The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-08-23
SHIT IS HELD VI
BY BUCCANEERS. c A.
They Had Planned to Murder
Officers and Grew and
Beach Vessel.
R e 9. o.BIB 3 .ERY THEIR MOTIVE.
|! Would Have Succeeded but for
Cowardice of One OF
Desperadoes.
R 0SB.BsEiRY THEIR MOTIVE

San Francisco. Cal. August 22.-With
her captain. e. B. Wood. dead in his
cabin, as a result of an attempt by
two desperadoes to hold up and rob
his ship at sea, the steamship, Buck
man arrived to-day from Sc attie, with
George Washington Wise, one of the
two buccaneers. in irons. Since he was
captured early yesterday he has con-
sfessed that he and French West planned
to murder the officers and crew of the
steamship before Bleaching her on the
coast near Point Blanc. This plan
would have been carried out had It
not been for the cowardice of Wise,
according to officers of the Buchanan
After holding shotgun leveled at
the quartermaster and the second mate
for three hours, Wise deserted his post.
come the crew alone. West is believed
to have jumped overheard. No one
saw him leap, however, and the ship
will be thoroughly searched, in the
hope that the murderer Of Captain
Wood may still be on board.
Heavily armed and equipped with
cords to be used in tying up the "owl
watch the two men invaded the
bridge at midnight, entered the Wheel
house and compelled Second officer
Frederick Plath and Quartermaster
Otto Kohlmeister to throw up their
hands.
Giving the second officer and the
quartermaster in charge Of Wise, after,
binding Plath and instructing Kohl
meister to hold the vessels nose to-
ward shore, West demanded entrance
to Captain Woods cabin. What reply
the captain gave will never be known.
From the position Of his body It is
believed that he was reaching for his
revolver when West fred through the
door and riddled him with buckshot.
Reaches Signal Cord.
In the meantime. Plath strained at
his bonds until he could reach the
signal cord. He gave the signal to the
engineer that there was "a Are on
board Chief Engineer John callfas
ran to the brid ge. where he was met
with a command to hold up his hands,
He obeyed promp tly, and joined the
1line-up which now included two
thirds Of the crew. West instructed
them to hold the bridge rope. which
was above their heads. Callfas Swatcn.
ed a chance, jumped over the bridge,
through the skylight. and into the gal
lery. West went in pursuit Of the
chief engineer, and the men whom he
mad &SuafQedN1edSln eli EulTectlOnS.t tgS Az
this juncture, Wa lehman Wilson ap-
peared on the scene with the only
revolver outside the ca aptain' is ca bin.
He snapped: the weapon twice t3syYise,
but it, failed to expl ode. This was
enough, however. for the weaker Of
the two thugs. He fled, only to o8meet
his partner, who at the point Of his
shotgun ordered him to cut the Wire
less sconnections. & &
! @ West began shooting whenever q
head appeared. Finally q splash was
heard, and all become quiet on board.
AT hrst no trace of either rob bier
could be found. Wise was fterWard y ar
..sdiscovered hiding In his bunk
s According to Wise, he met Nv est fon
board the training ship Pensa ola,
They deserted the navy early this
month and went to Seattle, When they
boarded the Buchanan they we're well !
I2equipped with arms and ropes with
which to overcome and bind the off !
GERS and crews They Y planned nm 8 to 9, beach .
l5they yBuckman, rob the purser and pas a Z
ssangse,rrs and to make their way With
IStKefr booty to shore In q small boat.