The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-07
CASE OF THE PECKER's CREW.
The Trial to he Held at Norfolk to
Comply with the Law.

Washington, Nov. 6.-The Attorney GEN
eral has advised the Secretary of the
Navy that he desires to have the mutin-
Gus crew of the American schooner Olive
Peclxer tried at Norfolk, in the eastern
district of Virginia. Tt was at first
thought that the case would be brought
to trial at Boston, but the language of the
statute is so explicit that the question of
jurisdiction undoubtedly would be raised
and probably with success, if the crew
were taken for trial to any point outside
the Norfolk district To avoid any chance,
therefore, of failure to convict by rea-
son of a defect in the proceedings, the
United States marshal at Norfolk has
been instructed to take custody of the
prisoners, and the United States attorney
Will be directed to proceed with the trial.
The section of the Revised Statutes
which fixes the jurisdiction of cases of
this kind is 730, which is as follows: 1.-THE
trial of all offenses committed on the high
seas, or elsewhere, out of the jurisdiction
of any particular state or district, shall
be in the district where the offender
found, or into which he is first brought"
Solicitor General Richard will go to Nor
folk tonight to spend Sunday with his
brother, who Is an officer on the United
States training ship Lancaster, which
brought the prisoners to that port, and
during his stay he will confer with United
States Attorney White as to the conduct
of the case. 1t is not yet decided wheth-
er any of the officials connected with the
department of justice here will assist in
the prosecution, but it is not likely that
they will.
Norfolk, Va, Nov. 6.--The mutineers,
who fired the schooner Olive Pecker of
Boston on the high seas after the captain
and mate had been murdered by John
Anderson, the cook, will be transferred
Monday from the United States ship Lam
caster which brought them from Bahia,
Brazil, to Hampton Roads, to the Nor
folk city Jail, where they will be confined
pending trial before the United States dis
trict court here. Judge Robert w. Hughes
viii probably preside at the trial, and Dis
trict Attorney William H. White, who will
represent the government is now at Old
Point, acquainting himself with the de-
tails of the case.
IT is not known when the case will be
called, but as the United States courts
recent session consumed only one day, it
is not unlikely that Judge Hughes may
order a special session to try the case.
Anderson was seen to-day by an Associa-
ted Press representative and again told
materially from that given to the press
yesterday, except that be strenuously in
sisted that the deed was committed to save
his own life, and he also dwelt persistent
" On the brutality or the captain and mate.
He admitted that he killed them, but did
not admit that he burned the ship with his
own hands.
Juan Barrlos, the Spaniard one of the
prisoners, corroborates the story of An
derson in detail as far as he knows it.
After telling of the brutal treatment of
the cook by the mate and captain, Bar
rios speaking of the tragedy, said that he
was in his bunk trying to sleep when he
heard a noise, and in a little while some
one came forward and knocked on his
window saying; Look out boys, the cook
is on deck with three revolvers." He
asked the man who was giving the warn
ing where the captain was, and he re-
piled: "In the cabin He then asked If
any one had killed the cook, and the re-
ply was mo; but the cook is trying to kill
the mate"
The mate was in the foresheets Barrios
hid himself between the engine room and
his bunk and remained there until An
derson called for the crew to come out
saying that he was master of the vessel
He came out of his hiding place and saw
the mate lying dead on the deck, face
down. Anderson was standing near with
the bodies overheard, which they did very
unwillingly. One of them told him the
mate was not dead, but the cook said he
was dead enough.
The crew held hurried sort of consul
tation, according to Barrios. Some of
them wanted to sail the vessel to Africa,
end others wanted to come back to the
states. Anderson would trust none Of
them, but made them get in the boat.
Then they poured oil over the schooner.
Barrios does not know who touched off
the flames. He says that he was the first
to give the Brazilian authorities an ac-
count of the tragedy. He was very much
excited to-day, and broke down several
times while talking. He seems to be a
craven, and will probably do more swear
ing than all the orders, in order to save
his own neck. His manner is in decided
contrast to that of Anderson, who is IS
cool and nonchalant as if it were an every
day affair.