Pitcairn's Island  Notes  Source  Whalesite

Captain Dyke (H.M.S. Comus) to Admiralty,
advising of murders on Pitcairn Island
committed by H.A. Christian
(November 10, 1897)

REPORTING A MURDER AT PITCAIRN ISLAND.

Sir,

      On 20 June 1897, Harry Albert Christian, Aged 24, brutally murdered Clara Warren, aged 21, and her one year old infant, of which he was the father.

      (2) It appears he had previously seduced her, but was anxious to get her out of the way so as to be lawfully married to another woman. He was not actually seen to commit the murder, but traces of the struggle, some hair and blood were found on his clothes. The bodies were never discovered.

      (3) On being taxed with the murders he at first denied a knowledge of them but at last confessed in the presence of

Alfred Young, Robert Buffet, Gerard Christian, Samuel Young,
Arthur Young,

members of the Governing Body of the Island – Alfred Young being President.

      (4) The Governing Body were doubtful as to whether they had the power of life and death; also, everyone on this unique Island being so closely connected by intermarrying the idea of one of their own relatives being hanged was distasteful, so that in the end, nothing was done, with the

The Secretary,
    of the ADMIRALTY,
      WHITEHALL, LONDON, S.W.

exception of keeping the man a prisoner till the arrival of Her Majesty's Ship under my Command.

      (5) I had a long consultation with the Governing Body, who at first asked. me to take the man to England for trial. As to do this meant bringing with me at least twelve witnesses, I did not feel quite justified in taking such a step, the more so as some of the witnesses were females.

      It was arranged at last that Christian should he kept a prisoner pending instructions from home, and I promised to represent the case without delay, It is the wish on the Island that he should be removed as soon as cOssible.

      (6) I saw Christian and he confessed to me that he had murdered Clara Warren and her child, adding "When I killed them I threw the bodies over the cliff into the sea." This latter statement he had never made before, and it accounts for the bodies never having been discovered. He is the great grandson of the late Fletcher Christian – who was a Lieutenant of H.M.S."HOUNTY" and one of the leaders of the historical mutiny on 28th April 1789, and who was himself murdered in the beginning of this century on Pitcairn Island by the Tahitian natives brought in the "BOUNTY" from Tahiti.

I have etc.                             
(Signed) Henry H. Dyke.           
CAPTAIN.     

      Harry Albert Christian was born on Pitcairn Island on Mar. 11, 1872, one of 12 children of Alphonso Downs Christian and Sarah McCoy. In the early 1890s a relationship developed between Harry and Julia Warren. A daughter, Eleanor Linda Warren, was born to the couple on Aug. 14, 1895. Some time later Harry's attentions turned to another woman. On Jun. 17, 1897, Harry killed Julia and the child and threw their bodies into the sea. Though the bodies were never found, the crimes were found out, and Harry admitted to them. Harry was tried on Pitcairn and found guilty of murder. He was taken on H.M.S. Royalist to Suva, Fiji. There, on October 8, 1898, in the Suva gaol, he was hanged for the murders.
Source: Pitcairn Islands Study Center "Who Are the Pitcairners?"

      Captain Henry Hart Dyke (1848-1912) commanded H.M.S. Comus 1895-1898. He rose to the rank of Vice-Admiral.

Document no. 98. November 10, 1897. "Captain Dyke (H.M.S. Comus) to Admiralty, advising of murders on Pitcairn Island committed by H.A. Christian". Pages 1615 to 1616.

Pitcairn's Island  Notes  Source  Whalesite