begged for protection. He said he had
been hard on the men and he was afraid
they would kill him.
Bran then awakened the steward,
Spencer, and told him that the captain
had been murdered. He said, II guess
not" The steward went AIT and looked
down through the skylight and found
the body. He then looked for the second
mate, found the body, and said he had
been murdered. Witness said to Bran
You said was aft and the reply |
was, so he was
He asked the steward if he had "a |
ltNtINtI- Ilt SGItl ne Iliu IlDl. anu lHt |
mate gave him his. and asked the wit |
ness for his revolver which was refused. |
Bran called out: Here is the AK that |
did it," 1t was under the deck stringer |
or lashing plank about 20 feet from |
Bran. 1t was picked up and Bran took |
il in his hand and began to cry hysteri- |
cally. He said: What shall we do with |
it ?''
Witness said, throw it overheard be
fore the crew can use it against us.
The steward said. Don't throw it over
board" but the mate did 50.
The man at the wheel was asked if
he had heard anything unusual curing
the night He said No
Bran explained the murder by say
ing that Second Mate Bamberg had
been intimate with Mrs. Nash and that
this fact led Captain Nash to attack
the second mate with the axe. In the
the second mate got the axe
and killed me captain. The mate then
went on deck where he laid down the
axe and went back to his room where
he died Irom wounds received in the
with the captain.
Bran. after this story. suggested the
|
Ger objected and declared they would
be carried to the nearest port.
The vessel was about 800 miles from
Boston. The men We're all searched
by Bran and Spencer. Brown was ar
rested by Spencer, making no resist
anee. and Bran put him in irons.
Brown said: You will find out all
about it when you get ashore" Pre-
vious to this the bodies of the victims
were prepared for burial, and the
service was read over them
oy the witness
Brown brought the bodies on deck,
and they We're placed in a boat in tow
Of the vessel. Bran said: You must
not blame the living for the dead The
dead can't speak for themselves.
Throw the bodies overheard and wash
up the blood" The steward objected ,
Bran did not assist in caring for the
bodies. Bran said the nearest port
vas French Guiana, but it was found s
Continued on page % 7.