The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-11-06
SCiLDED CAPTAINS DOG.
This Led to Murder on Olive
Pecker.
COOK ANDERSON'S GLIB STORY
OF HIS CRIMES.

Is a Blood Thirsty Rascal According TO
His Own Account-Quarrelled with
Captain Whitman and Shot Him ana
Then Killed Mate.
Newport News, Va, November o.
The U. S. Lancaster dropped anchor IN
Hampton Roads this morning from
Bahia, Brazil. In military confinement
on the warship are five men, OF the crew
of the schooner Olive Pecker, whose CAP
tain, j. M. Whitman of R0ckland, Me-,
and first mate William Saunders OF SANDY
Cove, N. S.. were murdered at sea In Au-
gust last. In the ships brig, closely
ironed, is j. Andersen, the cook, VINO Is
the self-confessed perpetrator OF the muir
der and who afterwards set fire to the yes
sci. The Olive Peoker sailed from Bos-
ton June ~ with cargo Of lumber Tor
Bahia, and the story of this tragedy OF
the sea is told best in the words OF the
murderer who, tonight, gave to the Asso-
ciated Press the following version OF his
crime:
81 was the cook aboard the Olive Peck
er a two-masted schooner from Boston TO
Bahia and had to serve the captain as
his servant.
II had good reason to believe that the
captain did not take to me, and l was
always in fear of my life whenever he
got his mad fits. He had dog which
was always coming into the cook house
and annoying. On the day of our little
difficulty the animal came into the cook
house and I threw boiler Of ho5 water
on him.
"Well he howled, and the next thing l
knew the captain was calling me. L
went to his cabin and he commenced
thing had to stop.
II did not say anything to him and he
ordered me into his cabin to make up
his bed. This was in the morning.
Il made up his bed and he ordered me
out with volley Of oaths. I saw he
was in q mean humor and determined
to arm by himself against him. I knew
| that the captain had some pistols in his
| cabinet, and l went back to get one of
them. just as soon as / entered the
captain fired a beer bottle at me and see-
| ing that | lodged it, he picked up pis-
tol from the table and sent ball in my
direction. had got my hands on weap-
on which was lying on his table and Of
course opened fire on the -
rascal. My first bullet took effect in his
| forehead and the second went into his
breast, killing him almost instantly. I
| then went upon deck and called to the
mate who was in the fore rigging. He
shouted to me, asking what wanted |
told him to come down, that the captain
wanted him in the cabin. He started
down and when he reached the deck I
went for him.
- .-s'' He was an old fellow with whis kers
and I felt like smashing him with my
fist.
''He looked at me as If to inquire my
authority to order him about and 1
levelled the weapon at his old be-whisk-
cred 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. l then went down
into the cabin thinking l would be able
to take the ship by myself.
Il saw that the captain was ghost
and / came upon deck again. The mate
was groaning and felt it was my duty
to put him out of his misery. One more
shot did that. I secured the captains s
other pistol and after giving the mate a
second bullet I started towards the crew,
who were aft, with pistol in each hand
and gave them to understand that was
to be master of the Olive Pecker, and
that the first man who undertook to dis
obey my orders would have to suffer the
consequences. They carried out my COM
mands without O murmur.
''I ordered them to throw the mate s
body overheard, and then we went down
into the cabin and brought up the cap
tain's 8 corpse, disposing of it in like man
ner. Nrw I ordered the men to get out