Page
HOW THE "SUNNING ” WAS RECAPTURED.
THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH, 1926.
THE SECOND OFFICER'S DESPERATE PLAN.
FURTHER DETAILS OF THE EXPLOIT.
DRIFTING BOAT'S MEETING WITH PIRATES.
NEARLY ALL THE PIRATE GANG ACCOUNTED FOR..
Further detalls of the "Sunning" exploit were gleaned yesterday. H.3.5. **Verity" arrived in Fort in the morning, with the occupants of the boat which was 'cast adrift during the fight. These icinded' Mr. J W. Hurst, the second ofleer, Mr. A. Duncan, the third engineer, and the Russian lady passenger. The boat was adrift for nine hours, and had a surprize meeting with" boatload of escaping pirates. They were frightened away by the firing of a revolver. Three times the mast of the boat broke, for the wind was blowing strongly, and a high sea was run- ning. The survivors were nicked up by a Norwegian steamer, but Mr. Dunean had to jump overload to secure the rope."
It was Mr. Hurst who initiated the attack on the pirates. He stunned the two pirates on the bridge with the ship's lead." Mr. Hurst already had a revolver in his possession, and on disabling the pirates, handed the revolver, one was armed with, to the Captain, and the Chief Oficer picked up the rifle carried by the other, it was then that the fight....... began.
+
It is satisiactory to note that practically all the gang are accounted. for. About thirty men sne” here;-bat, until An identification parade is made it will not be known whether they are all pirates. A low pirates were drowned; two burned, and it is thought that the pirate occupants of the other "Sunning" boat have also been drowned. The boat was found drifting with no occupants.
The Russian lady is suffering from shock but she is stated to have borne herself most courageously, Mr. G. Cormack, the Chief Engineer, is progressed 'favourably.
THE COUNTER-ATTACK.
MR. HURST'S DESPERATE
ACTION.
The correct details as to how the counter-attack was begun were related yesterday by Mr. Hurst, the second off- cer, who initiated the attack.
Ships Passing By.
A long driven fight followed, and the ship was set on fire. Had there been subcient ammunition, the officers could have prevented the pirates firing the ven sel. As the flames increased the Captain round head on to the wind, the flames had the ship anchored and asthe swing
and smoke swept aft in the pirates' faces..
When the ammunition was running out, Mr. Duncan volunteered to go down to Mr. Hurst was on watch, when he was been touched by the pirates. The cther the ammunition locker, which had not tripped from behind and as he fell, two officers wisely refused to allow him to go.
By 2.30 .. a steamer was sighted, pirates pounced upon him, dach pressing n revolver to his side. Aftar capturing Sunning, but the ship passed on. Half and distress signals were sent out by the the ship the officers were allowed free-an-hour later another passing vessel did dom.
Mr. Hurst had a 3 colt revolver and 50 rounds of ammunition hidden away in room, and when an opportunity came he went there and found that the pirates had not found it. Herthen hid the wea- pon in the chart drawer on the bridge.
Continuing his search for arms he found two hours later a 43 cols recolver and 50 rounds of ammunition in the second engineer's room. This was put in the same hiding place.
Mr. Hurst informed his brother officers
of his find, and told them to lay hands on any weapons they could. Mr. Beasty
added two hand-shackles to the store.
the same.
Request for Trace.
truce, the condition being that if they About 4.15 a.m. the pirates asked for a
Look to the Bouts, the officers should stop officers should give up their arms. Their firing. They also demanded that the
terms were curtly rejected.
About 4.45 a.. a second boatload of pirates left and then the gallant defen- ammunition left. ders of the bridge had expanded all their By that time their armoury considered of two deep sea-leads, two axes and five unloaded revolvers.
It was not till then that it was realised that Mr. Lapsley was missing.
Mr. Hurst retains as a souvenir of his experiences an empty revolver and about ten rounds of ammunition which were taken from a dead pirate and which did not fit his weapon.
