THE MURDER OF BILLY HAYES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5174, 22 October 1877, Page 3

THE MURDER OF BILLY HAYES.

The following further particulars of the fate of the notorious Captain Hayes, who was well known in New Zealand and other of the eolunies, appear in the latest Californian papers received by the mail ; Captain Hayes, of the schooner-yacht Lotus, which left this port on October 9th, 1876, for the Samoan Islands, was murdered in March last by the cook, a Dutchman, who shipped in Samoa as cook and seaman. The Lotus left Bonham Island, one of the Marshall Group, bound for Aborn, one of the same group, about 120 miles south-west. Six days after she came back, and the following information was obtained from the man. acting as mate. The second day out the captain spoke to the man at the wheel, who was the cook, about his steering. Some altercation followed, when the captain went below. When he came up the companion-way, some time after, the man let go the tiller, and struck Captain Hayes on the head with the crutch belonging to the mainboom. He fell, and expired immediately. No firearms of any kind were found on him. The acting mate at that time was below sleeping. The vessel returned to Bonham as soon as possible. The captain was buried at sea. The Maggie Johnston arrived at Bonham in the latter part of March. The master was explained to Captains Bilvea and Henry, and it was found that the mate, not having signed any articles or papers of agreement to bind himself to the vessel, had no control over her at all. Rumors about her going away to other islands in other hands got about, which caused Messrs. Copelle and Co., a large German firm there, to ask Captains Bilven and Henry, as American citizens, to do something in regard to the matter-. The only thing they could do was to deliver the vessel’s papers to Copelle and Co. for safe keeping until her owner in San Eranciscp could communicate instructions. The acting mate was left in charge, and did everything possible to fix things up. An inventory of all the goods on board was taken, and all were stored in Copelle and Co.’s warehouse. The vessel was to be moored to a 16001 b. anchor, sails unbent and put ashore in the warehouse. All this was not completed when the Maggie Johnston left, on May 15, but it was expected that everything would be fixed on that day.