The San Francisco call., 1906-04-17
FEAR Of DEVIL
CAUSES SUICIDE
Two Chinese Have Revenge
on a Lascar Whose Baboon
Attacked Them on a Ship
PARROT AIDS SCHEME
1t Frightens Enemy of the
Orientals and He Leaps
Overheard in Desperation
SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE CALL.

SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE CALL.
NEW YORK, April 16.-An eXtraor-
binary story of a suicide on board ship
brought about by the racial animosity
existing between the Chinese and Las
car members of the crew was told by
the second officer Of the steamship Pa
than, a new SO00-ton freighter, which
has arrived here on her maiden voyage
from the Far East
Abdul Hassim, one of the forty-two
Lascars aboard. leaped over. the side
about midnight while the ship was in
the Red Sea, driven to the act, so the
officers believe, by the Vaccinations of
Queng Yen and Chop Sing, two Chi
nese stewards.
1t appears that Abdul Hassim had a
big blue-nosed baboon. known as Pete,
which he was bringing over to sell. and
which he had trained to obey his every
wish
Abdul took a violent dislike to Quong
Yen, and occasionally, when no one
was looking, would incite Pete to pur-
sue Quong about the deck, and on one
occasion even allowed him to nip the
CelestiaTs leg.
Quong Yen resented these attentions
of Pete and lay awake many nights de-
vising plans for getting rid of the
baboon. A little poison would have
done the business quickly enough, but
the baboon had been taught 10 eat only
what Abdul gave him.
AT las, IL crrl,eTi,t CE. the steward
took counsel with Chop Sing. who, hav-
ing suffered now and then from the
baboon's approaches, was only too
ready to join in any scheme for re-
Venge.
'Lascar big heap 'fraid of debble, -
said Chop Sing scornfully, referring TO
the fact that. like all Lascars, Abdul
believed in malign presence on board
which must be carefully avoided.
Chop Sing seized eagerly upon the
idea, and after much thinking the pair
devised plan for Abdurs discontinue.
Little did they imagine, however. that
/ it would have such a terrible effect
upon their enemy, though doubtless
they would not have hesitated in any
case.
1t seems that Abdul, to return to his
quarters, had TO pass big steam winch
on the deck aft. between Nos. and 4
! matches, and that he particularly
| dreaded to do so alone at night lest
/ the ship devil should be in hiding there
and leap out at him
Quong Yen and Chop Sing learned
of this. and one night while Abdul was
/ attending TO his duties below in the
| engine room they took one of the par
rots which q friend of theirs was
bringing over to sell and tied him be-
hind the winch. 1t is needless perhaps,
! to remark that the parrot could talk
That night the superstitious Lascar
/ nearly fell dead with fright to hear a
voice coming from the winch-the voice
of the ships devil. of course, it was,
! he was sure of il. With the feaT of
death upon him Abdul crawled shak-
/ ing and trembling to his bunk and felt
about in the darkness for the little
wooden box in which he kept his pre-
cious drug. 1t was gone. There was
no more on board. He knew that well,
/ ging cholera medicine from the officers
/ after day until they became suspicious
icine poured some white powder they
called "keeneen" down Kazr's throat.
| He did not care to have that expert
ence, for Kazir had acted as if the
/ powder was not agreeable to the pal
ate and had soothing qualities in it. II
had been some days, he remembered
| before Kazfr Mahn got the taste out OF
/ his mouth.
Abdul Hassim pondered these things
as he lay there in his bunk staring
wide-eyed at the ceiIing-the dearth OF
| opium, the DEVILS voice he had just
heard. the long days and nights ot
mental and physical torture in store
for him
The result of it all was that AbGul
Hassim was missing the next morning
Some time between midnight and dawn
| he had gone quietly out on deck and
| jumped overheard.