The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-11-19

from Bahia. In military cOnlnelnent
on the varship are five men of the crew
of the Olive Pecker, whose captain, }.
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 COOK, VINO IS
the self-confessed perpetrator OF the
murders. and who afterward set fire to
the vessel.
The Pecker sailed from Boston June
81, n the story Of the tragedy OF the
sea is told best in the words of the muir
derer. who gave the Associated Press
the following version Of the crime:
Il was the cook on board the owe
Pecker, and had to serve the captain
as his servant l had good reason TO pc
lieve that the captain did not AXE TO
me, and ! was always in fear or my lie
whenever he got into his mac nus. lie
had a dog which was always coming
into the cook house and annoying me.
On the day of our little difficulties the
animal came inside and 1 threw a boiler
Of hot water on him.
CAPTAIN FIRED FIRST.
"Well, he howled. and the next thing
1 knew the captain was calling for me.
I went to his cabin and he commenced
cursing me and telling me this sort OF
thing had got 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. | mad up his bed and
he ordered me out with a VOlley or
oaths. l saw he was in q mean hunlor
and determined to arm myself against
him. 1 knew the captain had some pls-
tolls in his cabin and | went back to set
some of them.
"Just as soon as I entered the captain
fired a beer bottle at me. and, seeing
that 1 lodged it. he picked up a pistol
from the table and sent a ball in my
direction. I had got my hands on a
weapon lying on the table, and, OF
course, I opened fire on the - -
rascal. My first bullet took effect in the
head and the second went into his
breast, killing him almost instantly.
Their went on deck and called to the
mate, who was in the f~orerigging.
HE shouted down to me, asking
what 1 wanted. I 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.
HE was an old fellow with whiskers.
and / felt like smashing him with my
fists. He looked at me as if to inquire
my authority to order him about, and
I leVeled the revolver at his old be-
whiskered head and said, Now, die like
the dog you are With that / pulled the
trigger, and the mate dropped to the
deck, rolling to the port side of the ship.
IT then went down into the cabin,
thinking I would be able to take the
ship by myself. l saw the captain was a
ghost, and I came on the deck again.
The mate was grooming, n l felt it my
duty to put him out of his misery. One
more shot did that. ! secured the cap
tain's other pistol, and after giving the
r. o@%.= ~ .~o1@,I L,,no% 7 ~+o~trl %nI-nrl
the crew, who were aft. With a pistol
in each hand, I gave them to under
stand that l was to be master of the
Olive Pecker, and the first mar who
undertook to disobey my orders would
have to suffer the consequences. They
carried out my commands without a
murmur.
II first ordered them to throw the
mates body overheard. and 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 out the oil and saturate the whole
vessel fore and aft in such a manner
that she would burn up like HI. They
did that. and we got our belongings
and prepared to take to the boats, first
setting fire to the old ship.
my chum n I went down in one
of the boats. while the other four men
took to another. They pulled off in a
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 ar
rived from the ship than the officers
placed US under arrest and sent us tc
Bahia.
'The Pecker was one month out from
Boston, and was within two days ot
Bahia when all this happened. She was
a tWo-masted schooner and started out
with a crew of eight"
This statement was sent ashore by ar
officer of marine. The officer stated that
when the men were thrown into prison
at Bahia the United States Consul com,
municated with Washington and re
ceived instructions to place then
aboard the cruiser Lancaster, which a
that time was several hundred mile:
south of Bahia. The seamen remained
in the old prison at Bahia for fou
months before the arrival Of the Lam
caster.
When the men were sent aboard tn
cruiser they were found to be so filth.
and poorly clad that it was found neces
sary to give them baths and new wear
ing apparel. The cook was ordered il
irons, and the remainder Of the GREY
were placed in military confinement.
The five prisoners are under the i'm
preston that they are held as wit
nesses against the cook, and will be eS
pected to testify. 1t is more than prof.
witnesses against the murderer. bu
will be held and convicted Of firing
ship on the high seas The other tlv
men of the Olive Pecker's crew al
William Horsburg, Andrew j.. Marcl
Andrew Barriat. John Lund ana M
Barst.
Nebraska Reform Press Business ASsOciatio