The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-11-07

d UdI the HAIRED the Darl ana got q
drink and Adams, Sawyer and Coax
ley told me that each was going 10
buy a gun, a revolver. They lett m
and went to som kind of pawn shop
and | vent to see my uncle who lives IN
Mobile and did not go back TO the v.s-
sci until Monday morning ut 6 o'csocS
when We had t, go tc work.
"On Monday morning and before we
turned TO work Sawyer showed ne a
~3S-calibre Ive--Johnson pistol ami
Coakley did likewise. Adams showed
me a e8-calibre Harrington and Ricn
ardson. Sawyer said. We have been
treated brutal ABOARD this vessel since
we left home and I said. Yes, we
haze Continuing Sawyer said, If the
I~officers give us any provocation we are
going 70 shoot All four of us were
talking.
.'On september 2srd there was grow
ling as had been ever since we left
Philadelphia. Wnen off Florida straits
a storm struck us and carried away
our foretopsail. This was Friday
night, October 9th. All hands we're
called on deck that night to reef tie
sails ind put up storm tri-sail on the
spaker.
ou Atu1udy II "dS stOIiCCQ IudI LC
irudder head was sprung and we had to
put in e false Storage apparatus. tHere
he explained the way they steered the
vessel after the rudder was ~disabled.)
When We went TO supper that night
there was nothing to eat. This was
Sunday night, October 9Th. At the time
we were about SO or 10 miles at sea
and | should Judge that we were off
Charleston. John Hail. the mate, ana.
myself were pretty good friends and
the reason | know where we were so
we'll is because when he took the bear
ings he often told me. UIere Sect
became rather dramatic. and straight
ened himself in his chair.) We are
now coming to cne big tragedy and
want you all (here he cast his eyes
over the court room) to hear it.
"The last time I saw Captain Rurnsli
was on Mondas night at 8 O'Clock. On
Tuesday morning this man Sawyer was
On the lookout and Adams at the
wheel. We came on duty at 4 o'clock
to remain until g.. Sawyer made the
bells. l and Coakley dressed and came
On deck. I Went on lookout on gal.y
forecastle to relieve Sawyer and Coax
ley went to wheel to relieve Adams A
short time afterwards Smith, the eng1-
neer, came up and fixed the smoke
stack to make it draw and he spoke
10 me-. l looked in the engine room,
[ could see plainly into the room, and
the clock was Alt. About 4:30 the
| whistl. blew AMI l went to the cook to
get coffee pot. When [ went there Hall
was sitting there drinking coffee arG
the steward was in the galley. / o 20
the coffee pot and went in the forecas-
tie. Wnen l went in Adams was lying
down lpon a bench and Sawyer was
sitting by the table, and was reading
"a Worlds Almanac. l went aft to the
wheel to relieve CoakIey and he sail
he was going forward and give the
cook hell. In a few minutes | saw C0all-
ley come back and he and the steward
had some words and then he CRASHED
the steward. { saw Hall. the mate,
coming and Coakley turned the cook
.vose and grabbed. Hall and shot him
three times. Sawyer ran up and grab
bed the steward. When I heard it. ,
ran on starboard side and Coakey had
mate going overheard with him. Saw
yer fired two shots into the steward.
During this time Adams was wrestling
with the engineer and when COahley
and Sawyer had thrown the mate and
cook overheard, they came to Adams
assistance and each Of them fired on3e
at the engineer. They then threw him
overheard.
81 found an ivory handled pistol On
top OF the cabin with 5 cartridges IN
it and had neve: been fired. I took it
and put it in my belt. About ten ulin-
utes later the three came back but
Adams stayed amidships of the YES
sci and Coakley and Sawyer came back
at wheel to me. Sawyer said How far
up do o think We are?' and I replied
sIgoqs ugd SuIfLI pue lnoHooT lnoqe
and if we go to westward we will make
land by morning
"The three went forward and l aid
not see them until about half an sour
later when they came aft again. This
was between Z and 8 o'clock. Sawyer
came back to the wheel at s bells. When
he. relieved me | said I am going in the
cabin TO put the lights out I wanted
to see II the captain was there as L
had not seen hi;I. I saw he was not
in the cabin and | looked around to see
If there was any blood, but did not see
any. Everything was badly torn up.
When | was coming out l came by the
pantry and saw a can of corn and enc
of peaches on the dresser and I took
them and went &c the galley. 1 knew
there was no n to coo so l got
breakfast ready. 1 cooked breakfast
for all of them.
Il went into the cabin later and put
a pot which was half full of water on
the stove and put meat in 1t and open
ed a pot of clans and put in. This
was about 9o'clock and was for dinner.
We ate breakfast ordinarily at 1880 anu
dinner at II o'clock sharp. Adams
peeled some potatoes and gave to me
and I cut them up and threw them IN
the pot. l went forward into the en-
CINE room and Coakley was trying TO
put water in the boiler. Later we all
ate dinner and nothing more was done
until 4 o'clock. Then Sawyer went into
the galley and sot supper ready and
we all ate. Coakley and Sawyer ran
the shin during the day."