The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-07-21

most shocking stories Of murder, with
robbery as the motive, in annals of
crime was brought to this city by
Capt. Hans ilolms Of the Norwegian
frulter Bratten, which plies between
New Orleans and Honduranean ports.
It was subsequently confirmed by tho
officers of the fruit steamer Ros!na,
which came In later with additional de-
tails.
The Scene OF the Tragedy.
The little island OF Utilla, lying OF
the Honduranean cost. and whose pop
ulation is an indiscrimluate mixture OF
whites, Caymanites and Caribs, was
the scene Of the tragedy, In which IL
lives were sacrificed. The captain Of
the little schooner Olympia was about
to make u trip to Ruatan, Truyillo and
Belize. He had about l,400 soils, and
was to buy cattle at Truxillo to sell at
Belize.
The Fatal Number ia.
He carried a crew of four and quite
n number Of passengers, making the
total list of people aboard number
thirteen, Among these were two wom-
en- and two children. The vessel left
the harbor Of Utilla at II o'clock Fri
day night, June 80, and, after she had
been under way less than an hour, ey-
erybody was aroused by q shot, and.
rushing on deck, found a negro, armed
with q Winchester rifle.
The Ship Scuttied.
This negro was Robert McGill, and,
az Il afterward developed, he had
slowed himself away aboard with the
intention Of robbing the captain and
then swimming ashore. After he had
killed all but one Of the men he or
dered the last survivor to 80 below and
scuttle the ship. When the unfortu-
nate %reappeared on deck and reported.
the negro shot him dead.
Leaves the BORt.
He then put the two women, Miss
Elsi Morgan and her sister, Mrs. Wal
ter Rose, In the dory, with Mrs. Roses
six-weeks-old infant, and left the boat,
steering for the mainland. He changed
his mind about allowing the women to
live, and killed Mrs. Rose and her in
fant, Then he began shooting Of Miss
Morgan, and wounded her In the arm.
She jumped overheard and started to
swim back to the island.
The Only survivor.
He fred at her Intellectually, but his
ammunition evidently gave out, for he
promised her immunity from harm II
she would come back to the dory. She
started back, and when within an
oars length he struck her on the head
with al oar, stunning her. Believing
she was dead. he rowed away towards
the mainland 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
suffered from the heat and exposure
until found by q oma from her
neighborhood, and rescued from star
walton,
Negro Saved From Death.
In the meantime the dory had been
washed ashore, and there was excite
ment in the island, as 1t was believed
the Olympia had gone down with all
hands. When Miss Morgan told her
story an immediate search was insti-
tuted for McGill, and the authorities
on the mainland were notified. They
caught him at El Porvinir, a little
town on the road to Ceiba, and there
was quite a demonstration, but he was
protected. His life was saved through
the presence on the coast of President
Bonilla.
Negro slayer of Twelve Lynched.
New Orleans, July l5.--Robert Nc
Field. the negro who killed twelve
norgDna aboard tho prittSh tradipu