Evening journal., 1905-07-13
STAYS
ENTIRE CREW
Bent Upon Robbery Stowa-
way Murdered Passengers
on Fruit Vessel
SLAUGHTER BY THE WHOLESALE

New Orleans, July 1S-Captain Hans
Holmes OF the Norwegian fruiter Brat
ten, which plies between New-Orleans
and Honduras ports. brought to this
city yesterday the story Of twelve per-
sons, including woman and an in
FAINT brutauy murdered by a negro.
The officers OF the fruit steamer Rosina
which came in later in the evening.
brought additional details.
The little island Of Utnla. lying Off
the Honduras coast. and whose popu-
lation is an indiscriminate mixture of
whites. Caymanites and Caribs was
the scene Of the extraordinary Tragedy.
The captain of the little schooner
| Olympia was about to make trip to
Ruatan, Truxillo and Belize. He had
about 1,fo0 soils. and was to buy cattle
at TruXillo to sell at Belize. He car
ried a crew of four and some passengers
making the total list of people aboard
number thirteen. Among these were
two women and two children.
The vessel left the harbor of Utilla
at IL o'clock on Friday night, June 30,
and after she had been under way less
than an hour everybody was aroused
by a shot. Rushing on deck they found
a negro, armed with a Winchester rife
shooting down the men. one after
another. This negro was Robert Nc
Gin. 1t after developed that he had
slowed himself aboard. with the inten'
ton Of robbing the captain and ther
swimming ashore.
After he killed all but one OF the mer
he ordered the last survivor TO go be
low and scuttle the ship When th'
man reappeared on deck and reported
the negro shot him dead He then put
the two women. Miss Elsie Morgan
and he sister. Mrs. Walter Rose, with
her six-weeks-old infant in the dory
As soon as they were anoat he changeC
bis mind about allowing the women u
live and killed Mrs. Rose and her in
fant.
Then he began shooting at Mis-
Morgan and wounded her in the arm
She jumped overheard and started q
swim back to the island He red a
her Intellectually, but his ammunition
evidently gave out, for he promised he
immunity from harm If she came bacl
to the dory. She started back, ans
when within reach he struck her ol
the head with an oar, stunning hei
Believing she was dead, he rOwed ava,
toward the mainland.
BUT ONE SURVIVOR.
Miss Morgan swan back to the islam
where she was thrown on the beach b
the waves in an exhausted condition
She feared that the negro would fol
low her, so she hid in the bushes an
= for two days suffered from the hea
and exposure. until she was found b
a woman from her neighborhood an
rescued from starvation.
In the meantime the dory had bee
washed ashore, and there was excite
! lment IN the island, as it was believe
the Olympia had gone down with a
hands. When Miss Morgan told h,
story an immediate search was inst
tuted for McGin and the authorities Q
I the mainland We're informed Of n
tragedy. They caught the murderer &
FL Porvinir little town on the road {
Ceiba. His life was saved through th
s presence on the coast of Presider
Bonilla, who was on an inspectio
r tour. The Honduras warship, L
Tumbla. which has figured in so man
Y revolutions. was brought into servic
land the murderer was placed aboaf
I land sent back TO the island.
Up to last Sunday he was still aliv
! though it is firmly believed that he wi
be tortured to death. The laws
Honduras prohibit the inhiction =,
capital punishment, but the people wi
probably take the case in their ow
hands.
> Miss Elsie Morgan. the only SURVIVE
I of the terrible occurrence. visited New
i Orleans three years ago. She is we
= leducated, refined young woma,
S twenty-five years old.