Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-22
COOK ANDERSON'S TRiiL.
Sailor Witnesses Tell OF the B. uial Murder or
the Olive Pecker.

Norfolk. Va, Dec 2o.-The United
States court. this morning, took up the
case of John Andersen, accused of the
murder Of Mate Saunders Of the
schooner Olive PeckeT, the prisoner
having been re-indicted and a petit.
jury sworn. last Saturday
In making his statement OF the case,
District Attorney Waite said that re
expected to prove that the Olive Peck
er was an American vessel, left Bos-
ton, June %. for Buenos Agrees loaded
with lumber and differed and manned
by Captain J. Whitman, Mate William
Wallace Saunders. Cook John Ander
sen. Engineer William Horsburg, and
Seamen Martin Barsted, Andrew
March and John Lind. and that. Aug
C. when the vessel was about 100 miles
off the coast, the tragedy occurred.
He proceeded to go over the details
of the murder of Whitman. as already
scattered broadcast by the press and
the incidents following the tragedy up
to Nov. I. when the men were brought
10 Hampton Roads on board the L. :
S. Lancaster. Mr.. White concluded
his statement with a quotation of the
law bearing on the case.
Mr.. Mcintosh. counsel for the ac
cused. in presenting his outline of the
defence to the jury said he would
show Andersen was subjected to un-
heard of and unparalleled cruelties and
that Andersen's deeds We're committed
10 save his own life.
Thomas J. Newton. clerk in the
j a.,
tilted a packet which he presented to
the court as the original papers in the
testimony given by the Pecker crew
before the United States consul II
Bahia. The documents Were turned
over to Mr. Mcintosh. who had called
for them.
Captain j. Adams of Rockland, Me-. one
of the principal owners describes the in
terror structure of the schooner. The
next witness was Robert C.. McGough.
Superintendent of the stevedores, who
had loaded the vessel. John Taylor was
master of the United States steamer
Lancaster. testified. indentifying the pris
ontr as the man taken aboard that vessel
al Bahia, as John Anderson. Martin
Barsted. the Norwegian sailor. said he
last saw Mate Saunders. Aug. 6, on the
forecaStle deck of the Oliver Pecker. The
mate was shot by John Anderson and his
Al
time of the shooting was at the wheel.
He heard a shot in the cabin and soon
Anderson came on deck with a pistol in
each hand and one in his left hip pocket.
He sang out for Mate Saunders 20 come
down. The mate was in the rigging and
said What do you want?" Come down
said Anderson.
what have you got in your hand.
Cooke" the mate asked.
"A gun. and a shot was fred.
The mate said: For Gods sake, don't
cook and Anderson fired again. then
again and the mate fell and he fired once
more after the mate was down and called
the crew out and marched them down
into the cabin and made them bring up
the body of the captain.
He gave them each drink of whiskey
and took one himself. When they had
thrown the bodies overheard. Anderson
said they were guilty because they had
helped dispose of the bodies. He COM
PEELED the crew at the point of the pistols
to gather up their effects and put them
into a boat, then he made them pour oil
over the vessel and set it on fire, after
which all hands left the vessel in the
small boat
Witness then described the drawing OF
lots to see who should go together. the
trip to Bahia, the arrest and the appear
ance before United States consul. Bar
stad said that he saw Anderson throw
water on the captains dog. He heard the
captain curse Anderson after which fol-
lowed the noise as though someone was
falling. He supposed the captain had
struck Anderson. who came up and asked
the mate TO protect him. The mate said:
go to h, you've got to die anyway"
After Barstads testimony the court
took a recess for an hour. When court
reconvened. John Lind testified that he
had shipped as common sailor on the
Pecker. He told a story similar to Par
stad's except that he did not see Ander-
son shoot the mate. Anderson came to
him and said that he had killed the
captain and that the mate had to go too.
The witness called the watch and while
doing this he heard three or four shots
on the other side of the vessel. Witness
helped throw the bodies overheard and
Anderson cursed the dead body of the
mate. He could not state what language
he used.
Speaking of the whiskey Anderson gave
the crew, Lind said it was only naif a
bottle and no one was drunk. The cap
tain and mate were dead when thrown
overheard. Lind told how the crew drew
lots to see who should go together and
they left the vessel and his lot fell with
that of Anderson. He said Anderson shot
the dog which came ashore in the bow
and on the way to Belmont sold the
captains watch.
Upon cross-examination, Lind said he
had heard Anderson. prior to the killing.
ask the mate to protect him from the
captain. and heard the mate tell Ander-
son to go to hell. You will be killed
anyway"
Anderson. that morning. had thrown
water on the captains dog; the captain
cursed him in the worst language he
ever heard and then made for him.
after which Lind heard n noise as OF
some one falling and presently Anderson,
came out of the galley and asked the
mate to protect him.
Andrew March. another of the crew,
testified that he did not see the killing of
the mate. but heard Anderson say he had
killed him. Witness heard Anderson call
the mate down from aloft. He heard the
conversation between Anderson and the