Murder On The High Seas.

How The Brothers Rorique Were Trapped in Ponape In 1892.

By A.C.R.

ON July 26, 1895, two men were em barked in the prison ship, “Saint Nazaire”, bound for Cayenne.

They had been condemned by the Tri bunal Maritime of Brest to perpetual im prisonment in France’s South American penal colony, for piracy and murder on the high seas. They were enrolled there under the numbers 27029 and 27030.

They first appear in this history when, in the month of June, 1891, Captain Wohler, of the schooner, “Papeete”, while at Rarotonga, was requested by Messrs.

Lisle and Goodwin (merchants at Raro tonga) to take on his ship two wrecked French sailors who had arrived at th,e is land a short time before. They gave their names as Alexandre and Joseph Rorique, and represented that they had been captain and first mate of the ship “General Bag”, which had been wrecked at Jaluit, in the Marshall Islands; they being the only survivors. From the Mar shall Islands the two had made their way to Penrhyn and thence to Rarotonga, where they became warehousemen for Messrs. Lisle and Goodwin.

There was no truth whatever in this story of a wreck in the Marshall Islands.

In reality, they had come ashore, on De cember 25, 1890, at Penrhyn from the ship “Vagabond”, sailing from Sydney, having deserted the vessel at that island.

This was not known at Rarotonga at the time so Capt. Wohler accepted them on his schooner and transported them to Tahiti.

The Roriques lost no time in insinuating themselves into the good graces of the people of Tahiti.

HOW well they succeeded is witnessed in a letter written on May 28, 1892, by the Governor of that time, Mon sieur Lacascade:—“The brothers Rori que, who speak fluently five languages, appear educated and have irreproachable manners, were recommended by Captain Wohler”.

Le Messager de Tahiti, in relating the horrible tragedy of the “Niuorahiti”, speaks of “the apparent poise, the social talents and the imperturbable politeness of the brothers, Rorique”—wh,o played one, the piano, the other, the flute. Captain Wohler learned that they could set a course, and steer a ship. There is not any doubt that they possessed scientific knowledge. They wrote French, in the style most pure. All of these qualifica tions recommended them to Captain Ar naud, who, sensing the advantages he could derive by employing such men, of fered to establish them in one of the is lands of which he controlled the traffic —th,e atoll Kaukura, in the Tuamotu archipelago.

There is no doubt that, during their so journ together at Kaukura, the brothers Rorique conceived and perfected their plans for the piracy which has made their name infamous in the Pacific.

It was not long before Joseph, returned to Tahiti—alleging that there was not sufficient work for the two of them in Kaukura.

AT Papeete Captain Andre offered Jo seph the post of first mate on his schooner, “Henri”. The “Henri” was on the point of departure when Alexan dre arrived from Kaukura. He had fre

quent conversations with his brother, Joseph, on board the “Henri”, which last ed far into the night. Finally, Alexan dre departed for Kaukura by another vessel while Joseph assumed his duties as mate on the “Henri”. During the voy age Joseph three times requested Cap tain Andre to call at Kaukura; but An dre, suspicious, refused and ordered his crew to notify him if the course of the vessel should be changed during the night.

Returning to Papeete, Joseph left An dre’s schooner and was offered the post of mate on the “Gabrielle”; but refused because, as he said, it was “too small”.

For a long time Joseph remained ashore until, one day, he was introduced to Mon sieur Gibson, captain in fact, although supercargo in name, of the handsome schooner “Niuorahiti”.

“I engage you”, said Gibson. “At least.

I shall have someone to whom I can speak English”.

The following day. Gibson conducted Joseph on board and introduced him to Tehahe, the captain; but hastened to add; “Do not trouble yourself about the captain. I have him on board because I cannot be captain myself. Not being a French citizen, I embark in the quality of supercargo. Nevertheless, everything will be between you and me”.

The “Nluorahiti” was a fine schooner of 50 tons and was owned by Prince Hinoi Pomare, nephew of the late King Pomare y She sailed from Papeete on December 15 1891 The first call was at Makatea.

After leaving that island, Joseph convinced Gibson that it would be to his interest to call at Kaukura. His brother, he said, was desirous of selling a cargo of Mother-of-Pearl shell.

THE “Niuorahiti” arrived at Kaukura on December 20. Alexander feigned to Ha thp Arrival of his brother. “I thought you were still with Captain Andre”, said he.

The same evening, Alexandre was in-

vited to dinner on board. During the meal, he asked Gibson if he would al low him a passage to Fakarava. Gib son, who had no reason for refusing his request, consented and even offered to take him free of charge, Arrived at Fakarava, Alexandre pretend e(j he had missed the mail from Tahiti anc [ begged Gibson to permit him to re main on board. The Roriques took lun cheon with the Administrator, Monsieur Aubert. At evening, there was a party where the brothers distinguished them selves by their musical performance at the harmonica. During the night Joseph « as seized with chills and fever.

