The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-06
DOUBLE CRIME ON THE DEEP.
THRILLING STORY OF THE MUIR
DERs ON THE, OLIVE PICKER.


Captain Shot Dead In His Cabin
md the Mate Called Down From
the Rigging and Killed on Reach
ing the Deck.
Washington, Nov. 5.--The Lancaster ar
rived at Fortress Monroe last night with
six Of the crew Of the American bark Olive
Pecker, who were taken on at Bahia Bra
zil, where they had been held on the
charge of mutiny and the murder of Capt.
Pecker. The captain of the Lancaster has
notified the attorney general that the
prisoners are at his disposal and they will
be landed either at Norfolk, where the Lam
caster now lies, or at Boston. where she
is due in a week. The department of JUS
tice to-day informed the navy depart
ment that it desires the prisoners deliv-
cred at Boston. They will be retained
aboard the Lancaster, which may remain
for ten days at Hampton Roads, and
thence be taken by the same vessel to
Boston.
Newport News, Va, Nov. 5.-The United
States steamer Lancaster dropped anchor
in Hampton roads this morning from Ba-
hia. Brazil. In military confinement on the
varship are five men of the crew of the
schooner Olive Pecker, whose captain, j.
w. Whitman, of Rockland. Me-, and first
mate, William Saunders, of Sandy Cove,
N. c., were murdered at sea in August
last. In the ships brig closely ironed is
J. Anderson, the schooners cook, who is
the seIf-confessed perpetrator of the mur-
ders, and who afterward set fire to the
vessel.
The Olive Pecker sailed from Boston on
June 27 with a cargo of lumber for Bahia,
and the story of this tragedy of the sea
is told best in the words of the murderer,
who tonight gave to the Associated Press
the following version of his crime:
'I was the cook aboard the Olive Pecker,
a two-masted schooner, from Boston to
Bahia, and had to serve the captain as his
servant. I had good reason to believe that
the captain did not take to me and I was
always in fear of my life whenever he got
into his mad fits. He had a dog which was
always coming into the cook house and
annoying me. On the day of our little diff
ficulty the animal came inside and l threw
a boiler of hot water on him.
-'~Welli he howled, and the next thing
knew, the captain was calling for me- l
went to his cabin and he commenced ours
ing me, telling me that this sort of thing
had to stop.
''I did not say anything to him and he
expected me into his cabin to make up his
bed. This was in the morning. I made up
his bed and he ordered me out with
volley of oaths. 1 saw he was in a mean
humor and determined to arm myself
against him. I knew the captain had
some pistols in his cabin and L went back
to get one of them. Just as soon as 1
entered the captain fired a beer bottle at
me, and seeing that lodged 1t he picked
up a pistol from the table and sent
ball in my direction. had got hold of
weapon which was lying on the corner of
his table, and Of course fired on the -
rascal
MY first bullet took effect in his fore
head and the second went into his breast,
killing him almost instantly
II then went upon the deck and called
to the mate, who was in the fore-rigging.
"He shouted down to me asking him
what / wanted. l told him to come down
that the captain wanted him in the cabin.
s11e started down and when he reached the
deck 1 went for him.
"He was an old fellow with whiskers,
and felt like smashing him with my fist.
He looked al me as if to inquire my au-
thority to order him about, and l leveled
the weapon at his old bewhiskered head,
SAYING at the same time Now, die like
the dog you are
with that L pulled the trigger and the
mate dropped to the deck, rolling to the
port side of the ship.
u then went down into the cabin, think
ing l would be able to take the ship by
myself
Il saw that the captain was a ghost and
] came upon deck again. The mate was
grOan apd felt IL nv dutV to D1t him
out of his misery. One more shot did that.
! secured the captains other pistol, and,
after giving the mate q second bullet
started toward the crew, who were aft,
with pistol in each hand and gave them
to understand that was to be the master
of the Olive Pecker. and that the first man
who undertook to disobey my orders would
have to take the consequences. They car
rled out my commands without a mur-
mur. / first ordered them to throw the
mates body overheard and then we went
down into the cabin and brought up the
captains corpse, disposing of 1t in like
manner Next l ordered the men to get
out the oil and saturate the whole vessel
lore and aft in such a manner that she
would burn up like hell. They did that,
and then we got our belongings and pre-
pared to take to the boats, first setting fire
10 the old ship
My chum and / went down in one of
another. They pulled off in a different
direction from us and we never saw them
again until we met in prison in Bahia.
Ihey must have peached on us, for no
sooner had we landed from the ship we
Had taken than the officers placed us un-
uer arrest and sent us to Bahia.
The Pecker was one month out from
Boston and was within two days of Bahia
When all this happened. She was two
masted schooner and started out with a
crew of eight"
Ihe marine officer then concluded the
story for the correspondent of the Asso-
ciated Press. He, however, was unable to
give names. One very peculiar feature of
me mutiny story is that none of the
uIhcers aboard of the Lancaster seem to
KNOW the name of the dead captain and
mate or the cook now in irons. The Off
yer stated that when the men were thrown
INTO prison, the United States consul COM
Im,uhicated ~, with tine navy department at
Washington concerning the arrest of the
murderer and his accomplices
me seamen remained in the old prison
bahia. When the men were sent
"plaId the cruiser they were found to be