MUTINY AND MURDER.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1139, 29 February 1884, Page 3

MUTINY AND MURDER.

(Town and Country Journal , February 9.) Through the courtesy of Mr G Netz'er, the Swedish and Norwegian consul in this city, we have had placed atourdisposal the evidence taken in the consular inquiry, held in Brisbane gaol on the 4th ult., and subset quent day, into the circumstances connected with the recent mutiny and murder on board the Swedish brig Natal, on her voyage from Boston to Brisbane. The following is a summary of the evidence in an episode of seafaring life which, from its thrilling nature, seems rather to belong to theregions of romantic fintv>n than of every day life (savs the B' Übane Cornier). At noon, on the 16th November, 1883. the position of the vessel was bit. S. 38deg 32rnin 2-ec, long. E. fifideg 22min IGseo, according to observations. \t midnight the second mate took hj« watch on deck, and all seemed quiet on board. About 2.30 a.m. Captain Enstrotn, who was asleep in the cabin, was roused by an axe-cut on the' right jaw and.heck. He’turned round and saw the carpenter aiming another bow at him, which be partially stopped with h's hand. s-> that the cut dt 1 not go s> deep. The weapon used by ihe carpenter was a long handled, h.ivtyys carpenter’s axe. The carpenter then called out to the steward; who ha I also come into the cabin, to strike him with anntli'enh-xe. The c ip’ ain waided off this stroke too. and wrenched the axe from him. Immediately after the carpenter cade 1 out to the steward to strike, he sang out “ Hold on a bit,” and drew a knife, which he held in his left hand, anil drove it into l ho captain’s neck, who prevented it. going very deep by clutching the blade with his right hand, after which he succeed' d in wrenching the k ife from the man. At this moment the first mate, attracted by the captain’s screams, came rushing into the cabin, anil the carpenter and steward then bolted ont. The captain, wounded as he was, and the mate, followed them, but were met outside the door by the sai ors Tn ton and liafuse, the former of whom struck the captain several blows on the hj a I an I body with a handspike. The captain, who had lost the knife that he had tak-n from the carpenter, then ,re entered the cabin and took down a gun from the wall, and the first mate- -who was also severely wounded, came with him into the cabin, A.II this time the blood had t een streaming from the cap- I tain’s wounds, but he now partially staunched them with wadding, which he bound round with towels. Through the great loss of blood the captain was several tiin-s overtaken with gi diness, but recovered again. Seeing that the situation was desperate, the captain and mate provided themselves with ammunition and proneeded to load the guns and revolvers. Meanwhile both axes remained lying in the cabin. IV hen one gun was loaded a man came to the cabin window and peered in, but on the captain making a movement be went rapidly away forward The captain thought he recognised in him thd sailor Johnson. It afterwards transpired that Johnson had been sent aft by the mutineers to see whether the captain aud mate were dead or dying, or if they had been able tn provide themselves with firearms. As soon as the firearms were loaded and cartridges i laced ready the captain gave the necessary orders to the mate, and they both went forward armed each with a gun and a revolver. The captain had cocked his gun and raised it to his shoulder as ha went towards the mutineers. The mutineer, seeing that the officers were armed, rushed down into the hold through the hatches. Johnson, who was the last, hesitated a litrie, and the captain called ont, “Go aft. or I’M shoot you,” and in this way he was forced to go aft, where he was promptly secured and tied. The forescuttle and forepeak batches wore fastened down, and wh- n this was done Johnson was untied and told to assist in working the vessel, which he was willing to do. The gaff-topsail was clewed up, the mainsail lowe'ed, and the middle staysails and upper g’ansal lowered. Johnson was sent up to reef the flag-line in the maintop, hut not able to get up, and accordingly the mate had to go, and, in spite of his weakness, succeeded ir getting it down. Johnson was then sent to the wheel, and the vessel was laid by the wind on the port tack. The wind at this time was northerly, light, and moderate weather tine. At this time the second mate was missed. He had been si'ting on the port side of the deck-washing his clothes in the moonlight. Tne rail near the galley and the border on the outside were found to be covered with blood. His cap was found lying on the covering board, and on the top of it a broad ont was visible. It was then apparent that he had been murdered aud thrown overboard. It seems from the evidence of the surviving mutineers that the murderer had crept behind him and clove in his head with an axe, and then thrown th“ body into the water, still breathing. Johnson noticed the second mate struggling in the water, and heard an agonised cry for help, bat nobody stirred hand or font to assist him. After murder- | ing the second mate, the attack was ins I stantly made on the captain and first mate, J who were supposed to be asleep in their | berths. The captain and mate then went

