Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-07-13
WHOLESALE MURDER.

One of the most shocking stories OF
murder, with robbery as the motive, in
the annals of crime was brought to New
Orleans yesterday by Capt Hans Holm,
of the Norwegian fruiter Bratten, which
plies between New Orleans and Hon
duran ports. 1t was subsequently con-
irmed by the officers of the fruit steamer
Rosina, which came in laterin the even
ing with additional details.
The little island of Utilla, lying OIL
the Hondurqn coast, whose population
is an indiscriminate mixture of whites,
Caymanites, and Caribs, was the scene
of the tragedy, in which twelve lives
were sacrificed. The captain of the lit
tie trading schooner Olympia was about
to make a trip to Ruatan, Truxillo, and
Belize. He had about 81, 400, and was
TO buy cattle at Truxillo to sell at Belize.
She carried a crew of four and quite a
number of passengers, making the total
list of people aboard number thirteen.
Among these we're two women and two
children.
The vessel left the harbOr of Utilla at
IL O'Clock Friday night, June 30, and
after she had been under way less than
an hour everybody was aroused by a
shot and, rushing on deck, found a
negro. armed with a Winchester rifle,
shooting down the men one after an
other This negro was Robert McGill,
and, as it afterward developed, he had
slowed himself away aboard with the in
tention of robbing the captain and then
swimming ashore. After he had killed
all but one of the men, he ordered the
last survivor to go below and scuttle the
ship. When the unfortunate man Ie-
appeared on deck and reported the negro
shot him dead
He then put the two women, Miss
Elsie Morgan and her sister, Mrs. Walter
Rose, in the dory, with Mrs. Roses six
weeks-old infant, and left the vessel,
steering for the mainland, He changed
his mind about allowing the women to
live. and killed Mrs. Rose and her in
iant. Then he began shooting at Miss
Morgan and wounded her in the arm.
She jumped overheard and started to
swim back to the island.
He fred at her Intellectually, but his
ammunition evidently gave out, for he
promised her immunity from harm If she
would come back to the dory. She
started back, and when within an oars
length, he struck her on the head with an
oar, stunning her. Believing she was
dead he rowed away toward the main.
land.
Miss Morgan swan back to the island,
where she was thrown on the beach by
the waves in an exhausted condition.
She feared that the negro would follow
her. so she hid in the bushes, and for
two DAYS suffered from the heat and ex'
posure, until found by woman from her
neighborhocd and rescued from starva-
! ton.
In the meantime the dory had been
washed ashore, and there was excitement
On the island, and it was believed the
OLYMPIA had gone down with all hands.
When Miss Morgan told her story, an
immediate search was instituted for Nc
Gill, and the authorities on the main
land were notified.
They caught him at FL Portvinir,
little town on the road to Celba, and
there was quite demonstration, but he
was protected His life was saved through
the presence on the coast of President
Bonila, who was on an inspection tour
The Honduran warship La Tumbia
which has figured in so many revolutions
was brought into service and the murder
er placed aboard and sent back to the is
lard.
Up TO last Sunday he was still alive
though it is firmly believed that he viii
be tortured TO death. The laws of Hon
duras prohibit capital punishment, bu
the people will take the case into thei
own hands.
Miss Elsie Morgan, the only survive
of the terrible experience, visited Nev
Orleans three years ago, and is well