“What good fortune”, Gibson said to him, “that your brother is on board!” He was most happy to have with him so ex perienced a mariner. The following morning the schooner sail for Fakarava.

When she left Fakarava, the “Niuora hiti” had on board nine persons—the cap tain Tehahe Gibson the cook Mirey a hEtlf — c&sto), four H3,tiVo s&ilors, p&ss enger named Teteria, and the two Rori ques* After having left a bag of mail at

Kauhehi, the schooner set sail for the Island of Hao.

A clear night and a calm sea. Joseph, who had recovered from his pretended sickness, took the helm. The captain Tehahe, Gibson and Mirey went below to sleep. The crew were already asleep in their quarters forward. The sick passen ger had not moved from his cabin. The two brothers Rorique, were alone on deck.

After some minutes, the captain Te ha'he, complaining that his cabin was too hot, came on deck to sleep in the open.

AT ten o’clock that night, the super cargo Gibson and the cook Mirey were awakened by the sound of two gunshots. Gibson leaped out of bed and said to Mirey: “Pori (Mirey’s Tahitian name), did you not hear two revolver shots on deck?”

“Yes”, replied Mirey. “I will go up and find out the reason”.

“No, stay here”, ordered Gibson, “I will go myself”.

“What has happened?” asked Gibson, on arriving on the poop.

He had scarcely spoken these words when Alexandre came toward him and cried: “Ah, this is what I wish”, and at the same moment discharged his revol ver full into the breast of Gibson. Gib son fell like a log to the’deck. Mirey, who had come some steps up the ladder, stood —his head just above the compan ion-way—terrorised by the spectacle be fore him.

Alexandre stood over Gibson, lying un conscious on deck, and shot him three times in the head, to finish him. Be hind the body of the supercargo, Mirey perceived that of the captain, Tehahe, extended beside the skylight.

“Get below or I’ll kill you”, shouted Joseph to Mirey. Mirey obeyed.

The tw r o brothers then took up the two bodies and cast them, without cere mony, into the sea.

Having started in murder, the Rori que brothers pursued remorselessly their determination to eliminate all possible witnesses of their crime. Mirey they spared because he swore to be faithful to them inasmuch as (so he protested) he would be accused equally with them should they fall into the hands of the authorities, and, secondly, because they needed a cook. The sick passenger died the following day from poison placed by Alexandre in a bowl of nourishment.

The Roriques called the crew aft. “You have nothing to fear”, they said. “For we nurpose putting you on a desert island

with plenty of food to last until you are rescued”. They further told the crew that the passenger had died of an infec tious disease and must be put overboard at once. They read the burial service over the body before they consigned it to the waters of the ocean.

The next morning, Alexandre com manded Mirey to get a half bottle of rum from the cabin and give a glass to each of the four native sailors. Two of the sailors drank their rum, but the two others refused. Those who had taken the rum soon afterwards died in great agony.

“They have caught the contagious dis ease of the passenger”, said Alexandre, and ordered the bodies to be thrown overboard.

Six days followed without incident.

The “Niuorahiti’s” course had been set to the north-west, and she was beyond the limits of French Oceania. There was no land in sight. The nearest island, Penrhyn, was distant many hours of sailing.

AT midday, Alexandre suddenly order ed the two sailors to lower the jib sail. They obeyed, and slid out on the bowsprit to fasten down the sail.

At that moment, Joseph rushed forward, brandishing a revolver. The poor men on the bowsprit knew his intention and, rather than die as had Gibson and Te hahe, they leaped into the sea.

Alexandre, at the helm, did not even turn his head as the men floated by, nor did he change the course of the vessel.

A smile appeared on his lips. The last witnesses they feared were gone. Mirey they could spare because between them they could make sure he would not be tray them. They could keep him in such terror that he would hold hjs tongue.

Besides, Mirey was an excellent cook, and they wished to enjoy a comfortable existence.

Their next task was to disguise the schooner. Alexandre painted over the black letters of the name on the bow and substituted the name “Poe”—which signifies, in the island dialect—a pearl.

Next, they erased the “Niuorahiti- Papeete” on the stem and painted the new name, “Poe-Rarotonga”, in its place. With materials they had at hand they made a flag of Rarotonga—two red bands horizontal, separated by a band of white, on which were sewn three blue stars.

While at Rarotonga they had possessed themselves of blank clearance forms and had carved a replica of the official stamp.

