The Louisiana populist., 1897-12-03
PIRATES LOOT A SHIP.
DESPERATE AcHINEsE BUCCANEERS
IN CHINA SEAS.

he the Spanish main reads the accom-
or Just received of the attack upon
rs brush steamer in China seas Il
murder OF many of the crew and Il
sooting of the ship.
On the coast of Sumatra the stean
er fegu, plying between local Chimes
)" ports. was attacked by pirates. ht
captain slain, number of her Gre
"a and passengers put to the sword. an
y everything of value in her cabins an
l. aold carried away. The vessel q,
70 rived at Teluk Semawe with q score
q 'orpses on board and her decks We
IS red with blood.
p The Pegu left Penang for Oleh.
g On July 6 with $3.50 and larr
e cargo. When between Pari Busul
ina slmpang OHM, sumatra, the YES
: ,ei was taken possession of by clever
: Achlnese pirates and one woman. wb1
mad been taken aboard at Edie, The
vessel was steaming along at night
ana Captain Ross and Chief Engineer
Orasle were at dinner in the saloon
When suddenly six armed Achinese
rushed in upon them from one door,
while two entered by another. The
omcers were taken at a disadvantage.
but they defended themselves as we'll
as they could with chairs.
The pirates sprang upon them with
arawn swords, and the unweildy weap.
ons with which Ross and Cragie at-
tempted to defend themselves were
useless in the unequal contest. The
captain, after telling two of the Achi-
nese, was slashed about the hands and
arms until compelled to dfop his
'nalr. de fled to the upper deck
@nere he fell and was despatched at
once. When his body was found, after
me pirates had looted the ship and
ieparted, it had been horribly mutt
ated and dismembered.
cragie succeeded in fighting his
way through the raiders and reaching
inc englne-room, where he hid and
was not followed.
While this combat was being waged
IN the saloon, the battle had become
general throughout the ship. Stimuli.
taneously with the attack upon tho
captain and chief engineer, the re.
@alnder Of the pirates had thrown
themselves upon the mate and stooro-
man, who were on the bridge. The
latter made gallant fight, but were
loon cut down.
The serang, or overseer of the yes.
Sci, climbed up the funnel STAYS and
escaped the onslaught of the pirates.
Inc Pegu carried about fifty Chinese
When the attack was made. tho
Mongolians fed panic-stricken Thav
we're followed by the merciless
pirates, and, according to one ac.
,onnt, ,.,. at least thirty were killed.
when the vessel arrived at Teluk
'emawe, fifteen wounded passengers
we're taken ashore and placed in hos
lied. 1o
After Z, the short but sanguinary con-
est, the Achinese began looting the {
essei. One Of them was placed a. Q
ne wheel to steer the Pegu nearer 20
md, while others ransack ed the cabin
nd quarters Of the passengers and
rev. In the captains cabin thew Y
'und repeating rife and revolver .
sum OF money and valuable instru- 9
'ents: These were all taken, togeth. a q,
with the clothing of the chief off. u
y. The safe was opened, and from fe
$lS, 600 was taken. Having COM
eted their work, the Achinese took ~
'eir departure in the Pegu's boatg Il
ID escaped to shore. N
When the Achinese boarded the "
sgu at Edie, they carried no arms. 81
q the supposition is that the woman 10
40 came and departed with them
rrled the weapons Of her male com en-
mons hidden on her person under pr
sarong. She was not searched. 70
ough the officers Of the ship. always IN
splclous OF the treacherous Achi- IN
Sc, made sure that the eleven men TO
TIED no arms before they were per.
tied to come on board. en-
The Dutch officials at Teluk Semawa set
md the horribly mutilated BODY Of tht
plain Ross lying in his berth. with LIN
hands ciasped over his breast AM
9 body OF one Of his crew was living VIII
the floor beside the berth Cra, wa
9 wounds are said to be not seri-
!, but one stab in the chest and
'ther in the back had been checked 4
bones. The serang was on the the II
ige with the mate, steersman and ioo'
thor Of the crew when the pirates tee1
cked the captain and Cragie in the Ter
on. At the same time other pirates pee
he'd mp the ladder and killed the the
9 and steersman, but the seranr this
ged about behind the wheel, and die
fourth man tackled one Of the dile
tes and escaped. The seranc saws ous
while ne stood there he could STOP
rly hear the chain running out 70 n.h,
putting the vessel in the direc. =