The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-10-31


REM cowardice and I'M
~ daunted pluck and
nerve than that
which was told to the world early in
1886. The story of the mutiny on
board the American ship Frank N.
Thayer, the murder of three of the
crew and two officers, and the frightful
wounds inflicted on Captain Robert
X. Clarke, followed by the firing of
the ship and the escape of the captain
and his wife and daughter and the
survivors of the crew in an open boat,
which finally reached st. Helena, sent
shudder through the civilized world,
and was the occasion of newspaper
stories and investigations almost with
out number. Captain Clarke will
never recover from the effets of that
terrible fight; but he is still con-
rected with the sea, serving as shore
captain for the ships that are left of
the feet to which the Thayer be-
longed. He has charming home in
Port Chester, where the brave woman
who saved him from death and the
little daughter who was on the vessel
during the awful affair, but who is
now stately young lady of twenty
years, do all they can to blot out the
memory of the tragedy.
The ship, which was owned by Ed
ward Lawrence, of Boston, and was
laden with 10000 bales of hemp,
valued at over $3.50, 900, sailed from
Manila for New York in November,
1885, carrying crew of twenty-five
men, including two Malays and two
Cinnamon. The Malays were Manila
men, shipped at the last moment to
take the places of two men who had
decided to remain in the Philippine
Islands. and they we're the ones who
committed the crimes. There was
nothing remarkable about the voyage
until the night of January 2, 1885,
when the ship was about seven hun
bred miles northeast of st. Helena.
The captain had gone below and fallen
{. asleep, and every soul on board, ex-
cept those two bloodthirsty savages
from Manila, was free from any
Thought or danger or suspicion. 1t wal
this feeling of security which was o
fatal circumstance, for to it may bt
traced the panic and bewilderment
which unnerved the crew SD that they
were the victims OF the two wretche'
who had been their messmates fol
more than two months. In the St
Helena Guardian, James A. Midnight
who was then the American Consul a
ST. Helena, gave the following accoun
of the happenings OF that night AM
those which followed:
s.The two mates 70. Holmes and W
Dav1s) were sitting on the afte
hatch talking when the two coolie
came along, one of them saying he wa
eick. At the first word spoken the
fell on the mates with sharp knives j
each hand, cutting them both to death
the second mate being able after th
blow to run to the cabin door and cal
Captain Clarke, Captain Clarke, twic
before he fell dead, and the mate dy
---iurfn- the f0recsstie three hours latel
Captain Clarke sprang from his be
and half asleep started up the ate
companiouway, thinking the mate ia
called him to see vessel which W;
ahead in the evening and which the
had been afraid they might overhau
As soon as he reached the top OF Il
stems he received stab on the top
the head. and felt hand grab him /
the throat. He was in his nightcloth
and empty handed, but seeing Il
mnrderous intent of his antagonis
and that he was one OF the coolies,
struck ont with all his might. hittii
the murderer in the eyes and tempo
ary binding him so that he could n
ses 10 STRIKE. The Malay continue
TO hack at the captain with his knli
However. till they went down the ste
together, where the captain won
have overcome him had he not slipp
in pool of his own blood and fall
- the floor. The coolie then ga
him a terrible slash in the left sic
and. thinking he was dead, went
tha steus to the deck. The capita
was not dead, however, but obtain
revolver and again approached !
door. calling to the man at the whe
: sailor named Malone, to shut {
outside door at the head OF the co
panionway. i can't sir. was the
NV. why not?' demanded the q
tain. There's somebody there, 81
replied Malone. who is itf ask
the captain. but the man could J
tell him" i,
This was only the beginning OF
struggle, and the remainder OF