SOUTH SEA TRAGEDY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 29, 4 February 1891, Page 5

SOUTH SEA TRAGEDY.

A SYDNEY CAPTAIN SHOT,

News of another terrible murder in the South Seas was brought to Sydney on the 23rd ult., by the schooner Sandfly, the victim being Captain Craig, a gentleman well known in shipping circles in Sydney. The scene of the occurrence was Makiru, one of the Solomon group, but no reason for the act can be assigned. Captain Craig, who is part owner of the Sandfly, sailed in the vessel as chief officer under Captain Mackenzie on a trading trip to the islands. On reaching Makiru, one of the points of call, the vessel lay come distance off the coast, and Captain Craig, with a boat's crew of three men, put off to see if the natives had any copra. The natives, for some reason, objected to the presence of the traders, but made no demonstration till the party landed, when, without any warning, a party opened fire from under cove:-. The volley, unfortunately, took eflect, Captain Craig being shot .in the breast. Seeing that they would all be murdered by the treacherous islanders if they did not make a speedy escape, the crew immediately rushed back tothe boat, taking the wounded captain with them. They reached the boat in safety and pulled away, shots sent after them takine no effect. They managed to gret safely away. They had to pull several miles to the vessel, and by the time it was reached Captain Craig was beyond all help, and died within five minutes. The body was bui ied the came afternoon on the island. The deceased was a well-known island trader, and had commanded several vessels, the last bein</ the brigantine Enterprise. This was his secondvoyage on the bandny. His widow and family are in Sydney.