MODERN PIRACY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 1 August 1925, Page 2

MODERN PIRACY.

SCHOONER’S ADVENTURES.

SEIZED AND CAPTRURED

The story of the recapture of a former English liquor schooner, Marie 11., early in the morning, after she had been seized by seven members of her former crew at St. Pierre, Miquelon, off the Newfoundland coast, is reminiscent of the old days of piracy. The Marie 11. was brought back to St. Pierre by the French steam trawler Asi, and" Captain Wynacht, of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, and six British sailors he is alleged to. have induced to take part in the seizure were arrested on their arrival. It is expected that a charge of piracy will be laid against them. .. The schooner was commanded by Wynacht until she was sold recently and registered under the French flag. She lay in the roadstead at St. Pierre with 4000 cases of liquor on board when Wynacht and bis raiding party came aboard, and are stated to have turned the French crew in charge adrift.

The story of First Officer Rio, of the Marie 11., is to the effect that he was on board with Second Officer Lafitte waiting for the captain, who was ashore clearing the vessel, when Wynacht and his men came aboard. Wynacht gave orders to get the schooner under way. “I protested. Wynacht came from the cabin with a revolver in one hand and a steel knuckleduster in the other, and struck me in the face. I fell on the deck almost unconscious. Lafitte camp to my rescue, but Wynacht struck him with an oar, breaking his arm in three places. Fortunately for us Pilot Lebiquafs came alongside and took us ashore.”

As soon as the seizure was known a wireless message was gent to Captain Gaston, of the Asi, ordering him to overtake the Marie 11. and bring her back. Captain Gaston states that he received the message when the Marie 11. had a ten-mile start. He immediately put on full steam to catch her. It took him two hours to run her down, but he succeeded in getting across her and breaking her main boom. Three of her men surrendered, but four others refused to abandon the ship. Captain Gaston then gave Wynacht five minutes to surrender. _ The men then went on board the Asi, were put under guard, and brought back to St. Pierre.•