Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1913-06-20
Freebooters Of the Sea Not Yet
Stamped Out.
Captain and Mate Of Large Vessel
Forced to Walk the Plank Only 4
Short Time Aeo-Attacks
That Failed.

A few weeks ago London man was
sentenced to penal servitude for life
for the crime Of piracy. 1t sounds pre-
posterous to talk of the black flag in
these days of 40,000-ton liners and
wireless telegraphy, yet the bald fact
remains that piracy Is by no means an
extinct offense.
This modern buccaneer was stew.
ard who. after serving in various
ships, was stranded at Callao, in Peru.
There he picked up with man named
Sherratt, and the two shipped aboard
a small schooner, the Neuva Tigre.
They, with the captain and mate, COM
posed the whole crew.
A week out from port these two
scoundrels attacked the captain and
mate with an ak and gun and literally
made them walk the plank in the
most approval 18th century fashion.
They then renamed the vessel White
Rose and set sail for nowhere in par
ticular. Neither knew the first prin-
ciples Of navigation, SO eventually they
ran ashore in the Gilbert islands.
where they were promptly arrested.
The most daring case Of piracy on
record for years past occurred aboard
the Alaska-Pacific liner buchanan,
when two armed passengers made a
deliberate attempt to seize the big
ship and her cargo.
One Of them named Thomas took a
revolver, went into the cabin and
coolly shot Captain Wood, then ran on
deck to help his accomplish, whom he
had left to tackle the mate on the
bridge.
But the mate had been too quick for
the pirate, and Thomas reached the
deck to find his accomplice in irons.
He at once seized lifebuoy and
jumped overheard. AS he was never
seen again he was, presumably,
drowned.
Aboard the Italian transatlantic
liner Margherita there was a few
years ago a regular Captain Kettle bat
tie. The steamer, after leaving Trieste
called at Messina and there % Sicil.
ians slowed themselves away. As soon
as the Margherita was out OF sight OF
land they rushed on deck in body
and attacked the crew.
They were surrounded and driven
below, but at night broke out again
and rushed the officers quarters. The
crew armed themselves with revolvers
and a fierce fight ragged for over an
hour. Two of the mutineers were
killed, a number were wounded and
four sailors were badly hurt.
At last the pirates were driven into
the foc'sle, and while the crew stood
guard the vessel steamed hard for AL.
giers, where the police took the ruf
fans into custody.
The steamer Sophia was crossing
the Black Sea from Odessa to Korth
ion, and the captain and passengers
had Just sat down to supper In the
saloon when three young men. masked
and armed. appeared in the doorway
and covered them, bidding them not to
move on pain Of death.
At the same time two others seized
the man at the wheel and forced him
to turn the vessel back to Odessa
Others-there were IS in all-opened
the safe and took out $4,000. the prop
erty of q Russian bank. They then
robbed the passengers of all they pos
sessed, disabled the engines, destroyed
one boat and, taking the other two,
escaped.
There is, or was few months ago.
still in use a Danish schooner named
Emanuel, believed to be the Oldest YES
sci afloat. She was built in 1749, and
for years sailed the Caribbean Sea un-
der the black fag.-Stray Stories.