A JAPANESE TRAGEDY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1230, 17 July 1875, Page 17

A JAPANESE TRAGEDY.

The Japan Gazette, a bi-monthly journal published at Yokohama, gives, in its issue of April 25th a sensational account of a shocking tragedy that occurred in connection with the French. Bank Cnmptoir d'Escomple de Paris. It seems that two of the employes of the Bink — named V. Cantelli, cashieraccountant, an Italian, and. W. S. Swaby, aub-aocountant — organised a plan for embezzling a large sum of Bank money. They, through a friend, first of all purchased a smart schooner named the Iris, provisioned her for a voyage, and then, abstracting nearly 40.000 dollars from the Bank, -went on board on the 19th April and made a run for it. The embpzzlement was discovered th? same day, and it was also ascertained that the young men had made off in the schooner. Immediate steps to capture them were taken. A steamer— the Spagull— was chartered by th a . Bank Manager, and with constables be« longing to the British and Italian Cousulates on board, and also six blue jackets and % sublieutenant belonging to H.M.s. Thalia, she started in pursuit, and that evening came up wi'h the Iris, which had been detained by calms, and hoarded her. The absconding bankers were seen on deck watching the approach of her pursuers, and when she was within twenty yards of her prey they disapneared down the cabin companion* Directly afterwards, fin report of fiiearms was heard in the cabin, and when the con« stables rushed below, they found both men prostrate, and b^th irortally wounded. In despair at the near prospect "of being takeD, they had shot themselves. The one died in a few- minutes afterwards, and the other in a f^w hours. Nearly the whole of the money" that had been taken w rt g found on board the schooner. The lattpr was towed back to Yokohama, and her master. Captain Whith r?, and thf> Pifml who had purchased her, were p'aral under arivat, to stand their trial for aiding ami abetting in the escape ot the two emUzzlers. An inquest upon the bodies of thfi nii->gnided lmn was held, and a verdict of fdo tie «c returned.