With these in hand, they had already forged complete clearance papers and other documents necessary to convince port Authorities that everything was in order. At the point of a pistol they compelled Mirey to sign on the crew roll as Polydore Dessard, born at Martinique.

The Roriques were now ready to carry out their further plans. Their first land fall was in the Gilbert Islands. The Gilberts were still under their native Kings. There were no critical inspec tions of the ship’s papers as the “Poe” entered the island harbours. It was not until the ship came to Ponape, in the Caroline Islands, that the real test came.

THE Caroline Islands were at that time under the" Spanish flagT Ponape was the seat of administration. When the “Poe” sailed into the harbour there were two Spanish gun boats anchored there.

The “Poe” dropped anchor at 10 a.m. near the Spanish cruiser “Dona Maria de la Molina”, At 11 o’clock the port doc tor came aboard and asked to see the “Poe’s” certificate of health. Alexandre

at once presented to him the false pat ent he had fabricated, on which were the visas of the islands he had previous ly visited. The doctor took some notes and said to Alexandre that the military Governor desired to see him during the afternoon.

At 2 o’clock Alexandre went to the residence. The Governor, who spoke English, wished to examine all of the ship’s papers. Alexandre promised to bring them the following day. The next morning he brought all the falsified documents to the Governor, who stamp ed and signed them with his visa with out reading them.

Alexandre returned on board triumph ant. He called Mirey. “Now, Pori”, he said, “we have nothing more to fear. All our papers have been found in order by the Governor”.

The next day Joseph said to Mirey: “Pori, wh,en we have finished dinner we will go ashore”.

Mirey heard this with secret joy, but he quieted all suspicion by again prom ising to say nothing of what had hap pened during the voyage. Ashore they repaired to a licensed hotel, kept by a German named Narruhn, where many officers of the Spanish military had gath ered for refreshments. The officers in vited Joseph and Alexandre to join their company. The two Roriques entertained

their hosts with music—Joseph at the piano and Alexandre playing an accord ion.

MIREY, meanwhile, was seeking oppor tunity to separate himself from them and to denounce them to someone who could understand French. But the Roriques kept him under constant observation. Final ly, at evening, Mirey said to Alexandre: “I think we must dine on shore for I

have not time to prepare a meal on board”.

Alexandre consented, and directed Nar ruhn to set a table for three.

The wife of Narruhn was a Tahitian woman. Mirey knew that if he could speak to her alone he could accomplish his object.

The Roriques drank heavily at dinner and before the repast was finished both were intoxicated—so much so that Alex andre became sick and went out into the court. His brother soon followed him.

Now was Mirey’s opportunity. He beckoned to the wife of Narruhn. “Are you not of Tahiti?” he asked in the Tahi tian dialect.

“Yes”, she responded, and added that she had even lived at Papeete.

Then Mirey, profiting by the drunken ness of the two brothers, begged the Tahitian woman to conduct him to the Spanish Governor, with her husband as interpreter, as he had a denunciation to make against the captain of the schoon er for crimes committed on the high seas.

At that moment Joseph came stagger ing in from the court. He had overheard the conversation. Alexandre followed, and the two attempted to drag Mirey from the inn.

The Tahitian woman hurriedly told her

husband what Mirey had revealed to her.

Narruhn intervened and, with a blow of his fist, knocked down first Alexandre and then Joseph—both being too intoxicated to offer any resistance.

Mirey was conducted before four offi cers of the Spanish infantry, together with, an interpreter, and there made his declaration in writing as to all that had transpired on the “Niuorahiti”. These ac cusations were so grave that the officers went at once to awaken the Governor, to inform him of what they had heard.

The Governor immediately ordered the arrest of the Roriques, who were there upon seized, taken aboard the “Dona Maria de la Molina” and confined as pris oners.

The inquiry amply confirmed the ac cusations of Mirey. The prisoners were transferred to Manila, in the Philippines, and later turned over to the French au thorities.

THE Roriques were tried before the Marine Tribunal at Brest in France and condemned to death. During the trial it was revealed that the name Rorique was assumed, and that the bro thers were in reality, the scions of a noble and distinguished family of Bel gium. Great influence was brought to bear and their sentences were commuted to imprisonment for life at Cayenne.

Alexandre died at Cayenne. Joseph was released in 1919. He is said to have embarked on an expedition to search for emeralds in Colombia, in the year 1926.

No details of the affair are available, but it is rumoured that he transgressed the laws of the country, was imprisoned and died there in mysterious circumstances. (Note.—The story of the Rorique Bro thers, is, of course, well known to the older residents of Tahiti. The writer, however, has taken his history and some of his phraseology from the account “Les Freres Rorique”, par Rene La Bruyere, published in 1934.)