The Atherstone, Nuneaton, and Warwickshire Times. — 1884-09-13 (Atherstone, Warwickshire, England)

ALLEGED MURDER & CANNIBALISM ARREST OF THE SURVIVORS.  The brigantine Moctezuma, of Hamburg, which arrived at Falmouth on Saturday, reported having on board three men, named Thomas Dudley, of Colchester; Elwin Stephens, of Southampton; and Edward Brooks, of Brightlingsea, who had en rescued after having experienced frightful sufferings at sea. These men, with a man named Richard Parker, of Southampton, were engaged to take out the yacht, Mignonettee, to a gentleman of Sydney, New South Wales. They left Southanipten on the 19th of May, and had a fine voyage up to the time of their cro-sing the line on ' the 17th of June. From this date their troubles commenced. Dirty weather set in, and for several days a succession of heavy gales was experienced. On the 3rd of July a frightful storm was met with, and a huge sea swept over the yacht with such force as to lay her right open. The captain seeing that the yaeht was rapidly foundering ordered the batto be got out. This was done, but with the exception of two small tins of preserved turnips they were without either food or water. The turnips la-ted but four or five days, and their sufferines from thirst during that time were frightful. They killed a turtle and drank its blood, and then for mere than a fortnight they were absolutely without food. So terrible did their position become that at the end of the eighteenth day they deliberated as to the advisability of casting lots as to who should be killed to supply food for the others. This plan was proposed by the captain, but one of the men objected saying it was better they should all lie together, and the proposal was not pressed. Bat after two days more of horrible suffering both the captain and the mate suggested that the boy Parker should be killed, especially as his sufferings were so intense that he hid become delirious. Tney also reasoned that he was only a lad with no responsibilities, while they were married men with wives and families dependent upon theirs. Brooks declined to be a party of this act, and at first neither of the others would undertake it. Eventually, however, Captain Dudley and Edwin Stephens decided to kill Parker, it being arranged that Dudley should strike the blow while Stephens held the lad down. Dudley first offered up a prayer for forgiveness, and then telling Parker that his time had come, ran a penknife through his jugular vein, and the boy died almost immediately. The survivors caught the gushing blood in their tine and drank it between them, then stripped the body of its clothes, cut out the liver and heart while yet hot from the boty, and devoured them voraciously. For the next four days they continued to live on the flesh which they tore from Parker's dead body, and they were still eating their horrible food, when, on the 2.4 th day from the time they left their yacht, they were sighted and rescued by the German barque 3locteztuna. They then presented the appearance of living skeleton., and were so weak and exhausted that they had to be lifted out of the boat and carried on board. The mangled remains of Parker were at once cast int) the sea, and the survivors received every kindness and attmtion on bard the barque. On arriving at Falmouth on Saturday they were taken to the Sailors' Home, and liter in the day they were appreheudedunder a warrant.  At the Falmouth Police Court, on Monday morning, Captain Thomas Dudley, Edward Brooks, the mate, and Edwin Stephens, able seaman, the survivors of the crew of the yacht Alignonette, were charged with murdering the boy Parker. The prisoners were remanded bail being refused.