Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 305, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 December 1912 — CREW COMMITS HARA-KIRI [ARTICLE]

CREW COMMITS HARA-KIRI

Six Japanese Sailors on British Bark Helpmate End Lives When Mikado Dies. \ Rehavana. Java. —The British bark Helpmate, Captain Steers, arrived here from the north Borneo coast manned by an island crew of natives picked up by the skipper after his former crew, six Japanese, had committed hara-kiri upon the deck of the vessel after learning of the death and burial of the mikado. Captain Steers says that he was proceeding from Pelori island to Zamara on the Borneo coast to complete his cargo of copra when he was hailed by the British barkentine Clyde Town, from the master of which he received a number of items of news, among them being the information of the Japanese emperor’s death and burial. Without realizing what it might mean, Captain Steers gave the tidings to the men, and immediately thrr were as stricken, raving about the ship and engaging in load lamentations. When he remonstrated with them for allowing the bark to drift aimlessly they threatened his life and he said no more to them until he saw them gathered on the deck, each with a knife in his hand and stomach bared. The captain thereupon realized what waa about t 6 happen and cams forth from his cabin with a repeating rifle, but the men paid no heed to him and upon a signal each killed himself. The Helpfist*. the captain alone alive on tmard, drifted helplessly, bnt finally made Hadgona bay without serious injury; and here Captain Bteers succeeded, after some days, in prevailing upon enough natives to man his ship and sail it to-this port