SOUTH SEA TRAGEDY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13699, 16 March 1908, Page 6

SOUTH SEA TRAGEDY.

PIRACY AND MURDER,

TERRIBLE CRIME OF A SHIP'S COOK. [from CUR, own CORRESPONDENT.] vSydnky, March 11. Tii sensation of this "week is the terrible story bronglrt hero on Monday by ill© Gorman, steamer Gennania, which returned from a. cruise to the Marshall and Caroline Groups. It rovea.lt> the daring crime commilted by the cook of a merchant, schooner, who seized the vessel, forced the captain and mate to leap overboard, giving them their choice of doing that or being shot, and compelled another member of the crew to assist, him in his scheme of piracy. While the trading schooner Laurel, which had been on an extended cruise to the Gilbert and Ellice Group, was lying in Apainama. Lagoon, in the Gilbert Group, in January last, Captain Malcolm saw the two masts of a fore and aft schooner, with 110 Rails set. Concluding at once that, as she was on the weather side of the island, she was either stranded or had been anchored to save herself from drifting ashore, he and the engineer of the ship, Mr. Dunn, started for the scene in the Laurel's launch, and found a line American-built schooner hard and fast oil the reef—so far up on the reef that Mr. Dunn was able to wide out to her, when, to his surprise, lie was met by two persons, who were, comparatively speaking, boys. When Dunn asked for the captain of the ship, the elder one replied that he was in charge. ' Then he asked where the other members of th crew were, but received 110 satisfactory reply. As they did not a pear willing to answer questions, the strangers were asked if they wanted assistance, but they declined any help, and Captain Malcolm and his officer then left for their own ship. Roth survivors paid a visit two days' later to Captain Malcolm, of the Laurel, and suggested that he should take them 011 to Fiji, but the native magistrate at Apamama had already warned the captain not to take them if he were asked. The magistrate evidently had an idea that everything was not just as it should have been, and he told Captain Malcolm that he intended to send the men on to Tarawa, the headquarters of the British Resident Commissioner in the Gilbert Group, where they I would have an opportunity of explaining their position to the authorities. While they were 011 board the Laurel, the captain asked them a number of questions, but they were apparently not desirous of giving any information with regard to themselves. They were, however, more communicative. than on the previous occasion. In answer to the captain, the elder man said his name was J. Taylor, and that he hailed from Manchester, while the younger, man's name wits G. Jackson, and that he came from London. He also stated that they were bound for Tahiti. Captain Malcolm said : " Your vessel lias no name painted on bar—what name lias she?" One of them replied: "We were going to call her the White Rose; she used to be willed the Puelche, of Valparaiso which port we left 011 October 10,' and he also said that he had bought her from Mr. Usshley at that port. Captain 'Malcolm "\ou have a register, of course?" The same man said that the late owner had refused to part with, it, "***3ave you a clearance '"'"^ l p& li n Malcolm next asked. TharfVply was, " No." < . two men were sent on to Tarawa by the. steamer L. J. Keimcy, under arrest. At Tarawa, the younger or the two, Jackson, made a confession which showed that a horrible tragedy had been perpetrated on the high seas. The statement was obtained from him by Mr, A. F. Hayes, of Burns, I hilp, and Go., and the following is a copy : — °

The schooner was stolen off the west- roast, ot South America. She was a fore»and-att schooner-rigged craft, and origi.niilly was named the Aeuvre Tigre. She. sailed under tiie Italian flag, being owned by the master arid mate, both of whom, were forced, tit the point 01' the gun, to jump overboard, llie schooner sailed out of Caliao early in November last, having on board a crew of four. viz.. the captain and mate, the cook (a Belgian, Joseph Mortimer), ana mvaelf as cabin -boy. Tile vessel had only got about 14 miles off the coast—it was tile first day out from Cailao— when the cook made an attack on tile mate and captain. 'He rushed at the mate first and struck him 011 tlio .head with a tomahawk. He was felled by the blow, but. Quickly recovered himself and took to tho rigging. The captain, hearing the scuffle, came out, of the cabin, and he too was leiled by a olow. Immediately afterwards the cook got his gun and forced first the mate and then the skipper to jump overboard. He said. "Jump overboard or I will shoot you." The mate sank immediately he struck tho water, but the. skipper struck out for the shore, which was distant about 14 miles, and Jackson threw him a plank. The cook threatened Jackson, and he was so frightened that he afforded him any assistance. He (the cook) first headed the schooner off the land, and then set to work to get rid of the cargo, which consisted of 50 tons of coke. This v. as jettisoned, and then the schooner sailed for the South Setts. The cook said he would call at Tahiti, and then head for Australia, where lie honed to sell the vessel and make a few pounds, lie had taken the precaution to paint the 1 nine off the vessel, and called her the White Rose. For weeks the vessel was driven hither and thither by the- prevailing winds, but they had plenty of stores oiii board, and held out at, sea until January 2, when the schooner drove ashore 011 Apamama. They were four days on the island when they joined the Louise J. Kenney and proceeded to Tarawa. Jackson was unable to say whether the captain managed to secure' the plank or not, but lie believes he did not see it, and there is little doubt that he, as well as the mate, was drowned. Mortimer, on his part, has refused to make any statement, Or to affirm or deny that made by Jackson. The two men had previously been shipmates, having joined a Chilian warship at Liverpool, for a voyage to Valparaiso. _ The native magistrate has taken possession of the schooner. The survivors were evidently well stocked with provisions when they commenced their perilous voyage, for there was plenty of fresh water on .board, and enough biscuits and other food to last some weeks. How they managed to navigate is a mystery to the people at the Islands. They knew nothing whatever of navigation, and appeared to have been drifting about at tho mercy of tile wind and sea until they were eventually cast up on the coral reef at Apamama. There is 110 hope of refloating the schooner. The authorities at Tarawa, at latest advices, were communicating With the Italian Consul at Cailao, with a view to obtaining information regarding the stolen vessel.