Rensselaer Standard, Volume 1, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 July 1879 — A Mystery Solved. [ARTICLE]

A Mystery Solved.

It will be remembered by many in this community that several years ago the ship Alaska left Burrad Inlet for China witli a cargo of lumber. She arrived at her destination in safety and was announced to liavefsailed again for this port to receive a second cargo. Time rolled on,'and at the expiration ot the usual number of days allowed for the passage from China the good ship Alaska was announced as “due.” She failed, however, to put in an appearance; but this was not considered at all extraordinary, as voyages from China vary iu duration as much as voyages to or from any other place. But the days she was overdue gradually crept into weeks -and the weeks into months, and after she had been reported “missing” far a long time the conclusion arrived at was that she h%d doubtless foundered or become the victim of foul play. Years passed by and no word came ot the rescue of any one who had been on board the ill fated ship, and at last the faint glimmer ot hope, which had sustained the hearts of the friends *.»l officers aud crew, died out. The wife of the supercargo of the vessel, who had been watching and “waiting” for many years, succumbed to the effects of the terrible suspense, and was quickly followed by her only child. The fact that during the time which would be necessary for the Alaska to passage to this port there hail l«en no heavy winds or storms was the main reason for the suspicions of foul play, and among those who entertained them was a gentleman who happened to meet a drunken sailor -in a saJoon in Japan. The old adage “iu vino veritas” was again verified (as will be 'subsequently seen), for the sailor quickly began to give a disjointed narrative of mutiny and blood-shed. The gentleman kept the narrative in his memory, and, following up his determination to unravel the mystery surrounding the fate of the ship, encompassed the arrest of several sailors who had been incriminated by their drunken companion.. One of these sailors admitted that he had belonged to the crew of the Alaska aud made a full confession of the circumstances concerning her loss. He stated that when but a few days out from Hong Kong, sailing under a light breeze, off the coast of Japan, the crew mutined and, without a moment’s warning, threw overboard the second mate, who was the only officer on deck at the time. Hearing a commotion, the Captain and first officer rushed up and were immediately murdered and given to the sea.

The Supercargo, Mr. Thorndike, brother of the owner of the ship, who had $5,000 in coin on board, shared the same fate as the other officers, and the crew, having secured the money and everything else of value that could be readily moved, set fire to the vessel, aud, taking to the boats, pulled for the coast of Japan. 'Having landed in safety, they divided the spoils, cherishing the hope that every trace of their foul deed had been obliterated. But Time, the certaiu avengerof crime, has proved that their hope was fallacious, as. following closely on the confession above referred to, the arrest of all but two of the criminals was effected, and they will in all probability quickly be called on to pay the penalty demanded by justice.—[Victoria (B. C.) Colonist.