The Bismarck tribune., 1937-12-31
PIRACY ON PACIFIC
ENDS WHEN YOUTHS
TOSS MAN.NIO SEA
s Survivors Taken Off Inflated
Craft 500 Miles South.
west Of San Pedro
TELL OF 5.DAY SEA DRAMA
1887 Pirate Dozss at Wheel,
Makes Wife, Expsctant
Mother. Help Steer
TELL OF 5-DAY SEA DRAMA

ASO8 <AUkS1O0p 0CCs OA~NNf-N1u1OSSs :
piracy and retribution on the high
seas ~ . stranger-than-fiction story
written with the blood Of two mem
was unfolded to government agents
early Friday by SIX haggard survivors
OF cruise on the schooner yacht
Aafje.
Dwight L. Faulding. -. Santa Bar
bara hotel man and the Aafje's owner,
is dead, his bullet-riddled body
dumped overheard somewhere off the
Southern California coast.
Jack Morgan, the man accused Of
his Staying by the federal bureau Of
investigation, also Is dead. Two youths
told Chief FBI Agent John Hanson
they threw Morgan into the SEA after
five terror-stricken days under his
mad rule.
An official statement by Hanson
summed up the details Of one Of the
Pacific's strangest sea dramas after
hours Of questioning the survivors
Thursday night.
Killed First Afternoon
Tho Inflated cruise WAS marked by
death on the very afternoon the
Aafje sailed out Of San Pedro Dec. 20.
bound for Catalina island 20 miles
distant. Aboard, besides Faulding .and
Morgan, who had chartered the
yacht, were Eaulding's fiancee, Mrs.
Gertrude Turner and her s-year-old
son, Robert: Mrs.. Morgan. m expect
ant mother; her nurse, Miss Este
Berdan; Robert Horne and George
spernak, amateur crewmen. =.
Faulding, ct the hahn, heard =
terse order. "0et away from that
wheel. I'm taking command here"
Il was Morgan, emerging from the
shadow Of the hatch, Hanson said.
Faulding started toward his ad-
versary. Three bullets from . re-
volver poured into the yachtman's
body.
Late that night Morgan forced his
terrified companions to drop Fauld-
ing's body overheard.
Seemed 70 Go GRAVY
II don't know what came over
Jack" Mrs. Morgan told investigators.
HE seemed to 60 crazy. After he
killed Faulding he ran the boat with
ar iron hand and We were In terror"
Morgan, . former houseboy In Los
Angeles apartment buildings and ho-
tells, pointed the nose Of the 56-foot
schooner south. He stayed at tho
wheel, taking only catnaps. When he
slept he forced his wife to take cou-
troll.
A revolver always ready, he WAS
abusive to the crew. At time some
were locked In cabins. They could
only guess at Morgan's ultimate pur-
pose, but investigators theorised he
had . vision Of establishing . colony
OF some kind IN the South Pacific.
With the Aafje provisioned for .
two-day voyage, Morgan put his COM
panions on rations, apparently In.
tending to stop ct small ports along
tho Mexican coast for supplies.
Pair Attack Mer1an
Five hundred miles southwest Of
esn Pedro, and live days after de-
parts,re, Horne and 8pernak sei3ed IN
opportunity to attack Morgan.
Horne and Spernak were working
near the wheel Of the yacht" Han
son said they told him.
Horne saw his opportunity. He
picked up . marlin spike, hit Nor
gan over the head, crushing his skull,
and with the aid Of Spernak, tossed !
the man overheard.
They do mot know whether he Was
dead or not"
Hoping to reach the mainland under
sails. conserving fuel for the auxiliary
engine In event Of . storm, the sur
vivof4 turned hack
On the morning Of Dec. - one
painted an "Soe" on the mainsail.
The distress signal was sighted BY .
navy flier from San Diego. who sum-
moned coast guard aid.