PIRACY AND MURDER.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 113, 11 May 1909, Page 8

PIRACY AND MURDER.

WHITE ROSE CASE

MORTIMER FOUND GUILTY

QUESTION OF JURISDICTION

SUVA, April 24. The White Rose piracy trial aifctract■ed a crowded .audience. Joseph Mortimer was found guilty of piracy and murder. Fred. Skerritt turned King's evidence. Counsel for the defence raised the question of Jurisdiction,, and. (argument on the objection, was adjourned till Monday. A little American schooner, of about 50 tons, named the Nerve Tigre, flying the Italian flag, and engaged in the coastal trade of Callao, sailed about twelve months ago on a short Journey, and according to the statement^ which are in the (hands of the prosecution:, as soon as she'was out of sight of land, Mortimer, who was employed as the cook of the vessel, planned the murder of both the captain and the mate, and successfully carried out his intention to steal the vessel. He saved a young seaman named Jackson, who also went under the name of Skerritt, and by threatening his life made him an obedient accomplice. The (name of the vessel was ©rased, and the schooner sailed before the wind until at la^t she reached the Gilbert Islands, where she was wrecked in February <m a- reef in. a lagoon. Neither Mortimer no<r his assistant had any knowledge of navigation, and they were ignorant of the locality where their vessel came to grief. . The men were rescued from the ■wreck by the trading schooner Laurel. Mortimer told the captain that the schooner had originally been, namedPuelche, of Valparaiso; that he bought her from Mr Usshley, of that port; amd that he proposed to re-christen her the White Rose.

THE CONFESSION. Jackson, who has turned King's evidence in exposing his shipmate, said that there was a crew of four all told, including tire captain, mate, Mortimer, aaid himself, wlio was engaged as cabin boy. It was apparent that Mortimer had previously planned to take tho ship, for they had not beon

iat sea- many hours before he made a I bloodthirsty attack on the mate. The ' mate -was attending to some portion of I the rigging, when the cook, who had secured a.tomahawk, crept up behind him and aimed a blow at his head. At that instant the mat© moved, aaid instead.'of killing him, as was intended, the blade struck his arm, causing a severe wound. The mate then grappled with his assailant, and- attempted to wrench the tomahawk from ■his grasp. Mortimer, however, is a powerful man, aaid the mate was p-.reatly handicapped with his injured arm. After a desperate struggle, lasting some minutes, he found he. was i—able to overnower his antagonist, &.id made a clash for the rigging. Mortimer was taken aback by this move, and the fugitive .reached the rigping before he was aware of his intention. Mortimer .again .rushed at him. and made slashes at him with the tomahawk, but the mate by this time had reached a place of safety. The commotion brought the capita on deck. Before he could arm himsalf, however, Mortimer .spied him, and' leaving the. mate in the rigging, a.t once tunned his attention to the captain. Before 'the captain could get anything with which to defend himself lie was "struck on the head with, the tomahawk, and rendered unconscious. Mortimer now had full charge of the ship. He hurried to his bunk and secured a rifle, which he had secreted. After deliberately loading it, he pointed it at the mate, and threatened to shoot him if he did not jump overboard. The mate attempted to pacify the now infuriated man, but without effect, and .after arguing for some minutes he took a .header from the rigging into the sea. He was seen to rise to the surface., and swim towards the shore, but a few minutes later he disappeared, and was apparently drowned. By this time the captain, who had .lain where he was istmiok down, had recovered consciousness, and Mortimer gave the option of being .shot or jumping overboard. He chose the latter course, and immediately leapt over the rail. Young Jackson, who had been an eye-witness of the terrible deed, took no part in it, and when the captain jumped overboard he threw him a plank/ He was unable to' say whether the captain managed to secure the plank, but svas strongly of opinion that he did not see it, aaid was drowned. The. vessel was then fourteen miles off tlhe coast, and it is extremely improbable that either of the men were saved. Mortimer made Jackson (or Skerritt) promise to stamd by him, a-nd assist him to navigate the vessel. Jackson was afraid that he might meet -,he fate of his shipmates if he (refused,, so he at once fell in with the plans of bis companion. The cargo of coke was jettisoned, and the name of the vessel was then erased. The elder main said he intended to call her the White Rose, and sail for Australia, where he would dispose of her. The perilous voyage was then commenced. Neither man knew much about navigation, and they always sailed with the wind. x