TRAGEDY ON THE HIGH SEAS.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14842, 6 December 1913, Page 13

TRAGEDY ON THE HIGH SEAS.

SEAMAiN SHOT;ON A JAPANESE •••••■.;*;;■'". '.• ' r; ' ■■.;•': Wβ ASSAILANT Ift CUSTODY ON CO ;';.... -V- : r:;':::■;•.BOARI);. 1 ■-"-■■_"'' •"■■■■.; DISSATISFACTiois- AMONG-THE : ■ ' : '\S-Z •: ; ;VV ; .<!R^W.'":."• :'. :y t '/ : '"\ \ TELEGRAM.) ' :' B/r,v- .December, 5. > .: '"When the Japanesie steamer Kwanto Slaru' arrived in stream this, afternoonj- the- police were advised that a tragedy had- occurred ;'on the ship : on Tuesday-last, wieii the Tessel was four days put from Newcastle. ■ Some difficulty has -been experienced , in getting, a true account of the affair. The crew js composed entirely of Japanese, ; the; only white man oh 'board being . Captain -Hans Carl. Holm, a native ;of Denmark, and v whose knowlege of vthe "Japanese language is very limited';'■,'■•■'..■',"' ■■'.■..,.■'• '.-;..' ;•'' ' ' ••''.''•':. '■;. The-captain's- version of the "tragedy from facts; he ; has be<?h ablo to ascer? tain, is/as follows:—-The trouble started? when ; -fche..bos'n, Higashibara, ; at: the close of•the'day's'work, was'serving out whisky. He appears to '• have refused to give a (sailor: named. : Yenowe ( his portion, as he'hud .feigned'sickness'for four days.. Thereupon the sailor drew a knife and .attempted to stab the bos'n. But v the -second engineer, who was preeent, intervened; and; the only: injury thft-bos'n sustained was..a slight cut on the'arin;', The.sailor.then ran away, but.later.on fired a revolver shot at the bos'n-from.the galley. The bos'n.grappled with - ; him and obtained possession of tho revolver ; after struggle, and then fired, two -shots at his. antagonist, 6hp"hitting"him in thVchest and one in the , groin. By the time ✓the".. captain reached the cookhouse iJbe. sailor . was '"> 'f ..-:.'< , ," "I ■.- ■''■[ ■.''■'.■- .■ • ■ ■','

, The. .bps'n.was immediately arrested. Captain Holm stated further.'that the bos'n'admits, that he-killed the man on the ground of self-defence."••: He was one oL'.the best men tlie ship. .-...' v, .i The, , story : was borne out almost in its - »eiitirety by-.tho r .chief officer, i the, only v apparent discrepancy being as to the shooting. ;From"the dis-" oonneoted 6tory .of the" latter, it would appear -that the revolver went off' accidentally during -the 'struggle between the "two men. .' ■:. •"; .*■.■.•".■'■

*As the alleged murder -was committed on the high seas, outside the three mile limit, and under the Japanese flagj the local-police hax'e"uo power to arrest the. bos'n, who was,' however, ; brought ashore by the.^police ? .so that a statement' might be "obtained from .him 'in order to facilitate, the ' Coroners : enquiry, -which is to be held .to-morrow morning. ■ '•" .*'"■' ■'. '■' • ■'■':' •■•. ■■ ■•■ ■:■' >'■ The bos'n is now under leik and key : on the vessel. When he was returned to the vessel, and it became kflown to the crew .that he would probably have to remain on board untu the steamer next-calls at- a* Japanese port, considerable dissatisfaction' was and the captain was given to" uEderstand that the crfw .would refuse ti> sail as long asthe man was on boards - .On discussing tho wie captain? >aye his point of view in Very definite terms.; "These Japanese firemen," he said, "are little betfer than savages, and not understanding thing about the niceties cf the la »v here, they will blame roe: for keeping the man on board,-and they may deal jvith mc in theusual Japanese direct sort or way. : It/may be years before we touch ata Japanese; port." *