"GREEK MURDERER CAPTURED" article - New York Times, July 23, 1892


Published in The New York Times, July 23, 1892

GREEK MURDERER CAPTURED
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Charged with Killing the Captain of His Ship.
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BRIDGEPORT, Conn., July 22. - A broad-shouldered, treacherous-looking fellow occupies a cell at the Central Police Station in this city charged with one murder and attempts to commit several more.  The prisoner is Legonedas Vourgares, a Greek, about forty years of age.  He was captured on board a cat-rigged oyster boat which sailed into this harbor this morning for supplies.
The murder with which Vourgares is charged was committed on a Greek vessel near Constantinople in 1886.  Vourgares and four other Greeks secured employment as sailors on the ship and conspired for the purpose of robbery.  They sailed from the island of Andros for Constantinople.  Then the conspirators armed themselves and drove the remainder of the crew into the forecastle.  The Captain was murdered by being stabbed, and the vessel was rifled and $80,000 in money was secured.
The crime was witnessed by the cabin boy, who was concealed by an anchor.  When the vessel reached Constantinople the murderers fled, and the cabin boy notified the authorities.  All the murderers were captured except Vourgares.  His companions were convicted and executed.  Vourgares escaped on a vessel bound for a small seaport town in Asia, and from that place sailed for this country, arriving in New York about six years ago.
The story of the murder was told by Detective J. M. Fuller of New York , who was with Chief of Police Rylands of this city when he arrested Vourgares this morning.  Vourgares has been in New Haven for some time.  Recently he assaulted another Greek there and nearly killed him.  The services of the Greek colony in New York were enlisted to capture Vourgares, and Detective Fuller went to New Haven.  It was learned there that Vourgares had sailed from that city on an oyster boat.  This morning the boat was one of the fleet anchored in this harbor, and the desperado was captured.
Vourgares will be taken to New Haven for trial for assault, and as soon as extradition papers can be received will be sent abroad to stand trial for the murder committed six years ago.


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