The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1903-02-23
.SOLACE MARCH
BECOMES A DIRGE
BANDMASTER LOCASCIO LEAPS
OVERHEARD FROM TRANSPORT
WHILE INSANE.

There was tragedy to record on the
homeward trip OF the naval transport
Soace this month. The vessel came
into port yesterday from Manila and
Guam with large number of men
aboard who are going home to be dis
charged, having served their period of
enlistment at the Asiatic station. s.
Locascio, a government bandmaster
from the Island of Guam, was the
victim of the tragedy. He jumped over
board While insane and died shortly az
ter being rescued. This affair occur
red February 10.
The Polace left Manila February
and aIG1ved at Guam February s, and
sailed from there February 8. A num-
Der of passengers boarded the vessel at
Guam, among them being 5. Locascio.
The latter had been sent out some time
ago by the government to take charge
of the band work at Guam. Another
| bandmaster was sent out by the Solace
| later SO there were two heads of that
, department. II was decided to send
Locascio home. Evidently the transfer
worried LOcascio, for he became quite,
moody. He kept a daily journal in
which were afterwards found some
very queer entries that show that his
mind had become unbalanced. Cap
tain Singer, the commander of the So
lace, had the man watched after leav-
ing Guam.
On February 10, Locascio appeared to
be perfectly rational HE had been
writing music" reported the ships doc
! tor. The bandmaster seemed to have
regainaG mis- normal spirits, he seemed
happy when composing music.
He was at work on a composition
he said to some, to be known as the
Solace March. He did not live to fir.
ish his march, for the Solace March
proved to be his dirge. In the after
noon without any warning whatever,
Locascio jumped from the hurricane
! deck into the sea. The alarm was Civ
en-, life buoy was thrown close to
| him but the insane bandmaster swan
away from the life preserver. A boat
was lowered and the man was rescued.
He was nearly drowned when the sail
Ors dragged him into the boat Efforts
were made to resuscitate him while the
boat was being rowed to the side of the
vessel. Locascio was taken aboard and
the ships physician worked over him
but the bandmaster died within a short
time. Locascio was buried at sea the
following day.
The vessel did not encounter any
especially stormy weather, although
high winds and rough seas We're met
at intervals
While docking at Naval Wharf No. /
yesterday morning. the Soldce was
caught by a sudden gust of wind and
thrown off her course. Before she
could be checked she had showed her
sharp nose into the wharf and plowed
along for a distance of twenty feet.
The damage to the wharf amounted to
several hundred dollars. There was no
damage done the vessel. She will re-
main in port until February 26 coaling.
She will then sail for San Francisco
and Mare Island.
Among the passengers aboard the So
lace is Commander Seaton Schroeder,
the former Governor of the Island Of
Guam. He is going to Washington
having been relieved by Commander
Sewall.
Luis Casino, who has had charge of
the missionary work at Guam under Iii
rection of the local Protestant missions, !
returned to Honolulu with his family. |
Miss Anna Foster, who has also been |
engaged in mission work in Guam, is
returning passenger.