THE JERVIS BAY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20183, 27 June 1928, Page 7

THE JERVIS BAY

FULLER DETAILS No Foundation for Sensational Mutiny Story CREW NOT INVOLVED L By Telegraph—Per Press Assn.—Copyright ] [ Australian Press Assn. ] LONDON, June 25. The stowaways from the Jervis Bay were convicted on four counts and sentenced to five and a half months’ imprisonment, according to a message from Colombo. The passengers’ narratives show that three nights out from Fremantle the stowaways were discovered and immediately became insubordinate. They burned beds, broke a stairway and threatened to set fire to the ship. The alarm of the women and children probably decided the captain to send out the S.O.S. “The trouble lasted only a few hours and we are surprised that tha story of the mutiny got abroad. There was nothing like it,” said one passenger.

The passengers agree that there wia little cause for fright, though for a few’ hours the situation seemed desperate owing to the stowaways’ ugly threats of what they intended to do.

Another version states that after the stowaways declined to work they were imprisoned in a cabin. They set fire to the bedding, and thrust fie blazing mattresses out of the portholes. There was no disturbance among the crew. The stowaways gave no trouble after they were brought under control and placed in a room oy themselves. The Slavol’s marines had nothing to do. The officers say that a Cuban who led the stowaways, was most abusive and demanded that the passengers should pay his fare. He boasted that Ihe had travelled as a stowaway eleven times and passengers had always paid his fare.

The stowaways one night broke out of their .prison and invaded the saloon during a concert, shouting and swearing. The mate ordered them to clear out. They jeered insultingly till the officer knocked down the ringleader, when a general melee among passengers, officers and stowaways followed. Later in the evening the stowaways ran amok along the decks and terrified women and children, opening their cabin doors and shouting insults.

A second struggle followed in which four naval ratings gave valuable assistance. Eventually the disturbers were battened down.

While awaiting the arrival of the Slavol the officers adopted new tactics and began starving the stowaways, with the result that when the marines boarded the ship the found them subdued and easily controlled. The officers are emphatic that the crew did not pratieipato in the trouble, hut someone slipped an iron bar down a ventilator to the prisoners, facilitating their escape.