Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1897-08-27
BRUTAL TREATMENT
Why John Andersen Killed Cap
tain and Mate.
Truth of Murder on High Seas Par
TALLY known.

BAHIA, Brazil Aug. 2i-The facts in con-
nectlon with the mutiny and murder on tho
American schooner Olive Pecker of the
coast OF Brazil last week, as ELECTED by
preliminary examination conducted by U. S.
Consul Mcdaniel, are as follows: The ring
leader Of the mutiny was John Andersen, a
Swedc, but a naturalized American citizen,
the steward of the Olive Pecker. Ander on
claims that he killed Capt. ]. w. Whitman
justiilably. the harsh and overbearing con-
duct of his superior officer provoking him
to commit the deed. William Sanders the
first mate, attempted TO save the life of the
captain. and Andersen to save his own life,
was also forced to kill the mate. The re-
mainder of the crew do not appear to have
made any attempt, or at best only a feeble
one, to protect the lives of their
officers. Andersen is very reticent
and has declined to give the particulars OF
the captains harsh treatment or the partic-
ular acts which led up to the killing. After
Captain Whitman and Mate Sanders had
been killed Andersen appears to have taken
complete control OF the vessel and to have
intimidated the flIe other members of the
crew. According to their stories Andersen
suggested the firing of the vessel, evidently
in the hope that the fire would con
ceal all traces of the crime and that Ii
would be believed the vessel had fOundered
and the captain and mate had been washed
overheard. The crew were to represent
themselves as survivors and to pretend they
had escaped in the small boats. The vessel
was accordingly fired, and the crew took to
the boats about 100 miles from the Bra
lillian coast. They drew lots as to the
way they were to divide themselves up
in the two boats, the five members
of the crew being anxious to have the
authorities here believe that none of them
was desirous to be Andersen's shipmate.
The lot fell to John Lind, a Swede. the four
others, William Hosburgh, engineer, Juan
Dios BARREL Gumierrez, Andrew March and
Martin Barstad, sailors, going i'll the other
boat. When these four men reached the
Brazilian coast they Immediately went be-
fore the authorities and united in a state
ment regarding the crime, placing all the
blame on Andersen, and representing that
they had no completely in the affair. but
1t is not quite clear why they were unable to
protect the lives of the captain and mate.
Andersen and Lind attempted to ship on two
Norwegian vessels in Port Bahia, but de-
scription of the men had been given to the
Brazilian authorities, and they were prompt
ly arrested When visited by the Ameri-
can consul Andersen freely admitted having
killed the captain and mate. but claimed
that he was justified, but it is believed Lind
was his accomplice The entire crew are
now prisoners in the house of correction,
anu are UtlDS Htlu tutEt Until tle arrival Ol
an American war vessel to convey them to
the United States. No merchant steamer is
willing to take the prisoners, who will be
held in confinement until the government
sends after them. Consul Mcdaniel eX-
presses great satisfaction at the cooperation
given him by the Brazilian authorities and
the promptness with which they arrested
the alleged murderers. Hosburgh. the en-
gineer is an Englishman, Gumierrez is u
ri l., E,,,y oh, a D,.
stad is a Norwegian. Andersen is believed
to be the only naturalized American.
Consul Mcdaniel has received no in
structiOns from the state depart
ment regarding the disposition of the
prisoners and does not know when naval
vessel will be sent to take them to the United
States. From careful reading of this dis
patch it will be seen that there must have
been considerable sympathy with Andersen
or he would not dare to propose the burning
of the vessel. They were five to one, and
although one man might be able to in
timidate five. it does not look reasonable
1t will undoubtedly be found that there has
been considerab e trouble on board the
Olive Pecker and that the trouble affected
nearly all those on board. One t ing is
known, Captain Whitman one of the abIest
of seamen. was a giant in strength
and used his strength like giant
He had a most violent temper,
which he never made the slightest at
tempt to control He was absolutely wits
out fear, and was a master with whom few
men cared to ship twice. The Olive Pecker,
it will be recalled. was Il three e-masted
schooner commanded by Captain J.W. Whit
man and owned by the owners of the Her
bert Fuller. on which Captain Nash and his
wife were killed last winter. She sailed
with cargo of lumber for BuenOs Ayres,
Argentine.