Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-11
EITRAL!ll Am.
THE CRIME Of THE AGE.
Piracy on the High Seas,
&C., &c.
From the Seattle Times.

From the Seattle Times.
1.-THE much-looked-for steamer Portland,
disabled and in tow of the U. S. cruiser
Indian, ard accompanied by the revenue
cutter Rush. was sighted off of Cape Flat
terry yesterday at 4 pm. and arrived here
this morning at $40.
AS scoa as word was received from the
cape this journal chartered the only tug
then in the harbor and sent its best men
to meet the vessels, and is the first paper
In the world to present to it's readers full
particulars of the most daring, extraordi-
nary and bloodthirsty crime of the nine
teenth century.
By the time the vessels touched the dock
and were being overrun by reporters
United States officials and friends we were
setting up the news and now present 1t to
our readers at least three hours before
any of our contemporaries can even give
the most meager account Of it. FIRST
Mate Thorne of the Portland is quoted
verbatim and said: The third day out we
were beset by dense fog. but kept well to-
gether by whistle and our course to-
ward Triangle Island. intending to take
the inner course, the weather having been
threatening for some time.
That night the fog lifted, but was fol-
lowed by four days Of the most terrific
storm have ever experienced-sleet, rain,
snow and wind from every quarter! 1t was
terrible. Two men were swept overheard,
We lost our rudder, the port top works
were carried away and our smokestack
knocked to pieces by Loose rigging We
were a wreck, and most of our passengers
behaved in the most cowardly manner
crying, praying and cursing, rushing here
and there and continually In the way Of
the crew. Our men acted well, stuck to
their posts in spite of the odds against
them and suffered their severe buffeting
as good seamen should.
The fifth day was calmer, but a heavy
vented much work aboard; our men were
Tagged out anyway. We were out of sight
of land or marks and drifting to the south
east.
Our shaft was bent just outside, so that
the propeller was practically useless, even
had it not lost two of its blades. We were
completely at the mercy of the sea and
had sprung two seams slightly, but could
keep up enough steam to use our steam
pump aft
The weather remained dull, so that we
could not make any observations until
the 2Gth. when we found that we were
132 40 degrees west, 40 degrees north, or
about 200 miles from Triangle Island the
north of Vancouver Island.
That day we rugged our jury sails We
had been working on and with the help of
the rudder we had dashed to our post we
began to beat toward the coast in the
hopes of sighting some c. P. r. steamer
they generally take the northern course to
Japan at this season. Progress was
slow and provisions running somewhat
scarce, so that we went under short ra-
tions. The men were acting better
had variable winds and drifted consid-
erably.
In Despair.
October We sighted something on the
horizon and again saw smoke on the 4th,
sent UP rockets at night, whistled all day
and fired off the 3-pound piece we had on
board at frequent intervals. Our passen-
gers were much discouraged and some, the
more ttmid. bewailed themselves that we
would never be picked up and the next
storm would surely finish the work
The night of the 5th was dark and alb
solutely no wind. The captain sent all to
bed except one man at the wheel, and he
tine captain) and l remained on watch
forward, now end then sending up a rocket
1t was cold. We heard the steady
beat of tug, but saw no signal lights
only one white light showing. We whistlei
and were answered. The captain decided
not to wake any one, fearing some sort of
panic or trouble, and hoped to be safely in
tow by the time people awoke.
Soon the tug ran up alongside of our
port bow. We told of our plight, and the
tug captain said he was from Vancouver
and one of many searching for US. He and
two other men came aboard, shook hands
with the captain and myself, commended
our action In not waking the people; said
his men would come on and make all ready.
The tug was made fast and seven other
men came on, when at a word from the
leader we were covered by their revolvers.
The Wheelman was seized. dragged out OF
the pilot house and bound; SO was l. Our
brave captain was armed and attempted
to draw his revolver, but was not quick
enough. The leader, who had but shaken
hands with him. plunged a dirk into his
heart and the still living body was thrown
overheard by two other cutthroats. The
leader had lanterns brought, gave some
orders and stationed men to guard the
hatch-ways. forecastle and wherever they
could command q sweep of the boat.
This man, tall, dark villainous looking
brute. asked me where the gold was.
refused TO answer. He then asked the
wheelman, who also put on bold front.
but came to terms when the black devil
pressed the point of that fearful knife
over his heart; he agreed to show him the
treasure room. but told him the captain
was the only one who knew the combina-
ton to the door. The room Is not particu-
larly "strong" anyway. only two thick
nesses Of boiler plate. with asbestos be-
tween. but has a most formidable looking
door.
The leader took lantern and follow
ing poor Jim Bowles. the whe Gilman. went
to look at 1t. There was much hurryjng
and scurrying, more men came up from
and in a few minutes heard il slight ex-
plosion and felt bit of a shock. They had
blown part Of one side out.
Looting the Ship.
Some comlnotion followed, evidently
some passengers were awakened, for /
heard the stern order to get back therev'
given several times, and finally one shot
from a revolver forever silenced, as 1 ex-
pccted. one inquiring passenger-a poor
fellow going home with $4,000 in gold in
the vault they were looting-a fortune TO
him who had left half-s.aryed family
himself to take the desperate chances Of
starving in that frozen land. 1 made an
outcry, expecting help from below. but was
answered by a kick that knocked dozen
teeth out of my head and leaves a scar
that I'll carry to the grave.
1t was just breaking day when the tug
men began carrying out the sacks of gold
dust and nuggets. and dumping them into
the tug. = One of ths men, an en-
gineer, was caught attempting to tear open
a sack. The captain said something, ard
was answered. I suppose. in a not respectful
enough manner. for he dropped his asso-
ciate pirate with shot from his revolver
1t seemed to hasten their footsteps. for it
took but a wonderfully short time to trahs-
fer those four tons or more OF gold.
The wind began to pick up bit, and
consumptive-looking chap went aboard at
his captains orders, then another man, the
n 70 Ofhers yxero fs,ld IN nd ka