:
The officers had hopes that a British
SURVIVORS RETURN. destroyer would come on the scene. The
ADRIFT FOR NINE HOURS. 8. Anhui had passed, and as they had not dipped their Bag the officers, of the
The occupants of the Sunning boat, vessel must, they thought, have surmised that left the ship during the fight, arrived that something was wrong. The officers in Hongkong yesterday on board H.M.S. realized that if a destroyer came on the second offeer, Mr. A. Duncan, the third Verity. They were M. J. W. Hurst, the scene, the pirates would very probably engineer, Mrs Prokofier, the Russian butcher them before making a lust stand.lady passenger from Shanghai, Mr. Lük
All along Mr. Hurst was itching to
Yu Cheon, the wireless operator, whose fight, and planning with his fellow offes in Hongkong, and the two
Chinese quartermasters. cers how they could turn the tables: But he did not stats exactly what he was going to do
་་
"There's Chilang Point." Suddenly and unexpectedly the attack was made. Just before 1 a.ra, and when Chilang Point was sighted, with him on the bridge were Captain Pringle and Mr. Beatty, the Chief Officer. The latter had hinnculars in his hand and Mr. | Hurst had the sea lead.
the other pirate's rifle.
revolver from the pirate.
As previously stated one of the Sun ning boats was lowered when the con flagration was at height, and the Russian lady, and the others left in it. It was the last remaining lifeboat on the bridge deck, and it was aflame at the stern. When the boat was lowered into the sea, the fire was quickly extinguished, and the painter by which it was attached to the Sunning, being burnt through she be dame adrift.
THIRTY IN CUSTODY,
NEARLY ALL THE PIRATE GANG ACCOUNTED FOR
About thirty, Chinese are at the Central Police Station and the majority are be lieved to be pirates. An identification parade was held yesterday and is being continued to-day. Four pirates are in hospital.
CARGO JUNK RAIDED.
PIRATES ACTIVE IN TUNG KUN.
CREW KIDNAPPED.
J
Another outrage committed on a cargo uns by pirates who infest the waters in the neighbourhood of the Colony, tanda to show that their activities have by no means abated.
The junk was raided in the Tung Kun district, and the crew were captured,
The master was also held captive, but was subsequently released on the pay- ment of ransom. He returned to the Colony on Wednesday and made a report), to the Water Police.
The number of attackers was given as between 35 and 10. It is known that some pirates were drowned and two at least perished in the flames. The only pirates to escape, therefore, are those who were in the bast seen by Mr. Hurst and Mr. Duncan. This boat was eventually found adrift on the son, with no occupants, and the pirates might well have been drowned. If that is so, they are all "He said that his junk left Hongkong accounted for, and in any case only this on September 4th, for Tai Ping in the handful got away. These who were Tung Kun district, with a general cargo, identified yesterday-eighteen in all-valued at about $3,600. He had a crow will be formally charged at the Central of 8 males.. Magistracy to-day.
RUSSIAN LADY'S PLIGHT.
LOST ALL HER BELONGINGS.
The officers lost all their belongings and the same applies to luggage shipped by Mrs. Prokofier, the Russian lady. When the pirates took charge of the ship one of them took her rings and jewellery, but these were later returned.
Mrs. Prokofier was bound for Austra- lia, and carried with ber a large portion of her belongings. At present she has nothing more than what she is wearing. She had intended catching the us. Tai ping, but that vessel has already left by
now.
She showed amazing plack throughout; during the fight and fire, and in the life boat. She is very grateful to the officers for all they did for her.
BIAS BAY "PIRATES. WHY THEY SOUGHT FOR
CHILANG POINT.
It has now been definitely established that the pirates spoke the Swatow dia- lect, which suggests that they were from the Bias Bay district. Mr. Luk, the Chinese wireless operator, saya that they spoke Cantonese (Punti) fuently. But ance, he thought that they were Hokios. when they talked and by their appear-
.
When off Fuk Wing Ti, Nam Tau dis trict,, about 7am. on September 5th, a junk came almost alongside and opened Gre The cargo junk was ordered to lower sails, and, over 30 men armed with drove the crew into the after-hold. The rifles and Mauser pistol boarded her and
vessel then sailed towards Sha Tang, with the pirates following. At Sha Tag | both junks anchored and the cargo was unloaded while the crew ashore and confined in a house under were taken
guard.
