LYNCHING AT SAMOA.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2778, 9 January 1878, Page 2

LYNCHING AT SAMOA.

The Samoa Times says: "A person named Fox, purporting to be an American citizen, and who latelj arrived at Samoa from the Line Islands, entered the York Hotel with two men, and called for four drinks. He bad not been there lone before he fell backwards, and almost immediately died, without a murmur: blood was flowing copiouslj from the lower part of the body. The American Conanl was sent for, as the murdered man had claimed the United States of Ameriet/to be his country. At daylight on Sunday morning Dr Turner waa sent for, and examined the body. Suspicion having pointed to one Charles Cochrane as the culprit, the American Consul atonce issued a warrant for his arrest, which was shortly afterwards accomplished." The Consular Court hating heard the evidence, adjudged the prisoner guilty, and ordered that he be taken to America for sentence. He was for this purpose placed on board the schooner Ada Mary. After the decision was given a public meeting of the inhabitants was convened and resolved by 44 to 5 to carry out the summary punishment. Two boats were obtained, and about thirty of those present at the .meeting, proceeded on board, and obtained the pri. soner without any trouble. The prisoner appeared to be quite prepared, and expecting that he would soon be demanded by the populace, for he "did net offer the slightest resistance, but quietly submitted to be placed in the boat. While in the boat, and coming on shore, the prisoner remarked, " That is whit'comes through keeping bad compaany.'* As soon as the prisoner wat brorjghton shore, the Rev. Dr. Turner was sent for in accordance with-the request of the prisoner. It was.about nine o'clock when the rev. gentleman arrived. ' He was Jold by the prisoner that he was prepared to die, that he looked to Jesus Christ as his only Saviour. He also said.he was innocent of the charge of wilful' murder, that he might have accidentally stabbed the man, but not with any intent.- ",r'- - He also requerttd. Dr Turner to pray, with, aud for him. Immediately after prayer, the prisoner walked naif across the room towards the. guard at, the door, and remarked, " Now, lam ready." He was then blindfolded, and Jed to the place of execution,, which was .immediately opposite the hotel in which the murder was committed. The apparatus consisted of a pretty stout line, reaved through a double patent block, which was attached to a cocoanut tree, about thirty feet from the ground. Upon reaching the foet of the tree from which he was doomed to hang, he said, in a clear voice, " You are going, to hang an innocent man; there is one man on this beach who has committed a greater crime than that for which I am to bo hung; and may the Lord have pity on his soul, and mine too.". The rope was then placed round his neck, and he was ran up, and appeared to die without a struggle. It was then ten o'clock, and the body was allowed to remain s impended till ten o'clock next morning, when it was taken down and decently buried.. „; . Everything, from the commencement of the meeting till the bnrial, was conducted with the utmost order.