STABBING CASE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1412, 20 November 1886, Page 2

STABBING CASE

With reference to the case of stabbing which ooonred on the ►hip Timeru, and was mentioned in our telegrams yesterday, the following part’culars are given by the shies log :—Monday, Bih November, 7.30 a.m ; latitude 42deg 28min South longitude 174dcg 46 min East; Pencarrow bearing North, 6deg Blast, true sixtyseven miles. While bove-to daring a gale of N.W. wind, I gave orders to the caief officer to haul tight the weather braces, and he proceeded to do so. The watch came along promptly and hauled tight the weather forebraces. After doing so the chief officer, finding that W. Will.ams, A. B , was absent, and knowing that ho often remained in the forecastle loafing when others o- all of his watch were at work, he (Mr Bowling) want there to find him and on asking Williams why ha did not coma out to work with the wa’oh, Williams with an oath repllsd that he would not until he had shifted his clothes. Then the chief officer ordered his to come out He refused to do so. When the chief officer tried to pull him out he resisted, and then the chief officer went out to put off his coat, the better to enable him to t*ko the man out. Moore, A. 8., who was taking breakfast, saw the man Williams go to bis bank, and from a rack there take a heath-knife Williams having previously threatened to me the knife to others, Moore, fearing ho was going to use it on the chief officer, called out to the officer to beware of him, as ho had a knife in his hand ; and in case the officer had not heard him, he was just going to tun out by the lee door of he forecastle towards the chief officer, who, coming in at the weather door, did not give Moore time to do so. The chief officer, seeing Williams with a knife in his h.*ad in » threatening attitude, grappled with him to take he knife from him, whea a straggle ensue 1, and Williams stabbed the chie-’ officer on the right side r.nd was endeavoring to do so again, when J Moora oauaht his baud and prevented h>m. The chief office- then ran aft, and josh Eiicoietied in d. iog so, shortly after h er,g u able to move without suffering g e»t egony. On sen ling petty ffio rs an hour afterwards to appreheal Williams, he threatened violence, but on beitig told that If the master had t > come to him and he offered violence he would shoot him, ho then submitted to be handcuff )d. sw-a-ing moat while that he would ■ ave killed the chief officer or have cat ■ >ff his hand, if th -watch had not pteven c‘l him from so doing, and that he was rry he did wha' he did I then put him 1 v th-, engine mom, and shortly afterwards the carpent-r opened the door of ir. suddenly, and fou .d him trying to break ff (tic point i f th i knife be.ween two pieces of the engine On a eing the carpe»;t <r he was evid ntly disconcerted, and dropped tie knife suddenly, remarking that .lie Captain vmuld wmt It Tt.e carpenter took it up and brought it to me. ~.s our supply of water was nearly done, and I fully ‘ to have to re’y on a euj ply of it from the condenser, I was afraid to leave Wi‘ltam» in the engine room, in case in his excited state he might do serious harm t some of the condensing apparatus, thus rendering it useless, and, having no sTe plac* inio which I could put him at once, a water cloret was cleaned thor uglily and he was put in there until 4 p.m, when the carpenter's shop having been cleaned and arranged for his r-ceptlon, he was put fl's bedding was <iven to him if hile in the closet he broke the handcuffs. He (Williams) had ened to use hla knifo to F. Ho e, 48, oa a previous occasion, and several of the crew and passengers saw a revolver in his possession oa several occasions. Oa Saturday, the 6th, while it was blowing a gale of wind the boatswain had occasion to repilmand him for remain Dg in the forecastle during an emergency, when all the others were at wok. Be said, with an oath, he would not come out until he had hla oilskins on On the boatswain expostulating with Jliloa for hanging back, Williams, apparently thinking he was going to be taken out by the boatswain, put bis hand on or gasped his knife, when the boatswain fearing to provoke a breach of the peace went out of the forecastle. This entry was read in the presence of each of the parties signing it, and was In the details of It seen by esoh of ns either in part or in whole. (Signed) D. Fullarton, Master ; J. Meach, Second Officer; W. G. Coleman, Third Officer; George Fraser, boatswain; Hugh Craw ford, carpenter ; John Moore A. B. ; Frank Edwards, O.S. ; Thomas Rose, A B. Friday, 19th November.—The above entry was read to-day to W, Williams, who replied that it was a great deal of it lies and a little t<uth, and on being asked if he had any reply to make, be said he would do so in the Court. (Signed) D. G Fullarton, Master; Hugh Crawford, carpenter ; John J. Meeoh, second officer; and G. Fraser, boatswain. Wiliams was brought ashore and lodged in gaol. An information was sworn by Captain Fullarton in the Magistrate’s Oouru yesterday charging the prisoner with having maliciously wounded Alf, Bowling on the high s*as with intent to do him eatious bodily ham. |