Bridlington and Quay Gazette. — 1882-10-14 (Bridlington, Humberside, England)

MASSACRE BY BORNEAN HEADHUNTERS.  SHOCKING MUTILATION.  From Singapore we learn that Mr. Witti (formerly an officer In the Austrian Army), an explorer in the nsrvice of the British North Borneo Company, has been treacherously murdered by " Head-hunters," who also killed several of his native attendant, Mr. Witti, had, it seems, been making his way Ito the head of the Sibuco river. This region may be conaidered at present quite beyond tha I active administration of the British North Borneo Company. The Governor was not aware that Mr. Witti Intended to make so long and luirnrdnus a journey. At the same time, Mr. Witti being an experienced traveller, a brave man, and on good terms with the natives generally, there was no reason to fear that he might not go through the very heart of the country without molestation. He had made, It seem, an important trip, and was, it is believed, on his way to Kimanis. Near the head of the Sibueo river he would be on the frontier of Dutch Borneo, and in a region where Mr. Carl Bock found the natives unusually savage and unfriendly. Witti had a party of 17 men. Ile divided them. Some nine or ten were told off to attend to the boats. They were navigating a river, and Witti had bought, boats from the nativee. The other men remained to push on ahead in company with the explorer. "'  The natives had shown no disposition to hostility. The local chiefs (the tribes are, no doubt, the Murnts,though one account says they are Tandjoeing Dyaks) has hospitably entertained Witti, which is generally a guarantee of friendship. While he little party were preparing to move forward, Witti sat down to make some notes in his diary. Suddenly, from an ambush in the river, some 300 natives, armed with poisoned arrows and spears, rushed upon Witti and his men. Three of the latter fell almost item s diately. Witti defended himself with his revolver and killed two of his assailants. The rest crowded upon him, however, and speared him to death. The others of his party had I already run away, one of thorn, who was carrying Witti's Winchester rifle, taking it off in his flight. From a hiding-place they saw one of the attacking I party decapitate Witti, while others cut off the I lower limbs of his dead attendants, fling them, I with the explorer's head, into shoat, and make off I with their bleeding trophies down stream. They also carried off \Vial's papers and despatch-box. The event has created a sensation at Singapore and at Leaman. A police party, of the Borneo Company, has been, or is about to be, despatched to the scene of the massacre, with a view to a complete invesstigation of the affair, and the punishment of the 3luruts. Mr. With must have had the dangers of his expedition in his mind at the outset. It is quite likely, from what is known of his adventurous apirit, that he had resolved to accomplish a great achievement, even at the rink of his life, for prior to setting out, he made a will and left behind him foll instructions as to the disposition of his property. He was known to the Geographical Society of London, whose "Journal of Transactions" contalna several of his contributions to the geographical history of Borneo. The commercial civilisation of North Borneo is of great importance to trading interests in the Eastern seas, and it will be necessary in the interest of Borneo and adjacent islands to make an example of the murderer..