SHOT DEAD AT SEA.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1925, 6 December 1913, Page 5

SHOT DEAD AT SEA.

ON JAPANESE BOAT. BOS'N AND SAILOR'S FEUD. STEAMER AT AUCKLAND. NO ARREST POSSIBLE HERE. (By Toieerapli.—Press Association.) , Auckland,' December o. When the Japanese steamer Kwiinto Mam arrived in the stream this afternoon the police were advised that a murder had been committed on tlio siiip on Tuesday last, when the vessel was four days out from Newcastle. Some difficulty has been experienced in getting a true account of the affair, as the crow is composed entirely of Japanese, the only wiiito man on ward being Captain Mans Carl Holm, a native of Denmark. His knowledge oi' tho Japanese language is very limited. Members of tho crew are similarly situ- • atcd in regard to the English tongue, the only man possessing a smattering of English being the first officer, .Mat'sumoto. Captain Describes tho Feutl. The captain's version of the tragedy from tlie, facts that lie has been able to ascertain is as follows :--'Jlie trouble started when the bos'n, Higashiban*. at the close of the dny's work, was serving out whisky. He Jippears to v aVO ri '* usy d to give a sailor named lenowe his portion, as ho had feigned sickness for lovir days. Thereupon tho sailor drew a knife, and attempted to stab the bos'n, but the second engineer, who was present, intervened, and the only injury that tiio bos'n sustained was a slight cut <:m the arm. [ lie sailor then ran away, but, later on, fired a revolver shot at tin? bos'n from the galley. Tho bos'n grappled with him, and obtained possession of the revolver after a struggle and then fired two shots at his ant,a.i4oMiHt. c?ie bitting him in the chest, and one in the groin. On being advised of the trouble the captain hurried to the cookhouse, and found the .sailor' i.vinti in a huddling position, blood coining from his nose and mouth. The shots had apparently tfdscn instant effect, for tho man was dead. The bos'n was arro-stcd forthwith, and a revolver, • containing two unused cartridges and three empty 'shells, was iouwd in > his possession. The officers also obtained possession of the knives which were supposed to have been used by the sailor wheii lie attempted to slab the bos'n nt the beginning of tho affray.

Captain Holm stated further that iho bos'n admits that ho killed iho man on the ground of self-defence. He was one of the best men 011 the ship, lie added.' " The captain's story was hon>e out almost iii iottf, by the chicf officer. tiro only apparent discrepancy being as to the shooting, the disconnected story of the latter it- would appear tiiaii the- revolver went off accidentally during a. struggle lwtwc.cn tho two won. The chicf officer's knowledge of English is SO meagre, however, that it 7s possible that his meaning was not fully understood. Man's Arrest Not Possible. '.As tiie allied nnmkr was committed on the high seas outside tho three-milts limit, and under tho Japanese flnj;, the polieo kivo 110 power to arrest tho Itosli, who Was, however, brought ashore by tli.o police so that .a. statement might bp obtained from him, in order to facilitate tho Coroner's inquiry, which is to be bold to-iiionw morning. In tho meantime it renin ins with tho «npt»in to take what steps ho downs lit iu regard to keeping lit*} mail in custody until tiro boat returns to a Japanese .port. The 11san is now under lock and krfl on tho vessel. The body of the sailor having been brought ashore, an inquiry by tJ.ie Ooroiwr ia rendered necessary. Sio-anwhiln a conjimiuicatimi Iras Ihtii wired to file Japanese) Consul in Wellington as to tho subsequent proocduro to he adopted, .Captain in Awkward Fix. When the bos'n was brought back' to the vessel, anil it bccanio known to the crew that he would probacy hnvo to remain on beard until she next calls at a Japftiieso port, considerable dissatisfaction was apparent, and the captain was given to understand that tho crew would refuse to sail as le-iifi as the man was on board.

In discussing tha question, the captain gave his point of view iti vor.v definite tcri-ns; —"These Japalicso firemen," ho said, "are littlo better than savages, and, not understanding anything about tho niceties of the law here, they will blames mo for keeping tho mail oil board, aivtt they may deal with ' 1110 in their usual Japanese direct sort of tray. 11 may ho years before we touc-h at ft v Japanese port."