TALE OF WILD MUTINY

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 1210, 3 December 1919, Page 7

TALE OF WILD MUTINY

CAPTAIN POWERLESS TO DEFEND HIS WIFE.

WIRELESS CALL SENT OUT FOJ! AHMED HELP.

Quite as tlirilliug as any seventeenth century yam cf mutiny and piracy at sea was the tale told at, Portland of scenes aboard a modern oil tanker, when five members of the crew were charged with mutiny. it was alleged that some of the ship's company broke into the hold and broached Bomo alcohol, with which the vessel was laden. Getting drunk, they attacked the captain, chased his wife about the ship until, terrorised, klio was on the point of jumping overboard, threatened to hoist the red flag, and eventually were arrested bv an armed boarding party from another ship in response to a wireless S.O.S. signal. The names of accused are, John Cody, Gerald Lynch, .Michael Conuell, Tat Council, and William Horner, Tho first three were charged with causing grievous bodily harm to tho captain of the vessel, Charles Allen, and Pat Connell and Horner were charged with wilful neglect, of duty. Accused wero brought to Portland in irons. They had also been kept in a French prison awaiting trial, and they presented a dishevelled «]" pcaranco before the Magistrates with .1. month's growth of beard. Mr Pcngilly (prosecuting) observed thai the narrative of tho circumstances of this mutiny read more like one of tho old sea adventure stories of days gone by. "The ship left Halifax on or about. July 3," related Captain Allen, "with a cargo of pure alcohol; glass, and oilier goods, bound for Baltimore and tlieu Brest. I was told on August 8 that trouble was brewing in tho ship owing to some of the crew having interfered with tho alcohol in the hold. The five men, who were under the influence of tho liquor, began chafing oilier members of the crew about, beating them and knocking them down, and behaving like madmen. They came up to me on the bridge, called 111 c a white-livered sou of a , and Raid they meant to kill me and throw me overboard. Cody, Lynch, and Mike Council tsaid thai, they were going to hoist tho red flag. 'Not so long as I am in the ship," I said. I pulled out a loaded revolver and Said that I was going to shoot. '>-hoot bo ,' replied the mutineers, preparing to rush at me. I pulled the trigger three times, but it only clicked. It had evidently been 'doctored.' They then pounced on me and knocked three of my f'-eth out. T was also - temporarily. blinded. They chated me down to my cabin, and Mike Connell held a revolver to my cur as he pinned 111 con the settee. The others chased my wife all over the ship until, in desperation, she was about to jump overboard, when the chief officer stopped her. Ail S.O.S. message had been sent out by the wireless operator, and the War Khan came 011 tho scene. A. boarding party of nine, all armed with revolvers, thou caiuo to tho Mariska." The five men wero then put in irons. Mike Connell resisted, and had to be knocked down. The mutineers were landed at Brest, and afterwards brought on io Portland. _ Tho chief engineer, ill his evidence, said he saw Cody running after the captain's wife, and interrupting him, sayiilg; "For God's sake don't touch tho woman. We have had enough trouble." Cody, Lynch, and Mike Connell wore committed to the assizes, and tho other two wero discharged.