The Hawaiian gazette., 1909-03-09
PIRATES P|LLAGE WRECK
lcontinued from Pnge ono. }

Continued from Page One.)
to claim the protection of the United
States ON the ground that Coffee is an
American citizen. Another cablegram
came shortly afterwards informing Nc
Inerny that "A British warship had lett
for the scene This was the Champion,
which is due to arrive at this port in
day or so. Mr.. Duffy enlisted the aid
of the British government on the score
of his being an English subject, and
the voyage of the Champion was tho
result.
Numerous theories have been ad-
vanced within the last few hours as to
what might have happened to the Aeon
instead of the alleged fact, based on
a mere assumption, that she has been
dynamited by pirates. On account of
the large number of beachcombers
patrolling this region in small schoon.
ers, with which some would people the
South Seas, looking for opportunities
of this sort. it is probable that the own
ers jumped to this conclusion as soon
as they heard that their rich prize had
disappeared.
1t may be that the Aeon has broken
up entirely, or ii may be that she has
been floated off the island. There have
been any number of heavy storms down
in that direction within the last few
weeks, and it is possibility that dur
ing one of these the Aeon has been
washed from the coral reef on which
| heretofore she had rested so fast. The
suggestion has been made that pirates
would naturally dynamite the vessel
after they had robbed her of every
thing of valne in order that all evil
dence of the crime might be done away
with.
The Aeon had cargo which was
indeed a rare inducement for any dew
/ il-may-care beachcombers who sail
around the South Sea Islands. Among
| the striking things she carried was a
large consignment of high-class auto.
mobiles, sewing machines, and type
writers. She had a large load of lum-
Der in addition to these, and the gen.
! era freight list contained everything
g from needle to a threshing ma.
chine. -
Coffee and Duffy of Australia est.
mated that the cargo of the Aeon,
when she went on the coral reef, was
worth no less than 100000. This was
a conservative estimate, as they count
ed out many articles they thought
might have been damaged irreparably
a lot of groceries and canned goods
being considered in this class. Thai
they thought they would clear severa
| hundred thousand dollars from tn,
wreck was evident from the way the,
made preparations and spent money il
| fxinD nm 81
Locally the story that pirates hav,
gotten away with the vessel is no
given much credence. Waterfronter
are inclined TO scout any tale of sucl
open piracy. But the fact remains tina
Coffee and Duffy, the owners, woul,
hardly cable such radical message un
less they had every reason to believ
the truth of the story. Jim McInern,
is inclined to wait for more develop
ments before he puts much faith il
the tale, but he admits that the cable
gram has the ring of truth.
1t means the loss of lot of none,
to the people in Australia. They ha
intended fitting out an auxiliar
schooner and sending her to Christ ma
Island fully prepared to handle all tn
cargo, including the large amount o
lumber. This plan was not carried int
effect, Notwithstanding the fact that
splendid boat was chartered for tn
purpose. The owners delayed the gam
: as soon as they heard the Honolulu EN-
: of the developments from McInern,
! their agent.
1t seems that Captain Miller made
proposition to McInerny that he woul
get the cargo from the Aeon and brin
it to Honolulu, going share and shaI
. alike with the owners, in the profit
In the meantime, Captain Miller de
p, patched Eben Low and the schoont
Concord down to Christmas Island [
size up the situation.
. What will now be done is not ee
$ tain, according to McInerny. Coffe
the American partner in the scheme,
!, a former commercial traveller drum
:, mer-and he is filled to the brim wit
3 Yankee ideas. In n letter which
wrote to MeInerny a short time ag
he stated that he had thought of e
/ tablishing carrier pigeon commune
:. tion system with the other islands fro
n the so-called Christmas Atoll. while Il
L wreeking work was going on. but hi
= fomnd this imnraeticable. and had
{. cided to train the denizens of the dee
!. thus forming the Flying Fish Expires
g. --s A..---------
a, DETROIT. Mich. March ST
# United States Steel Corporation h
4 III. nn.,nI L.. 81. a.