Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-08-23
CAPTAIN SLAIN
BY MODERN
PIRATE
DARING ATTEMPT TO
CAPTURE STEAMSHIP
Survivor of Pair of Buccaneers.
Tells Almost Unbelievable
Story Unique in Annals of
Latter Day Crime.


San Francisco. Aug. 22.---With her
captain dead in his cabin and bring
ing a tale of piracy unparalleled In
modern seafaring annals, the steam
ship Buckman arrived In this port to-
day. George Washington Wise one of
pair of buccaneers, who has been
in irons on board the vessel since he
was captured early yesterday morning,
has confessed that he and his partner
in crime. French West, planned to
murder the officers and crew Of the
steamship before Bleaching her on the
coast near Point Blanco.
That this plan would have been car
ried out had II not been for the cow
ardice of Wise Is the belief of the Of
ficers Of the Buckman.
After holding shotgun levelled at
the quartermaster and second mate
for three hours, Wise deserted his post
and seeing the futilty of trying 10
overcome the crew sigle-handed. West
is believed To have jumped overheard.
No one saw him make the leap, how
ever and the ship lying at her dock
here will be thoroughly searched in
the hope that the murderer Of Cap
tani Wood may still be on board.
Heavily armed ana equipped with
cords to be used in tying up the owl
watch the two modern pirates invad-
ed the bridge at midnight, entered the
wheel house and compelled Second
Officer Frederick Plath and Quarter
master Otto Kohmeister, who was at
the wheel, 10 hold up their hands.
Then began battle between the
two heavily armed desperadoes on one
side and the officers and crew armed
with one revolver on the other When
il was over the captain was welterlng
in his own blood in his cabin. the
crew was barricsded In the darkened
engine room. one rohber was overe
board and the other was covering In
his bunk.
Leaving the second officer and quar-
termaster in charge Of Wise after
binding Plath and lnstructing Kohl
meister to hold the vessels nose to-
ward the shore, West had demanded
entrance TO the captains cabin. What
reply the captain gave will never be
known, but from the position of his
hody il is believed that he was reach
ing for his revolver when West fired
through the door ana riddled him
with buckshot from the automatic
shotgun which he carried.
Desperate at the plight of the cap
tain Plath strained at his bounds un-
til he reached the signal cord which
Informed the engine room that there
was fire on board.
Chief Engineer John Callfas ran to
the bridge where he was met with a
command to hold up his hands. He
obeyed promptly, and Joined the line
up. which now includtd two-thirds OF
the crew. Stepping up to Callfas ne
told him that he intended to XIII him.
Callfas jumped over the bridge
through the skylight into the gallery.
West went in pursuit of the chief en-
gineer and the men whom he had
been guarding fled in all directions.
At this inncture Watchman Wilson
appeared on the scene with the only
revolver left i'm the captains cabin. lie
snapped the weapon twice at Wise
but ii failed TO explode. This was
enough, however. for the weaker or
the two pirates and he fled, only to
(Contlnued on pagc2, Col. b