down to the cabin to examine each other a wounds, leaving Johnson at the helm, wh > was ordered to eieer by the wind. Tiny wore both very weak, but obliged eveiy moment to be on the alert. The mate then toll the captain the details “f the attack' made on him. ft aupeared i bat while the carpenter Was attacking the captain with the axe, the sailor Turton went into the tir»t mate’s cabin and shot him twice with a revolver in the bead. The first shot'took effect under the right eye, the seoond.in the chin. The mate sprang out of his berth, and after some struggling succeeded in wrestling the revolver from him. Turson then ran on deck and shouted to Kafuse to bring spikes. The mate bearing the captain’s screams rushed into hit cabin, and assisted him ai desc ibed. After coining on deck the mate received several blows from Turton and Eafose about the head and body. In examining the wounds it was found tbat the di et cut received by the captain was a very severe one, part of the cheek bone being cut off. The second one on the right temple, an I the other blows here and there wore not so deep. On the right hand all the fingers were cut, andtheleft was nearly disable I from blows and scratches The knife-cut in the ne-k crosses the axe cut behind the chin, and there were scratches and blows all over the body. A bullet ha I entered the mate’s head between the nose and the eye, and remained embedded in the wound. The bul--1 t that struck him in the cbin could be fdt bi-neath the chin. The bul < t under the chin has been since extracted, ami is at present in the consul’s possession, but the other bullet stilt remains embedded somewhere behind the eye. The mate’s body was also covered with scratches ami bruises fh“ wounds were washed and bandaged np as well as circumstances would permit. The vessel was still steered by the wind, which vaiie.l between west and north west. The captain and mate were always armed, taking it in turn to sleep, and taking cate that one should always manage to be on deck. During the night much noise was heard from ihe h'ld. Next day (Sunday, November 18) more noise was heard from the fore castle, as though the men were cutting their way through with knives, and the captain began to fear the worst, especially as there was a petroleum cask accessible. As far as he knew, they had no other tools than their knives, a revolver, a few holts lying in the hold, and matches As they had a revolver in their possession, the captain and mate dared not go too near the forecustle, but once, as they went forward, they were asked by the carpenter through a crack in the forecastle, on behalf of the mut ineei s, (“If they could come up and work.” The carpenter also asked the captain to come nearer for a private conveisat on. The captain dared not do this, but tali I them first to deliver up their arms To this no answer was made. Fearing they might he able to work their way aft through the cargo, all tl e carpenter’s tools wete taken aft and secured, and more provisions collects) by the captain and mate. During the night the wind freshened to north west. All qui-t in the hold. Monday, 19th November, pissed off quietly, the mate and captain ever on the watch. During the day the captain summoned the men to come on deck and deliver up their arms, hut received no answer. The captain thou shot a hall through the cap to frighten them , out. From the bold no more noise was heard tliat day. The captain and mate again dressed their wounds, which sli iwed signs of healing. During all this time the ve.sel was s' ill steered by the wind on the the p Tt tack, weather fortunately fine. On Tuesday, 201 li November, provisions were brought up, boat-subs an 1 everytuing made ready in c se ibey shim d have to leave the vessel Iroin fire or other causes. As their fears for ih vessel, cargo, and their lives increased every moment it was resolved to shoot the ringleaders on the first opportunity. They could not handcuff them, for their was only one pair of iions on bo ird, and the o "'ration would be attended with too gn at risk. Accordingly, in the afternoon the captain' an I mate went forward, arm- d each with a gnu and revolver/ The hatches were raised and the mutineers summoned to oome on deek and give up there arms. The carpenter sai I “ Yes,” and came up with the knives Prior to coining on deck, Turton told tho other mutineers that he thought he should he shot on deck or else hanged when the vessel got to port. The carpenter did not think he woiild be shot, but said he expi-cte I to be hanged on shore, adding that tho others might expect the same late. The captain inquired after the revolvet, hut they Slid it had gone overboard during the scuffle. When all had come up the hatches were fastened down, and the captain ord red them to stand separately, two on one side of the vessel, and two on the other. He then levelled hii gun at Turton, shot hm in the side, and threw him overboard. The carpenter, fearing a similar fate, tried to run aft, but was prevented by the mate. He tken got behind one of the others, so that the captain could not get a fair shot at him. The other man, however, stooped down and the captain shot him over his shoulder. The carpenter did not drop immediately,' b"t ran about the de"k. The captain followed and shot him in the hack when he instantly fell, and the others, by the captain’s orders, threw his body overboard. The decks were then washed down to remove the blood. The other two men, on being asked if they willing to work and behave well, replied in the affirmative, and were given food and went to work willingly enough. Everything that could be used as a weapon was brought aft and looked up. Search was made but no damage was done to the cargo, with the excepti n of a case of lobster that had been broach d and 35 tins opened for food hv the mutineers. During the night handcuffs were put on the steward. They had not the strength to navigate the vessel properly, but fortunately they did not experience very rough weather, and on the morning of the 24th November a vessel was observed on the port side. She was informed by signa's of the situation on board, and proved to be the Kaffir, of London, on her voyage from Port Natal to Calcutta. The captain came on board and supplied them with two men to help them to navigate the vessel, 3cwt, bread, and some medicine. He left at noon, and each vessel steered its coarse. After this the remainder of the voyage passed without any incident worth recording till the Natal cast anchor in the Brisbane roadstead. The three prisoners, who are all young men, are at present in custody until the consul can find means to ship them to Sweeden, where they will he tried under the laws of that country for mutiny and murder.