On September 11th, all were released except the master who was forced to write to his family for 88,000 as ransom.. On November 9th his wife remitted $950, and he was released and came back to the Colony the following day.
The cargo junk No. T4005H, and the personal effects of the crew, were valued at $3,203. The total loss is $8,835.
SAI KUNG PIRACY.
EVIDENCE OF ARRESTS.
CASE ADJOURNED.
Mr. Duncan also heard the pirates speak in Cantonese, which he under-sharged with pirating the steam launch, The case in which five Chinese are being stands.
lang Point, they would then know what
They knew that once they sighted Chi.Sai Kung, on or about September 19th in the New Territories, and with the course should be steered for Bias Bay.
murder of an Indian guard, who was shot down fo the mêlée, was continued yesterday afternoon at the Kowloon Magistracy, before Mr. J. H.-B. Nihill.
Mr.Whyte-Smith, Assistant Crown Solicitor, conducted the prosecution.
A Chinese fuki on a fishing boat gave! evidence to the effect that he saw the Sve defendants in Jap Mun, New Ter ritories.
MR. LAPSLEY MISSING. NOT SEEN AFTER FIGHT BEGAN. Mr. H. W. Lapsley is still missing, and no one know whether or no he is still in the hands of the pirates. He was seen being taken to the chart room by two pirates, and it was soon after that the bridge was re-captured. Mr. Lapsley He speaks Chinese fruently and had been was not rescued from the, Mate's roon. acting as interpreter between the Captain and the pirates. ir. Lapsley was on the sta of the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company, but has just retired. He is a brother of Mr. R. Papsley, of Kowloon Dock.
*།
TAIKOO DOCK TUG'S FINE WORK
The Taikoo Dock Tug, which left Ta keo at 11 am, on Tuesday to go to the eseus of the ill-fated Sunning, arrived at Chilang Point, after a good passage, at 10.15 p.m. the same day. By 11 p.m. the hawser had been made fast and the Hongkong with the Aunning, the tug Low started at once. Coming back to averaged seven knots and the time occu pied by the tow was fourteen hours.
.
A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT. HONGKONG THRILLED BY OFFICERS' DARING.
They were in a cake shop buying cakes. He noticed that three of the defendants each had a revolver strap- pedes his hip. At this stage, one of the defendants shouted from the deck
Mind what you say, or the thunder will kill you."
examining a witness, said "You must One of the defendants while cross- have seen a devil, when you said you saw me with a revolver."
The Arrest.
A Chinese 'detective attached to Taipe Police Station said he went to Tap Mun with a European Sergeant and & Chinese defendants. He found one of them in constable on September 18th to arrest.
an empty house with the door shut. He shouted to the inmates to open the door or be would re. Receiving no answer, witness fired one shot into the air, and this had the desired effect, for the door was thrown open, and the defendant was at once arrested.
The fourth defendant was arrested in & small but on the hillside.
Further evidence was taken, and the case was again adjourned.
THREE QUEER PASSENGERS.
A WEIRD SIGHT ON DECK.
There's Chilang Point," said one of
The night was pitch-black, with a by the exploit of the officers of the Hangkong has been deeply thrilled the officers, and at the same time Mr. strong wind blowing and a rough sea. Beatty handed the glasses to the pirate The boat tossed ake a cork, and the Summing, and yesterday one heard ex- chief and the No. 3 pirate leaned toward Russian lady and Mr. Luk were sea-sick pressions of praise concerning them on
Amidst the confusion on the well-deck to make out what he could with the naked Mr. Hurst, was at the tiller, and the all sides. The story was the topic of eye In a moment, Mr. Hurit awung the others were kept busy baling out water. general discussion, and even the great of the Sunning was a sight which at- 28. lead and with two lighting, blows For nine hours the boat drifted and the Laterport Cricket struggle had to take tracted the gate of all assembled there.
second place.
