The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-11-06
EIouAHD CnoKER IS ALIYE.
Tammany's Chieftain, While Ill, Is Far
 from Being Critically So.

lhfnmAnyb Lby l5 II df
 from Being Critically So.
 New York, Nov. 1.-The rumor that Richard Croker was dead was in cir culation in all parts of the city to-day. It also spread throughout the country, and inquiries as to the truth of the re- port were received from points as far distant as San Francisco. The Tam many leader has simply a slight cold and will probably be well enough to- morrow to start on trip to Virginia. He is at the Murray Hill hotel here and did not leave his room to-day. He had chill on Tuesday night at Tam many hall and on Thursday complained of not feeling well. Prof. William Fluh- rer who was called in, said that MT. Croker was simply suffering from stomach trouble, the result of over- work and is not in the slightest danger of serious complications.
 John c. Sheehan, Nathan Straus and Andrew Freeman had talks with MT. Croker this afternoon. He is able to sit up in bed and did not think it worth while to inform his wife and children of his indisposition.
 At the Murray Hill hotel tonight it was positively stated that MT. Croker | is recovering from his cold and stomach | trouble.
 i TRAGEDY ON THE OELTER PICKER Cook Tells How and Why He Murdered | the Captain and the Mate. Newport News, Va, Nov. 5.-The United States cruiser Lancaster drop ped anchor in Hampton Roads to-day from Brazil. Confined on the warshtp are six men of the schooner Oliver Pecker, whose captain and mate were murdered at sea in August last.
 After murdering the officers the mu- tineers set fire to the ship, and, taking boat, landed at Bahia and told the officers of the tragedy and were turned over to the Lancaster for transporta- tion to the United States. The cook tells the following version:
 T was cook aboard the Oliver Peck | CT 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 afraid of my life whenever he got his mad fits. He had a dog, which was always coming into the cookhouse and annoying me. On the day of our 1 little difficulty the animal came inside and I threw a boiler of hot water on him. I went to the captains cabin and he commenced cursing me, telling me that this sort of thing had to stop.
 "The next morning as I entered the captain fired a beer bottle at me, and seeing that lodged 1t, he picked up a pistol and sent a ball in my direction. had got my hands on weapon which was lying on the corner of his table, and of course I opened fire on the d-d rascal. My first bullet took effect in his forehead and the second went into his breast, killing him almost instantly The mate came running down to the desk, asking me what had done. I told him, and when he attempted to draw his revolver I fired, saying, Now die like the dog that you are
 "I saw that the captain was a ghost and afterwards I came upon the mate grooming and I felt it was my duty to put him out of his misery and did 1t. I then started toward the crew who were aft, with pistol in each hand, and gave them to understand that I was to be master and every man who undertook to disobey my orders would have to suffer the consequences.
 T 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 I ordered the men to get out the oil and to saturate the whole vessel, fore and aft in such manner that she would act like h-l. Then we got our bearings and prepared to take to the boats. The men pulled 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 on shore from the ship we had taken than the officers placed us under arrest and sent us to Bahia"
 This statement was sent ashore by an officer of marines.
 The officer stated that when the men were thrown into prison at Bahia the United States consul at that port inn mediately cabled the Washington gov ernment and asked for war vessel 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 unfortu- nate ships crew were placed in mill tary confinement.
 The sailors are under the impression that they are being held as witnesses against the cook and will be expected tc testify that he murdered the captain and mate. It is more than probable that they will not only probably be ex- amined as witnesses against the mur- der, but will be held and convicted on the charge of firing a ship on the high | seas.
 Theother men of the Oliver Pecker's
 crew are: William Horsburg, Andrew F. March, Manuel Barriatt, John Friend , and M. Barstad.