MURDER OF BULLY HAYES.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Issue 9, 1 December 1877, Page 3

MURDER OF BULLY HAYES.

KILLKD BY HIS COOK WHILE CRUISING IX THE SOUTH SEAS. Some short time ago wo extracted a paragraph from the "Fiji Times" to the effect, that the notorious Captain Hayes had been killed by the chief mate of the vessel in which he was cruising. As accounts of his death have before been published, and lie has mysteriously turned up in the enjoyment of good health in some other part of the world, doubts are still held by some people, as to whether this was not another similar false report. However, the following remarks from the " San Francisco Post," not only confirms the "Fiji Times" statement as to Hayes being killed, but we think leaves no doubt a.-> to the truth of it:—

" Captain Hayes, of the schooneryacht Lotus, which -s:xiK->I from this port October it, Im7G, for the Sainoa-i Islim.ls. whs 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, about 120 miles south-west. Six days afterwards 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 cook and seaman — about his steering. Some altercation followed, whfn the •captain went below. When he came up the companion way, some time after, the man let go the tiller, and stnjek Captain Hayes on the head with the crutch belonging to the main boom. He fell and innnediately expired. !J# firearms of any kind wen; found on him. The acting mate at the time was b«low sleeping. The vessel returned to Bonham Island as soon jus possible. The captain was hurried at sea. The Maggie Johnston arrived at Bonham the latter part of March. The matter was explained to Captains Bliven and Henry, and it was found that the mate (not having Bigned any articles or papers of agreement of any kind 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 induced Messrs. Capellc, and Co., a large German firm there, to ask Captains Bliven and Henry, as American citizens, to do something in r«£r»rd tii tiio »»oitor. The only thing they could do, wa« to deliver the vessel's papers to Capelle, and Co., for safe-keep-ing, until her owners in San Francisco «ould communicate instructions.

The acting mate Was left in charge, and did everything possible to fix things up. An inventory of all goods on board was taken, and all were stored in Capelle, and Cos., warehouse. The Vessel was to be moored to a 1,600 pound anchor, sails unbent, and put on shore in the warehouse. AH was not completed when the Maggie Johnston left on May 15, but it was expected that everything would be fixed on that day. Captain Hayes will be remembered as the gentleman whose strange life and adventures were published in October last under the caption of " A South Sea Pirate." He had many friends, who contend that his errors were thoso of the head, and not of the heart, and it is said of him, even by his enemies, that he was a man who never counted the cost when he could render assistance to a fellow sailor in distress. He Was equally wellknow in San Francisco, Melbourne, Sydney, and the groups of the South Pacific, where years of his life had been spent." ,