The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-06
MURDERS At SEA
COOK OF THE OLIVE PICKER
TELLS THE STORY OF HIS
CRIME.
KILLED CAPTAIN AND MATE
BOTH WERE SHOT DOWN IN COLD
BLOOD ON BOARD THE
SCHOONER,
KILLED CAPTAIN AND MATE
THEN SET FIRE TO THE SHIP.
Brought Home From Brazil In the
Brig of United States
War Ship.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va, Nov. s.
The U. S. S. Lancaster dropped anchor
in Hampton Roads this morning from
Bahia, Brazil. On board are five men
of the Oliver Pecker, whose captain,
J. w. Whitman, of Rockland, Me, and
first mate, William Saunders, Of Sandy
Cove, N. S., were murdered at sea in
August last. In the ships brig, closely
ironed, is J. Anderson, the schooner's
cook, who is the self confessed perpe
traitor Of the murders, and who after
ward set fire to the vessel. The Oliver
Pecker sailed from Boston on June y
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 the fol-
lowing version of his crime:
Il was the cook aboard the Olive
Pecker, a two-masted schooner from
Boston to Bahia, and had to serve the
captain as his servant. 1 had good
reason to believe that the captain did
not take to me, and 1 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
difficulty the animal came inside, Ge1
/ threw a boiler Of hot water on MIN.
Well. he howled, and the next thing l
knew the captain was calling for me.
[ went to his cabin and he commenced
cursing me, telling me that this sort of
thing had to stop.
Il did not say anything to him, and
he ordered me into his cabin to make
up his bed This was in the morning.
1 made up his bed, and he ordered me
out with Volley of oaths. 1 saw he
was in mean humor and determined
to arm myself against him. l knew
the captain had some pistols in his
cabin, and 1 went back to get one OF
them. Just as soon as l entered the
captain threw a beer bottle, and see
ing that L lodged it, he picked up a
pistol from the table and sent ball
in my direction. 1 had got my hands
on a weapon which was lying on the
corner of his table, and of course I
opened fire on him. My first bullet took
effect in his forehead, and the second
went into his breast, killing him al
most instantly.
Il then went up on deck and called
to the mate who was in the fore-rig-
what / wanted / told him to come
down, that the captain wanted him IN
the cabin He started down and when
he reached the deck / went for him.
He was an old fellow with whiskers
and l felt like smashing him with my
fist. He looked al me as if to inquire
my authority to order him about. and
| levelled the weapon at his old be-
Whiskered head. saying at the same
10 tho h >
With that I pulled the trigger and the
mate dropped to the deck, rolling to
the side Of the ship. Then | went down
into the cabin, thinking / would be
able to take the ship by myself.
BURNED THE SHIP.
81 saw that the captain was a ghost
and 1 came upon deck again. The
mate was grooming and felt it my duty
to pit him out of his misery. One
more shot did that. l secured the cap
tain's other pistol, and after giving the
mate another bullet, / started toward
the crew, who were aft, with pistol in
each hand, and gave them to under
stand that / was to be master of the
Olive Pecker and that the first man
who undertook to disebey my orders
would have to suffer the consequences
They carried out my commands with
out murnur.
Il 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 it
in like manner. Next l ordered the
men to get the oil and saturate the
whole vessel fore and aft, in such a
manner that she would burn. They
did that and then we got our belong
ings and prepared to take to the boats,
first setting fire 10 the old shin
MY chum and l went down in one
Of the boats, while the other four men
took to another They pulled off in
different direction from US and we
never saw them again until we met in
prison in Bahia. They must have
peached on US, for no sooner had We
landed from the ship we had taken
than the officers placed US under ar
rest and sent us to Bahia"
This statement was sent ashore by
All officer. The officer stated that
when the men Were thrown into prison
at Bahia, the United States consul at
that port communicated with the navy
department at Washington concern
ing the arrest of the murderer and his
accomplices and received instructions
to place them aboard the cruiser Ian
caster, which at that time was sew
eral hundred miles south Of Bahia, and
which would be ordered to that port
as soon as possible. The seamen re-
manned in the old prison at Bahia for
four weeks before the arrival of the
Lancaster When the men were sent
aboard the cruiser, they were found
to be so filthy and poorly clad that it
was necessary to give them baths and
new wearing apparel. The cook was
ordered in irons and the remainder of
the unfortunate ships crew were
placed in military confinement. The
five sailors are under the impression
that they are being held as witnesses
against the cook and will be expected
to testify that he murdered the cap
tain and the mate. 1t is more than
probable, however, that they will not
only be used as witnesses against the
murderer, but will be held and con-
victed on the charge of firing a ship
on the high seas. The other five men