Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-01-02
Of Murderer Bran, Now
Serving Life Sentence.
Oscar Anderson, Former Sailor
On BaTkentine Herbert Fuller,
Now Of Boston, Gives Details OF
The Horrible Murders.

the barkentine Herbert Fuller, who
was sentenced to life Imprisonment
for the murder of Capt. Charles l..
Nash on The high seas Is years ago, IS
the story of that eVentful night and
the succeeding days as the vessel was
being worked TO the nearest port, as
told, Sunday TO the Boston Globe, by
one of the crew of the Inflated craft.
Oscar Anderson a large. powerful
and muscular Swede, was one Of the
seamen on the Herbert Fuller when
she set SAIL lumber-laden from Bos-
ton To Buenos AyreS, III the summer Of
1886. Anderson long since gave up the
sea as a means Of making Al living.
Looking little like the common sea
man, Anderson, who proved to be
such a valuable government witness in
the several trials of the accused mate,
Bran, is now the manager of the
Butler Exercise Club at 309 Washing
ton street.
The stalwart frame and sturdy
hands controlled by the clear, active
brain that instilied confidence into
the crew of the Herbert Fuller and
which resulted in Bran being placed
In irons, now works for the physical
welfare of his patrons.
1t will be be remembered thta fol-
lowing the arrival of the Herbert Full
Ter and her crew in Boston from Hal
flax, Y. s., where Bran WAS formally
delivered over To the authorities by
the crew, that the six ordinary sea-
men were held as witnesses.
Those witnesses We're Charlie Brown.
wl.e was first suspected of the crime
ard upon whom the attorneys for the
defense attempted to fix the crime;
Frlke Wsssen, Heinrich Perdoc, Hen
r. Slice, Frank Luheac and Oscar An
derson.
Seaman Anderson spent 81 months
in the Suffolk county Jail, being I'M
able to furnish bonds. The other five
were not 50 fortunate and they We're
held. virtually prisoners, for two
years. Lester Monks, the passenger,
was bailed out by his father.
While in reminiscent mood. Ander-
son recited again the tragic story of
the doings aboard the ship where
Capt. Charles I. Nash. his wife and
Second Mate August Bamberg We're
so cruelty murdered.
THE crew that shipped on the Her.
bert Fuller for that voyage he said,
was entirely new. Bran was new
hand, so was the second mate. BAN
berg. All the crew We're engaged in
Boston and / was one of them. Capt.
Nash was the only man aboard IA
niiiar with the barkentine. Lester
Monks took passage for his health and
Mrs Nash accompanied her husband
on the voyage.
LAT the outset I was assigned to
Mate Bambergs watch. Charley
Brown, who figured so prominently
in the case, afterward was in Bram's
va tch
I'VE had been out about two weeks.
guess, and were about 600 or 700
miles southeast of Boston on the
morning that I was awakened by the
cook. Frank Luheac, who told me the
captain had been murdered. The pas
senger, Monks, had first told Luheac.
of the crimes and it was Monks who
was awakened by the cries of Mrs.
Nash as she struggled with the muir
derer.
The night was clear. A fair wind
was blowing, before which the vessel
was running. Bran, who was first
mate, not second mate, as has been
printed, as on watch and was stand
ing on the deckload of lumber just for
ward of the main cabin. Charley
Brown was at the wheel. From his
position, Bran could plainly see Brown
at his post.
when Monks, awakened by the
shrieks of Mrs. Nash, unlocked his
cabin and entered Capt. Nash's cabin
the latter was lying dead on the lounge.
II. OF, Ii. tNs far
clothes and his revolver. and then
walked up the front passage and saw
Bran standing at the entrance above.
Monks told Bran that the captain
was dead and instantly Bran threw
heavy plank from the deckload down
into the passageway.
monks went on deck and told the
mate of the murders. Together they
discussed the case pretty generally and
suddenly Bran reached beneath one of
the flashing planks and pulled out the
AK, covered with blood and remarked:
This is what was undoubtedly used,
and he then threw the ak overheard.
I'VE all hurried on deck and talked
over the situation. Bran suggested
that we lay hold and clean up the
cabin and bury the bodies. We the
crew, would not agree to that sugges-
ton and then Mate Bran suggested
that we shape our course for French
Guiana and report the happenings to
the officials there.
- "He said it was the nearest port, but
we got out the chart and found that
Bermuda was less than half the dis
lance. We then agreed to turn about
and head for Bermuda, although Bran
insisted that we should go to French
Guiana. But the wind changed after
we headed for Bermuda and we turned
again and ran for Halifax.
In the meantime we removed the
bodies and had placed them in the
bottom of boat covered with tar
paulin. The bodies We're wrapped in
canvas and over the gunwales of the
boat We dashed more tarpaulin, and
then placed the boat amidships. After
aaday or two we lowered the boat
containing the bodies and towed it
astern until we reached Halifax.
up to this time no action had been
taken toward placing the murderer in
CUSTODY Bran said he could not I'M