Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1877-11-03 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

HORRIBLE MURDERS OF SHIPWRECKED MEN.  A Liverpool correspondent writes :—The doubts which have existed for several years past as to the fate of the crews of many vessels which have been wrecked at Bonnie Bay, on the coast of Newfoundland, are likely to be set'at rest to a great extent by some information that has recently come to , light. In December, 1874, a schooner under the command of Captain Ridout was wrecked near Bonnie Bay. The crew managed to reach the shore, and encamped near the residence of an cld trapper named Jacko. It was generally known that Captain Ridout and his crew had been saved, but they soon afterwards disappeared, leaving no trace of their whereabouts. Suspicion was centred on a family of French Canadians named Benoit, four brothers, but the desperate character 'of those men prevented this suspicion being openly asserted, and the fate of the shipwrecked bailors was regarded as a mystery. The old trapper Jacko, being, as he supposed, on the point of death, lately made a statement implicating the Benoit brothers in the mirders of the , seamen, and this confession having come to the ' knowledge of Captain Erskine, of H.M.S. Eclipse, he at once set out for Donnie Bay to enquire into the matter. On nearing the place, he discovered the daughter of one of the brothers amongst the rocloi,im the coast, where she had taken refuge for some time past to escape the violence of her father, her only sustenance being dead fish and birds: She was almost naked when discovered, and made a statement charging her father and her tincle with the crimes. She stated that when Captain Ridout and his crew of six men arrived on shore the former had a sum of about £3OO in gold and notes, and they settled a few days Lear the abode of the trapper Jacko. Wishing to go to a place called George's Bay Ridout and his men entered into an arrangement to be piloted there by the brothers, the overland route being taken. Shortly after their departure on the journey, three of the sailors and Captain Ridout were in a stooping position endeavouring to kindle some wood, when the brothers deliberately filed at them, killing one or two of them, and saturating the snow around with blood. Those who were wounded were quickly finished with the axes of the murderers. The uther three men who were a short distance from them saw the fate of their comrades and endeavoured to make their escape, being pursued by the others. They attempted to cross a pond which was thinly frozen, but the slight covering of ice gave way, and the poor fellows were shot as they were in the water. After their work had been accomplished the murderers divided the plunder, a portio% of which they gave to the trapper Jacko, as a bribe to him not to divulge who ' were the perpetrators .of the crimes. On receiving this information, Captain Erskine at once took active steps towards the arrest of the brothers. The latter, however, having become aware that they were being sought for, tried in every way to escape, but by placing several men in each seaport on the coast, the whole of the Benoits were apprehended. They. were lodged in the prison at Channel, the girl also being retained there as a witness. It was expected that they would be removed to St. John's, Newfoundland, to await their trial. Some time ago it was stated that many vessels had been allured on to the rocks at Bonnie Bay in consequence of the wreckers there having placed false beacons on different parts of the coast. It was thought, therefore, that the mystery surrounding the fate of the crews of many other vessels would be cleared up at the examination of the prisoners.