THE MURDER AT SEA

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1928, 10 December 1913, Page 5

THE MURDER AT SEA

ON JAPANESE COLLIER. DENOUEMENT AT AUCKLAND. BOS'N TAKES HIS LIFE. POLITICAL FEUD ON A SHIP. (By McsMDh—Pttfci Association.) Auckland, December 9. Bijiro Higashibara (34 .yours of age), boatswain of the Japanese steamer K wan to Maru, now in port, was found dead this inorniiiij hanging from the roof of his caljin. When Constable Atkinson, of the waterfront slaiF, camn. on duty at 0 o'clock this mommy; lid met a diminutive Japanese sailor hurrying il]) tho King's Wharf. Tho Japanese hailed a police officer, and, binder tho stress of excitement, found some difficulty in littering the one word ''Prisoner," and then his English vocabulary being exhausted, lie, told tho rest of iris story by drawing his finger across his throat several times. Ho then led tho way to tho Kwante Maru, whore Higashibara was found hanging from n. picco of bamboo cane in a passenger 'cabin on the second deck, wheroho had been, in confinement since bo shot the j sailor, Kikularo ycnoino.

The Discovery in the Cabin. In preparing to tako his life, Riga* sliibara must have been considerably hampered by the fact that his wrists were hold by handcuffs, but, nevertheless, ho contrived to force a piece of bamboo cano into a locker over tbtt door. A strong pieco of webbing, tied to tho roof, added further support tothe improvised beam. To this tho sailor tied ono end of his girdle, slipping tiro oilier cud noosed over his head. Apparently he then jumped down into tho cabin, tho drop being just sufficient to cause death. When the man was discovered bis hands woro still secured by tho handcuffs, , Tho story told by those on board is that, shortly before 0 o'clock this morning, the second officer went- to Higashi--bara's cabin to get him .wfi.*' for breakfast. He glanced thronga ;i peep-hole before unlocking tbo door, and at oneo saw that '.something was amiss. Ho summoned the ■chief' offer, (lyanosuki Matsumoko), and, together, 1 hoy went back to tltt> cabin. Captain Holm was informed, and he immediately sent' fertile, police. The crew, many of wlioni tvero dressed in nativo costume with wooden shoos, were obviously much ex* cited, and crowded into tho alleyway, whore Higashilmra's cabin is situated. They stayed about the cabin ail tho morning while tbo police uiado an esaminiition, and nil lined tho side of tho vessel when the body was carried ashore to be taken away to tho wergild. RollGo Suspicion From tils First.

It will bo remembered that when tlw Kwanio Maru cai.no into port with tbo body of Yenoino on board ami tho boatswain Higashihani in custody, the story told was that tho boatswain had -shot the sailor in self-defence. Tho police, however, were not satisfied that this account was a strictly iwcuratts one. and during the. last few, .days Dctectivo <ioHdey has been making Kearoh<. ing inquiries. Yesterday some disravcries wore made which go to show that tho first account oi" tho story was far from being correct, and it is thought possible Hint, when 3! igashib.ua realised tliat tho facts wore being tmuyl out, ho was led to take Jus own lilc. (Juts on lligasbibara's arm. which wero said to havo been inflicted by. the snilor Yonorae during the struggle which ended in tlw baiter's death, did not appear of ;i character that would result l'rnm a stabbing blow with a knife. Yesterday, in tho presence oi a doctor. Hiffashibarn was dressed m tiio clothes which lie is stated to have bee!: wearing during tho light. An exanmiation showed that tit© cut in tho | cloth did not correspond with the ems on the arm, and this gave ground Jor buspjcion that tho outs had not been, inflicted in tho struggle. A thorough flxammation of tho cabin led to Hie t iscovcrv of a bullet, bole in the wall. Una bad been stopped with putty. Members of Hie crew would give little assistance, but eventually facts were gleaned which went to show that tho quarrel had started in the boatswain's cabin, and that tho first shot had been. fired there. It is thought that tho sailor Yenonio then ran away, and was followed, by liigashibara to the cookhouse, whero tire tatal shooting took place.

The Real Reason—Two Political Fa<* ttons on Board. On© discovery led on to another, ami a dose cross-questioning maclo it quite, clear that there wove two political tactions on hoard. Yeiiomo had betongovl to one and Hignshibara to tho other. When 'Ycnofiae was killed, ™ (l H'K?Shib'nra arrested, feelings of enmity, which had born dormant previously wore at once in evidence. If -one ot Venom*'* peopW w<mt along towards I-liaasliibara's cabin one of tho othert paitv followed, If two went two followed, and always at meals there wcra „„ cq'tial number of both factions pro«P,it It was this impossible state ol affairs that led Captain Holm to state, definitely that it would not ho sate to put to 'sea. with tho accused man on. board.

THE INQUIRY* LETTER FROM DECEASED HEAD. , The inquiry into the circumstances, corrected with the death of Jvikiitaro Yom»m> was resumed at tho Magis-i i rate's Court to-day boioro Mr. Cuttoi,. SM M' - CVlten found that deceased s boilv was brought to Auckland, thocunso of death being a bullet woiiml irom a fhot tired from a revolver by one j»ijiv« Higasuibnrn, but whether tho shot wait fired wiMi intent to commit murder or not there was not sllihciont evidence to St! fh S ehi<.f dfer (recalled) said that 6 i„ee proceeding* had been c«mn*enred the boatswain imd committed Miiculo. Higaslubara ..left four Wlors, addressed to tho <-a|>Usn and olfecers, to «. inrt'cnlar friend of ovoryoody on beam 1 ho'ship, and to his wife, respectively. These, letters hid heel) opened wit l tno execution of that to his wife, which tlvo officers and shipmates refused, oil scotiinontal grounds, to interim, with. ' 1)» clin-f nitlcor hnwiM m the, letter addressed to tlH> captain and officers, and the- interpretation was as follows:— Translation of Letter. "What 1 have done seems awful. 1 am sorrv to give everybody so much trouble, ' 1 have no right to live any longer—von kn<>«' «-hv. 1 did not Kill myself before. 1 was a prisoner. 1 would mit have caused so much »nvner. 1 am \erv, very Mir'vv, but 1 deserve iny tnie. Please do-the besi'voii can with my dean Ikklv, I heft of .von to .Jo tlio lijwl ypo can" for iwv wife nml child. 31y wiia tried to stop mo from Snina to m- '"»'o foresaw hit fat«- u t*>ssil>l<- fn, '<' w '" d inv bodvWnc 1 am worrying yf.V much at heart about my wilo ami c,<!.. at tome. It is true that I hu.ci Yeiwme." . .___