MURDERS AT SEA—AN ENGLISHMAN MURDERS TWO OF HIS SHIP'S OFFICERS AND IS HIMSELF KILLED BY AN AMERICAN.

Southland Times, Issue 105, 20 November 1868, Page 2

MURDERS AT SEA— AN ENGLISHMAN MURDERS TWO OF HIS SHIP'S OFFICERS AND IS HIMSELF KILLED BY AN AMERICAN.

; — ♦ (From the " Anglo-Brazillian Times.") The Dutch vessel Eennichiana arrived at Pernambuco on the 25th of June, with a cargo of jerked meat from Montevido. During the voyage the following scenes took place : On the 18fch the first mate, J. J. de Groth, ordered an Englishman called James Rudger, shipped at Montevido, to take the wheel from him, when the latter struck the mate upon the head and knocked him down, He then cut his throat and threw the body into the sea. The cook, J. Blemhold, was awakened by the splash, and, believing some one had fallen overboard, began to shout, " A man overboard," and to throw planks and ropes into the water. While thus engaged Rudger sprang at him and split his head open with a hatchet, and threw him into the sea. The captain and second mate were awakened by the noise, and the second mate, in coming up the companion-way, was struck at, but missed, by the hatchet wielded by Rudger, and he jumped back, whereupon Rudger closed the hatch and piled chains on it to prevent it being opened by them. He then called the two remaining men, an Englishman named Nicholson Chester, and an American called John Hughes, and forced them, by fear of him, to obey him. He then toid them that he was about to scuttle the vessel and abandon her, but they persuaded him to wait until the vessel was near land. On the 21st, Rudger uncovered the hatch to see what was going on inside, and, while so doing, captain Hotze attempted to shoot him with a gun, but this missed fire. Rudger then hastily closed the hatch and called to the men on deck to put a large stone on the top. "While he was waiting for this the captain fired at guess, but the ball only scored Rudger's leg. This, however," had the effect of alarming him and he ordered the boat to be got ready, while he himself made preparations for firing the vessel ; but his companions again disuaded him from leaving her so far from land. At night Chester went to bed, Hughes was at the wheel, and Rudger, who had not slept for three days, lay down near it, armed, and with his hatchet close to him, telling Hughes to waken him when land was in sight. In a few minutes he was fast asleep, and Hughes then left the wheel, and, seizing the hatchet, buried it in Rudger's head, who tried to rise and drew his knife, but fell dead before a second stroke. Hughes then shouted that all was safe, and, after throwing the body into the sea, opened the hatch, whereupon, after some hesitation, the two imprisioned men came on deck, No money or other valuable portable property existed on board to tempt cupidity, so that the ferocious conduct of Rudger must have originated from a maniacal thirst for blood.