SOUTH SEA PIRATE.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 114, 15 May 1924, Page 8

SOUTH SEA PIRATE.

TAMED BUCCANEER'S RECORD.

TRUE STORY OF HIS CRIMES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

SUVA, May 8,

Dr. Lambert, who*recently returned from the Gilberts, had the good fortune to hear the true version the capture of 'Martelmuns, the noted South Sea pirate. Mr. Murdock, who tells the story, was local magistrate at the time. Dr. Lambert repeats a very, interesting tale:—

"Mr. Murdock told mc one day the story of Martelmens and his piracy, which is still a matter of interest' to people of Fiji. Martelmeh was a Belgian, who shipped on a British boat from Umdiiri to C'allao, in Peru. Shipmates with him was a young Londoner named Seally, over whom he acquired quite an intluence on the voyage. They deserted at the end of the voyage, and Scaliy got a position on shore, doing ordinary and very hard work, for which he was unfitted, while Martelmens got a position us crew of a small coastwise sailing vessel. Finally 'Seally went to see Martelmens on this boat, and Martelmens secured him a position on the 'boat as well. The boat was the. Xeuvre Tigre, and was of about fifty tons. On the first trip Martelmens killed the captain and mate, and with Scaliy started to sail for the Australian coast. ' They changed the name of the boat to the White Rose. They had no chronometer, and no knowledge of navigation.

"Jb'inally, one day they were wrecked at the entrance of the lagoon oi Abemenia, where Mr. Murdock was District Officer. They had a fanciful tale to tell of the storm they had encountered. But, unfortunately for them, they had not thrown overboard' the clothing of the men they had'murdered. People became suspicious, of their lack of, knowledge' of navigation, by the fact that they approached Australia, and the fanciful stories they told, and so they were sent on a small vessel to beadquarters for. examination. This vessel was a trading schooner, and had plenty of trade and some money aboard.. One day put. ' and Martelmens told Scaliy to:-;. I?e4, ready as--he ■ was going to kill the ' officers of this boat .also'; md go on.:, Seally informed the- captain, -'and .-Martelmens was tied up till they reached headquarters. ©5 "Then it came out that Scaliy had only come with Martelmens through duress, and had kept a diary of what had happened, and wanted to turn State's evidence. The time of the trial occupied many months. A man.had to be sent to Peru to collect evidence, "and bring it back —the time taken for two or three jpips from Abemema, for the witnesses to come two or three times.' - In all it to-: eighteen months, and «est the colony £14,000, to see that British justice was satisfiedThe Hon. H.M. Scott had the thankless task of defending Martelmens. He was sent to Sydney,' and since then has- cost the colony some £iOO to fl2o a year for his maintenance. He tried legal means to get out several times, and said Fiji had no jurisdiction. "Sydney has wanted to.get fid of so troublesome a prisoner, and wanted to send him to Fiji, 'but the local authorities object. Now I hear that he is to be sent back to Belgium, at the conclusion of his sentence, which approaches." ,