EXCITING SCENE ON A SHIP.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9564, 21 October 1892, Page 4

EXCITING SCENE ON A SHIP.

Deep in the hold of the clipper ship Falls of Foyers there was on the night; of the 7th inst. enacted at Port Melbourne a very exciting scene. It was the culmination to a carefully prepared plan conceived by Captain Barr, who is in command of the ship, to capture at all hazards the authors of it series of robberies of cargo, and the issue, so far, has been highlysatisfactory to the captain, for sis of the crew were arrested and a quantity of stolen cargo was recovered. The Fal's of Foyers, which belongs to Glasgow, brought out amongst hey cargo about 2000 cases of liquor. The work of discharging the cargo had proceeded regularly and without hitch until the 6fch, when Captain Barr discovered that cargo was being broached at an alarming rate. It comprised bottles of spirits principally. The captain determined to take prompt measures to discover the robbers. At the conclusion of each day's work the hatches are put down and the seal of the customs placed upon them until the following morning, when work is resumed. Captain Barr inI formed the customs officials (the Age reports) that he would on the following night take the liberty of breaking one of the seals to enable him to obtain ingress to the hold, where he intended to watch, as he suspected the robbers were some of the ship's company. The only other persons on the ship to whom he made known his plan were the first and second officers, and he enlisted their aid towards the end he had in view. So when the shades of darkness came on, the captain, armed with a fully loaded six-chambered revolver, descended into the hold and made his way to the vicinity of the chain locker, where he took up his post. The chief officer was stationed in a convenient place with a lantern, so that he might come up when the captain gave the preconcerted signal, which was the firing of a shot from the revolver. The captain had not waited very long before he heard someone coming from the forecastle into the hold. The robber went to a spot where it was afterwards found a quantity of cargo had been placed ready for removal, and the captain gave the signal, but the chief officer was in such a hurry to reach the scene and play his part, that he stumbled and fell, extinguishing the light he carried. Both the captain and the robber were then again in complete darkness, but the captain, determined not to be outdone, called out to him not to move, becauseif he attempted to come u;> he would be shot. He fired other shots over the robber's head to intimidate him, thoush with no intention of actually shooting the man. He was also partly actuated to the firing of the shots by a fear that one or ether of the confederacy of _ robbers might attack him if they thought their companion was in danger. This was the position of affairs while the chief officer was grojjing his way out to get a fresh light, and while the second officer was anxiouslywaiting above. Presently the captain descended on his man and grasped him. He twined his legs round those of the robber and tried to hold him fast, but the sailor, who proved to be\ powerful foreigner named Kafiuke, encumbered as he was by the weight of the captain, went hand over hand up the ladder with the captain clinging to his back. But he accomplished this feat only to fall into the hauds "of the officers, who were waiting above with a pair of handcuffs. After he had been secured he made a confession, and gave the names of other seamen. A search ashore was made for some of these, and between those found on shore aad aboard the ship—one of the latter was lying in his buuk in a beastly state of intoxication—there were arrested "George Smith Arthur Murphy, August Augustoun, Thos' Geddes, and John Rich, all of whom were placed in the Port Melbourne lockup \ further confession was made, and it was found some of the stolen spirits had been sold at two hotels at Port Melbourne. Heunessy's three star brandy had been sold for 4s pc bottle, mach below market value. The purchasers returned the liquor on (hiding that it was inquired for as stolen proporbv.

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