The record-union., 1897-11-06
The u. S. Steamer Lancaster Ar
rives at Hampton Roads,
Having Aboard the Grew Who Murdered the
Captain and Mate.
The Cook Relates the Story Of How
He Put to Death His Shipmates
and Then Saturated the Vessel
With Oil and Set Afire.

The United States steamer Lancaster
dropped anchor in Hampton Roads this
morning from Bahia, Brazil. In mill
tary confinement on the warship are
five fYren of the crew of the schooner
Olive Pecker, whose captain, j. w.
Whitman of Rockland, Me-, and first
mate, William Saunders of Sandy Cove,
N. s., were murdered at sea in Aug
ust. In the ships brig, closely ironed,
is j. Anderson the cook, who is the self
confessed perpetrator of the murders,
and who afterwards set fire to the ves-
sci.
The Pecker sailed from Boston on
the 9th of June, and the story of this
tragedy Of the sea is told best in the
words of the murderer, who tonight
gave to the Associated Press the fol-
lowing version of his crime:
Il was the cook aboard the Olive
Pecker, and had to serve the captain
as his servant. I had good reason to
believe that the captain did not take to
me, and I was always in fear Of my
life, whenever he got into his mad fits.
He had a dog which was always COM
ing into the cook house and annoying
u.s. On the day of our little difficulty,
the animal came inside, and l threw
boiler of hot water on him.
We'll, he howled, and the next thing
L knew the captain was calling for me-
went to his cabin and he commenced
curSlng me, telling me that this sort
or thing had to stop. 1 did not say
anything to him, and he ordered me
into his cabin to make up his bed. This
was in the morning.
made up his bed, and he ordered
me out with volley of oaths l saw
he was in mean humor and deter
mined to arm myself against him.
knew the captain had some pistols in
his cabin, and l went back to get one
of them. Just as soon as / entered the
captain fired a beer bottle at me, and.
seeing that I lodged it, he picked up a
pistol from the table and sent ball in
my direction. 1 had got my hands on
a weapon, which was lying on the corn
er of his table and of course I opened
fire on the - rascal. My first bull
let took effect in his forehead, and the
second went into his breast, killing him
almost instantly.
Il then went upon the deck and called
to the mate, who was in the fore rig
ging. He shouted down to me. ask
ing what l 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.
He was an old fellow with whiskers and
felt like smashing him with my fist.
He looked at me as If to inquire nv
authority to order him about and I
leveied the weapon at his old bewhis-
kered head, saying at the time, 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.
I then went down into the cabin.
thinking I would be able to take the
ship by myself. I saw that the Cap
tain was ghost, and came on deck.
The mate was groaning, and 1 felt it
my duty to put him out of misery. One
more shot did that.
Il secured the Captains other pis-
tol. and after giving the mate a second
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 consequences. They carried
out my commands without a murmur.
Il 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 I 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 h-ll. They
did that, and then we got out our be-
longings and prepared to take the boats,
first setting fire to the ship.
My chum and / went down in one
of the boats, while the other four men
| took the other. They pulled off in diff
ferent directions from us, and we never
saw them aSain until we met in prison
in Bahia. They must have peached on
us. for no sooner had we landed from
the ship than the officers placed US un-
der arrest and sent us to Bahia"
The five sailors are under the impress
sion that they are being held as wit
| nesses against the cook, and will be
expected to testify that he murdered
the Captain and the mate. 1t is more
than probable, however. that they will
not only be used as witnesses against
the murderer, but will be held on the
charge of firing a ship on the high seas.
The other five men of the Olive Peck
er's crew are William Herburg, Andrew
f. March, Manuel Barriat, John Land
and NJ. b. Arstade.