The San Francisco call., 1901-10-20
TALES OF SOUTH
SEA MYSTERY
American Supposed to
Have Been Killed
by Natives.
Strongly Supports
the Supposition of Foul
Play.

| w. F. Doty brother of the United
| States Consul In the Society Islands,
| who arrived from the South Sea yester-
! day, tells a story which seems to indi-
cate than an American named Wright has
been murdered by the natives on one of
the Marquesas Islands. An investigation
! Consul in conjunction with the French
| Governor, Monsieur Petit. The evidence
! thus far obtained strongly supports the
| suspicion that Wright has met with foul
| play.
Wright was a trader in the Marauesas
| cember. 1890. He represented In his trad
ing ventures an American merchant
named Varney. who has his headQuar-
ters at Attuwand on the island OF Hivoa-
posed @ he to Ea nave n BEEN e perpetrated T Wright
started from one OF the back valleys Tor
Attuwand. He carried with him a consld-
erable sum Of money, which unfortunately
never reached his destination. Since tnat
night he has not been seen. His horse.
bridled and saddled, was subsequently
found grazing In the valley of Tehuco,
considerable distance from Attuwand.
Did Not Fall Off Cliff.
The report was started that Wright be-
fore he started on his journey was intox-
icated. His road lay along steep clin,
and an attempt was made to arouse the
to hts death. The United States Consul
refused to give credence to the story and
undertook an investigation. which has
thus far furnished almost incontrovert-
ibie evidence that the American was muir
dered. Chinese who was rival trader
OF Wright was found bearing suspicious
cuts and bruises and bloodstains upon his
blouse. The Chinese resided in the valley
through which Wright's pathway LED.
He has been arrested and taken to Pa
told various conflicting stories His ex-
plantations OF the stains tended to fasten
the suspicion OF the murder upon himself.
In securing the Chinese. the Consul did
that one man could have done the deed
alone, and 1t Is supposed that the Chinese
had the assistance Of several and II Is
for the assassination of Wright was
Matched by the natives. AS to the assist
ants of the Chinese, suspicion points
appears that Wright once purlolned pig
to which the chief laid claim.
Details Of the Murder.
The story which at present Is being cir
culated among the natives Is that Wright
was waylaid. The assault was carefully
to the agreement. asked Wright for some
tobacco. While he was attempting to
draw 1t from his pocket he was struck on
the head with heavy war club. After
he had been murdered his body was
| weighted with stones and cast into the
sea-
to parry suspicion spread the report that
the American had been the victim of
cannibal feast. but there was no evidence
to support this rumor.
Wright at one time resided In the vicini-
ty OF Chicago. He appeared before the
United tSates Consul at Papeete. Tahiti.
in December. l9Oo and declared under
oath that he was a citizen of the United
States. He requested a statement of his
| declaration signed by the Vice Consul in
the absence OF the Consul. He claimed
that the certificate OF citizenship would
be OF great value to him In dealing with
the French authorities in the Marquesas
Islands,