The herald., 1897-11-06
KILLED CAPTAIN AND MATE
THREW THEIR BODIES INTO THE
SEA
The Mutineers Of the Olive Pecker
Brought Back to Answer for
Their Crime
Associated Press Special Wire.

ANA1 w = OAsA ANA1 W ~ sAst awe AAS
United States steamer Lancaster drop
ped anchor in Hampton Roads this
morning from Bahia, Brazil. In mill
tary confinement on the warship are five
men Of the crew of the schooner Olive
Pecker. whose captain. ]. w. Whitman
Of Rockland, Me-, and first mate, Will
liam Saunders of Sandy Cove, N. S.,
were murdered at sea in August. In the
ships brig, closely ironed, is J. Ander-
son. the cook, who is the self-confessed
perpetrator Of the murders and who af-
terward set fire to the vessel.
The Pecker sailed from Boston on the
S7th Of June and the story of this trag
edy. Of the sea Is told best In the words
of the murderer, who tonight gave the
Associated Press the following version
Of his crime:
II was the cook aboard the Olive
Pecker and had to serve the captain as
his servant. I had good reason to be-
lieve 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 dog which was always COM
ing into the cook house and annoying
me. On the day of our little difficulty
the animal came inside and 1 threw
Q boiler of hot water on him.
well, he howled, and the next thing
knew the captain was calling for me.
I went to his cabin and he commenced
cursing me. telling me that this sort of
thing had to stop. did not say any
thing to him and he ordered me into his
cabin to make up his bed. This was in
the morning.
II made up his bed and he ordered me
out with volley Of oaths. l saw he
was in a mean humor and determined to
arm myself against him. 1 knew the
captain had some pistols in his cabin
and went back to get one of them.
Just as soon as entered the captain
fired beer bottle at me, and seeing that
I lodged it. he picked up a pistol from
the table and sent ball in my direction.
I had got my hands on a weapon which
was lying on the corner Of his table and
of course I opened fire on the damned
rascal. My first bullet took effect in his
forehead and the second went into his
breast, killing him almost instantly. l
then went upon the deck and called to
the mate. who was in the fore rigging.
He shouted down to me, asking what,
I wanted. I told him to come down,
that the captain wanted him in the
cabin. He started down, and when he
reached the deck l went for him. He
was an old fellow with whiskers, and l
felt like smashing him with my fist. He
looked at me as If to inquire my author
tty to order him about, and leveled the
weapon at his old bewhiskered head,
saying at the time: Now die like the
dog you are.
with that 1 pulled the trigger, and
the man dropped to the deck, rolling to
the port side of the ship.
II then went down into the cabin,
thinking would be able to take the ship
by myself. I saw that the captain was
ghost and I came on deck. The mate
was groaning and felt it my duty to
put him out of misery. One more shot
did that. I secured the captains other
pistol, and after giving the mate sec
ond bullet I started toward the crew,
who were aft, with a 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 disobey
my orders would have to suffer the con-
sequences. They carried out my COM
mands without murmur.
II first ordered them to throw the
mates body overheard and we went
down into the cabin and brought ND the
captains corpse, disposing of it in like
manner. Next I ordered the men to get
out the oil and saturate the whole vessel
fore and aft in such 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 to the ship"
my chum and I went down in one
OF the boats while the other men took
the other. They pulled off in different
directions and we never saw them again
until we met in prison at Bahia. They
had peached on us for no sooner had we
landed from the ship than the officers
placed us under arrest and sent us to
Bahia"
The five sailors are under the impress
sion that they are being held as wit
nesscs against the cook and will be ex-
pected to testify that he murdered the
captain and the mate. 1t Is more than
probably, however, that they will not
only be used as witnesses against the
murderer, but will be held on the charge
Of firing ship on the high seas.
The other five men of the Olive Peck
er's crew are William Kerburg, Andrew
#. March, Manuel Barriat, John Lend
and M. Barstad.
o