The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-11-07
TO BE TRIED AT NORFOLK
JUAN BARRIOS TELLS ABOUT
THE AFFAIR.
CREW HELD A CONSULTATION ON BOARD
Some Of Them Wanted to Sail to Africa, 0theo
to Return to America But the Cook Or
dered Them in the Boat and
Fired the Schooner.


Norfolk, Va, Nov. 6.-The mut.neers
who fired the schooner Olive Pecker. Of
Boston, on the high seas after the cap
tain and mate had been murdered by
John Anderson, the cook, will be trans
ferred Monday from the United States
ship Lancaster, which brought them
from Bahia, Brazil, to Hampton Roads
to the Norfolk city jail, where they will
be confined pending trial before the Uni.
ted States district court here. Judge
Robert w. Hughes will probably pre-
side at the trial and District Attorney
VIM. II. White, who viii represent the
government. is now at Old Point ac-
quainting himself with the details Of the
case.
1t is not known when the case will be
called, but as the United States courts
recent session consumed only ore day,
it is not unlikely that Judge Hughes may
order special session to try the case.
Anderson was seen to-day by an Asso.
ciated Press representative and again
told the story Of the crime. 1t did not
differ materially from that given to the
press yesterday except that he strenu.
ously insisted that the deed was com.
mitted to save his own life, and he also
dwelt persistently on the brutality of the
captain and mate. He admitted that he
killed them but did not admit that he
burned the ship with his own hands.
Juan Barrios, the Spaniard, one of
the prisoners, corroborates tie story OF
Anderson in detail as far as he knows
it. After telling Of the brutal treatment
of the cook by the mate and captain,
Barrios speaking OF the tragedy said
that he was in his bunk trying to sleep
WREN he heard noise and in a little
while some one came forward and knock
ed on his window saying: "Look out
boys, the cook is on deck with three re-
voivers." He asked the man who was
giving the warning where the CAPTAIN
was, and he replied: "In the cabin" He
then asked if any one had Killed the
cook, and the reply was: "No. but the
cook is trying TO kill the mate" The
mate was in the foresheets. Barrois
hid himself between the engone room
and his bunk and remained there until
Anderson called for the crew to come
out saying that he was master of the
vessel. He came ont of his hiding place
and saw the mate lying dead on the deck,
face down. Anderson was standing near
with three revolvers. He made the
crew throw the bodies overheard, which
they did very unwillingly. One of them
told him the mate was not dead, but the
cook said he was dead enough.
The crew held hurried sort Of consul
tation. according to Barrois. Some
of them wanted to sail the vessel
to Africa and others wanted to come
back to the States. Anderson would
trust none of them. but made them get
in the boat. Then they poured oil over
the schooner. Barrois does not know
who touched off the flames. He says
that he was the first to give the Brazil
inn authorities nm account of the
ira gedy. He was very much excited to-day
and broke down several times while talk
ing. He seems to he craven and will
probably do more swearing than all the
others in order to save his own neck.
His manner ia in decided contrast TO
that OF Anderson. who s as cool aHfE
nonchalant as 1t We're an every day af-
fair.
WILL BE TRIED AT NORFOLK. :
Washington, Nov. 6.-The Attorney
General has advised the Secretary of
the Navy that he desires to have the
mutinous crew of the American Schoon.
Ier Olive Pecker tried at Norfolk, in the
eastern district of Virginia. 1t was at
first thought that the case would be
brought to trial at Boston, but the LAM
guage OF the statute is so explicit that
the question of jurisdiction undoubtedly
would be raised and probably with suc-
cess, If the crew were taken for trial to
any point outside the Norfolk district.
To avoid any chance, therefore, of fall
IRE to convict by reason of n defect
in the proceedings, the United States
Marshal at Norfolk has been instructed
TO take custody Of the prisoners and the
United States Attorney will be directed
to proceed with the trial. The section of
the revised statutes which fixes the iur.
:sdiction of cases of this kind is T30,
which is as follows:
''The trial of all offenses committed
upon the high seas or elsewhere. ont of
the jurisdiction OF any particular State
or district. shall he in the district where
the offender is found, or into which he
is first brought
Solicitor General Richard will 20 "a
Norfolk tonight TO spend Sunday with
his brother. who is an officer ON the
United States training ship Lancaster
which brought the prisoners to thar
port. and during his stay he win confer
with United States Attorney White as
TO the conduct OF the case. II is NOT
YET decided whether any of the officials
with the department. of Jus.
tice here will assist In tho prosecutions.
but it is not likely that they will.