THE MIGNONETTE TRAGEDY.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1185, 14 November 1884, Page 3

THE MIGNONETTE TRAGEDY.

FAMISHING IS A BOAT—CANNIBALISMThe f Homing special account of the loss ot Mr J H.' Want’s yacht Mignonette, is from the Meloourue Argus of October 16 : - The yaiht left Southampton on May, I«last, Dudley being in command, Stevens mate. Brooks able seaman, and Parker as boy. They airived at Madeira on June 1. The line was crossed on June 17, and from this date trouble coniraeuced Dirty weather began on the 18th, lasting until June 30, when it blew a gale. The yacht foundered ; the crew took to the boat in great haste, without fresh water, and their only food two tins of preserved turnips Fifteen terrible days passsd away without any incident to relieve the monotony. On the 15th ! day the. set co work to make a sail out of their shirts, with an oar for the mast. 'On the 18th da , after having had no fond of any kind fir seve ■ days , and m water for five days, and their ; condition having become awful, they I began to discuss the advisability of j casting lots as to who should be killed i is food for tee others. By this time I the hoy Parker was in the last stage | of exhaustion. The captain and mate, who are both married men, with j families, discussed the advisability of j killing Parker, «ho was evidently the neaiest to death of the four, as they con>idered that his oss would be least felt, inasmuch as he had no wife and family depending on him. They corai muuicated their views to Brooks; but ho declined to lie a party to such an act. The captain and the mate then decided to ki I Parker Be ore doing so, Dudley offered up a prayer that they might bo forgiven for what they were about to do. Parker was lying in the bottom of the itoatiu analm >sr. i> sensible state, with his face on his arm. It was then arranged that Dudley should stab him, and that teyens should hold him if he struggle! Bnoka went to the bow of the boat, turning away his head to shut out the fearful scene with his hands. The captain said to Parker, “ Now, Did-, your hour has come " Parker fee .-y repl.cd, “Whatl me. sirt')h,don’t.” Dudley then ran a penknife into Parker's jugular vein, end he died in a few seconds. They caught he flowing blood in tins, and divided it amongst them, Brooks being unable to resist taking bis share, - hey then stripped the boy, and for five days subsisted upon his body lietors they were sighted by the captain of the Montezuma. On the day the joyous sight of a sail greeted Brooks’ eyes while they were eating their horri do food. They al fervently prayed th it the passing ship might see them, and tried with what feeble strength remained to them lo pull towards it. Then’joy was unbounded when they discovered that they were seen, and in a out an hour and a halt after they first sighted the .-ail liny were a ongside the German baiqne Montezuma. They were in the state of such litter prostration that wnen they"got, alongside the ship they re q'llred to he assisted on board. Dudley attributes the foundering of the Mignonette lo her being, rather old for atxch a voyage. She proved a good sea ho it, and had she i-eeu new he considers that she would have wtat. ere-i the storm.

On eing landed at Falmouth the survivois were taken to the Sailor's Home, and afterwards tp the Customs office, where they made their depositions.- On the af.ernoon of September 8 (hoy were apprehended ob a warrant tabued by the Mayor oTFalmouth, auj

tiffcftQ. to tta bocoiigh ‘prison on a of limrder. Their »ppreKSn'aioo’iOok.^raß'by riirprise, as they had made leaving. Pah smill peuknife^with - which the : act wap committed win the possession of the Falmouth police. : [We have since, learned by cable that the captain and the mate have teen committed for trial, Brooks being acquitted, and accepted as witness for the Crown ]

THE BILEASE OF C APTAIN DUDLEY.

The London Evening Standard o Septemlier 12 said :—Captain Du l'e arrived in London this morning by thi mail train, retching Paddington at ‘ o’clock. The captain was met by'‘hi wile, and there was an affecting scene i etween the poor lady and-the imfor innate mariner. Mrs Dudley has beet "quite prostrate for some days, but made t great struggle to get to London tc receive her husband. Captain Dudlej was much fatigued by the journey, hul went on by cal> to Victoria station which he left at 10 minutes to 6, reach ing Sutten three-quarters of an hout later. Only a few pe sons were pre sent at the station, who greeted Cap tain and Mrs Lad ley most respectfully most of them uncovering as they passed to their cab A doctor was imme diatety sent for to dress the wound* from which thecapfcain is still suffer inff through bis long exposure. On every hand the mo t earnest sympathy is expressed with Mr and Mrs Dudley, who are well known, and highly respected throughout the district. By last evening’s post, Mr Liddicoat, the Mayor of Falmouth, rec ived ,an anonymous etterofan atiocious kind. It contains little but a tissue of bad language towards the Mayor for his having issued warrants for the appro* hension of the three men.. The post m <rk is Sheffield. The writing, which if in a disguised hj ud, is on two ball sheets of |wper. The compla nt of ihe writer is the issuing of the warrant thereby entailing more ’suffering'upon the,men after their having already curt ur d s<> much privatem,.and he is so indignant with the Mayor, that he states he is conrng to Falmouth next week to shoot him.

The following letter, written on the the certificate of the chronometer which was >«v. d from the Migno retie by Captain Dudley, is in his possession. It is written in pend, and is much defao d by the eff rot of the salt water Captain Dudley wrote it while they were in the punt, in the hope that, should they succumb, it might be afterwards found:—

July 6, 1884.—T0 my dear wife—Dudley Myrtle road .Sutton, in Surrey.— Mignonette foundered yesterday. Weather knocked side in. We had five minutes to get in boat, without food or water j 9th, picked no turtle. 21st July: We have been here 17 days ; have oo fxid; Wears all four living ; hoping to get passing ship. If not we must soon die. Mr Thompson will put everything right if you go to him, and 1 am sorry dear. I ever s arted on such a trip, bat I was doing it for oar best. Thought so at the time. You know, dear, I should so much like to he spared. You would find that I should lend a Christian' life for the remainder of my days. If ever this notereiches your bands y m know th- last of yonr Tom and loving husband. I am sorry things have gone against us thus far. but I hope to meet you and all our dear children in Heaven Dent, do love them, for my sake. Dear, biess them an l you al. I love y->n all dearly, you know ; but it is God's will if lam to part fro n y-m j but have hopes of iieing raved We were about 13 )0 miles from C»pe Town when the aff. r happened. Good ore, and God hleas y-m all, and may He provi !e for vou all,--Your loving husband, Tom Dudley.

A Southampton correspondent telegraphed as follows on September II: Stephens and Brooks not citching the through train via Salisbury, were i ot able to roach Southampton to-night, as was at first ex|iected. Mrs Stephens, who is in astute of great distress, and bursts into tears at the mention of the troubles of her hushaud, has veseveral affectionate I 'tiers from him since his detention at Falmouth he spe iks kindly of the ma or, and says he is still so ill that he has had the at endan e of a doctor every day since landing. Ha begs her not to believe all that has lieen said about him in the papers, which he sees every day, and to bear up until she hears from his own lips the story of the fearful trial he has undergone. At Madeiia he wrote, saving he should stop, in Aus tralia if she would join him, as there seemed to bp no luck fo- him in fug, laud. She had replied that, with her five little oliil ron, she would count out as soon as posaiule; but, of course, this le ter never reiched him. She declares he is one of the kindest and noblest of Tinsb inds, who would not harm a living creature willingly.