The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-10-30
PIRATES LOOT A SHIP.
DESPERATE AcHINEsE BUCCANEERS
IN CHINA SEAS.


IN CHINA SEAS.
they Board British Steamer In the
Guise of Peaceful Passengers Arms
Concealed by Woman-C Captain Killed
and Passengers Put to the Sword.
Like story of the buccaneers Of
the Spanish main reads the account
Just received Of the attack upon a
British steamer in China seas, the
murder of many Of the crew and the
looting Of the ship.
Off the coast of Sumatra the steam
er Pegu, plying between local Chinese
ports, was attacked by pirates, her
captain slain, number of her crew
and passengers put to the sword, and
everything Of value in her cabins and
hold carried away. The vessel ar
rived at Teluk Semawe with a score of
corpses on board and her decks yet
red with blood.
The Pegu left Penang for Oleh-Leh
on July 6 with $4,000 and a large
cargo. When between Pari Busuk
and Simpang OHM, Sumatra, the ves-
sci was taken possession of by eleven
Achinese pirates and one woman, who
had been taken aboard at Edie. The
vessel was steaming along at night,
and Captain Ross and Chief Engineer
Cragie were at dinner in the saloon
when suddenly six armed Achinese
rushed in upon them from one door.
while two entered by another. The
officers were taken at q disadvantage,
but they defended themselves as we'll
as they could with chairs.
The pirates sprang upon them with
drawn 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 s]ashed about the hands and
arms until compelled to drop his
chair. He fled to the upper deck,
where he fell and was despatched at
once. When his body was found, after
the pirates had looted the ship and
it had been horribly mutt
lated and dismembered.
Cragie succeeded in fighting his
way through the raiders and reaching
the engine-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 the
captain and chief engineer, the re-
mainder Of the pirates had thrown
themselves upon the mate and steers
man, who were on the bridge. The
latter made gallant fight, but were
soon cut down.
The serang, or overs ser of the YES
sci, climbed up the funnel stays and
escaped the onslaught Of the pirates.
The Pegu carried about fifty Chinese
When the attack was made, the
Mongolians fed panic-stricken. They
we're followed by the merciless
pirates, and, according to one .ac-
count, at least thirty were killed.
When the vessel arrived at Teluk
Semawe, fifteen wounded passengers
we're taken ashore and placed in hos
pital, where one Of them has since
lied.
After the short but sanguinary con-
test, the Achinese began looting the
vessel. One Of them was placed at
The wheel to steer the Pegu nearer to
and, while others ransacked the cabin
and quarters Of the passengers and
crew. In the captains cabin they
'ound repeating rife and revolver,
l sum of money and valuable instru-
nents. These were all taken, togeth-
II with the clothing Of the chief off,
Ger. The safe was opened, and from
t $18, 900 was taken. Having COM
oleted their work, the Achinese took
heir departure in the Pegu's boats
md escaped to shore.
When the Achinese boarded the
Pegu at Edie, they carried no arms,
md the superstition is that the woman
Who came and departed with them
carried the weapons Of her male COM
'anions hidden on her person under
lei sarong. She was not searched,
hough the officers of the ship, always
of the treacherous Achi-
lese, made sure that the eleven men
'arried no arms before they were per-
nitted to come on board.
The Dutch officials at Tefuf Semawe
ound the horribly mutilsted body of
Captain Ross lying in hiSberth, with
lis hands clasped over his breast.
The body Of one ofhis5 crew was lying
N the floor beside The berth. Ora
,ie's wounds aresasaid lobe not seri-
'us, but one stab il J. the chest and
mother in the back had been checked |
" bones. The, serang was on the
ridge with the mate, steersman aud
mother Of the crew when the pirates
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