ALLEGED KIDNAPPING AT TOBI ISLAND.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12750, 23 March 1910, Page 3

ALLEGED KIDNAPPING AT TOBI ISLAND.

THE KETCH "ENVY" AFFAIR. A LIBEiZACTION. ; , fPBBM ASSOCIATION— COPrEIGHT.] (Received: March 22, 8.50 p.m.) " ..; Sydney, March 22/., Captain John Strachan, a wellknown master mariper, has commenced a v action against the proprietorsof the "Sydney Morning Herald," claiming £5000 damages for libel. The alleged libel is contained 'in stater ments said to havcbeen made by. Dr. Inner, Consul-General for Germany, and published in the "Herald"- on May 17th last. The article was headed "Alleged Kidnapping," and referred to a voyage of StracbaiT in the ketch Envy, charging Strachan with recruiting natives of Tobi Island under a promise to return them to their homes, which promise, it was alleged, he failed to keep. The article also alleged' that Strachan had used efforts to induce the Tobi Islanders to ■ replace the German flag with the British. Strachan's reply is a denial of the ohargos.^ He says that he liad taken the Tobi boys for trips in- the- Envy of theirfree. will. to. get_ a knowledge, of the world, but he had not kidnapped'or/fepniitod them. He also denied the flag inijjident.