Beated, on their belongings were three seat both pirates unconscious to the deck.ast broke three times. Snatching a revolver from one fallen
"A Daily Press representative met dwarfs, accompanied by an aged rann. The Pirate Boat. pirate. Mr. Hurst, thrusf it into Captain
several parties discussing the Sunning the chly one of the party who was not When dawir broke, to their natoniah episode.
deformed. Pringle's hand, and Mr. Beatty snatched ment they found that the boat containing The Officers of the Sunning," said "At village, fairs in England and else the pirates was some 200 yards away one person; have done more towards where one is accustomed" to see queër Brained With Rite.
Mr. Hurst suggested an attack by ram the crushing of pirates than all the Anti- beings attenuated and deformed. But Another pirate came up and Mr. Beattyming the pirate boat. But eventually it Piracy Regulations that have been in sight such as these thres dwaris on brained him with the buit-end of the rife, was decided to frighten the pitutes away vented. It was a great blow, a herculean board the Sunning is scarcely imagin which, snapped in two. He then took the Mr. Hurst had a revolver which was too effort which will go for in eliminating able. One was quite aged, his head and large for the ammunition in his possespiracies on the China Coast. The exploit body seemed well formed, but he evident- The two Colts concealed in the chart on He, however, exploded the percus is astounding, an episode of remarkable lý had po lega. He was very garrulous. drawer werd then taken out, and the Cap-on cap, and the pirates hurried away. beroism and a glorious achievement." The other two seemed to be twina, tain and Chief Officer took the port side Now that it was day, the occupants of Those inen, and another deserve Their heads were extremely smail and of the bridge, and Mr. Hurst lay full the boat repaired the mast and hoisted athe Victoria Cross. Their triumph against queerly shaped, as large as cocoanuta length on the starboard side...
sal Progress was still precarious owing odds will long be remembered on the and not unlike them in form. Their Hodies were small and thin, their arms The pirates had got wind of the attack to the wind and ses but some 25 miles in China Const and about 10 men attempted to rush the Southerly direction were traversed be-
and bands as- tiny as a child's. They bridge. A revolver in each hand Mr. fore the Norwegian L. Ravens Fell hove
were entirely unconcerned as to what was Burst fired. Four pirates dropped, and in sight,
taking place, and seemed to be dumb. the rest fled down the gangway..
Mr. Duncan's Peat.
A Chinese on board was heard to say Eventually by anashing the skylight of Extreme difficulty was experienced in
that one of the dwarfs, when in a rage, the Captain's room, the second engineer, getting alongside, anil several attempts
was seen to gnaw wood L THE $.S. "HONG PENG." the third engineer, the Russian lady and were made to Carew a line to the boat the wireless operator were hauled onto but it fell short. Then Mr. Duncan dived Rumours were current yesterday that the bridge. Mr. Hurst gave Mr. Duncan overboard, got hold of the rope, swam the 8.8. Hongpeng, now on her way from one revolver, and Mr. Orr was provided back to his boat and secured it. Then Singapore to Hongkong, had been pirat with another by the Chief Officer who the tope was tied in a bowline round the ed and that twenty persons were wound sneaking down to the nearest dead pirate, Ludy and she was the first to be taken ed, while Mr. Hurst covered his retreat ob tained his revolver and ammunition.
Some two hours later, Mr. Cormack, the wounded Chief Officer, crawled on to the bridge.
Many such expressions were made by Hongkong people yesterday, and the gallant defenders of the bridge are well worthy of them all.
"
on board. The remainder followed.. ̈ ̈ Lato last night, however, we were The panty thought they were destined officially informed that the vessel was for Shanghai but after about 16 hours' quite safe, news to that effect having been cruising, the destroyer H.M.B. Verity Teocived. came up and took them off.
(Continued on next. Volumn).
The old mad their keepor apparently, at his dwaris, and some of the Chinese had nothing to say. The crowd stared were seen to speak to him; but he did not reply. And where may they be going asked a Daily Press representa tive to a Police officer.
kong to beg," he replied.
I suppose they have come to Hong-
They will not, however, beg in Hong kong. The Police will send them back whence they came, '... «
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