A STRANGE AFFAIR.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1294, 17 December 1886, Page 3

A STRANGE AFFAIR.

• A dreadful tragedy was reported to the, Wiiliamstown police as having bejen committed on 14th Octobei on the British ship Gainsborough while she was on the voyage from New York to Melbourne, Ernest J. Nicholls was* taken into custady for the murder of liis infant, aged 1\ months. The Gainsborough sailed from New York for Melbourne on the 26th August under the command of the owner Captain M’Phail. The only passengers were Nicholls (who is a native of Eng land and twenty-nine years of age), his wile (a German, twenty-two years of age), and their infant daughter. Nothing particular was noticed in the conduct or actions of these passengers during the voyage until the 14th of October, when Nicholls, who was walking up and down the deck about half-past 10 a.m., nursing the baby, was observed by the man at the wheel (Charles Anderson) to step up sud« denly to the port main rigging, and without a word or any apparent excitement, to toss the child into the sea. He then walked away quite coolly and sat down on a deck chair. Anderson at on raised an alarm, and Mr Doig (first mace), the officer in charge of the deck, and several of the crew ran on to the poop, from which they saw the baby floating astern face downwards. The ship was rounded to, and the captain having come on deck a boat was made ready for launching. The weather was fine and the vessel travelling at the rate of eight knots an hour. As the child suddenly disappeared it was deemed of little use to launch the boat, and the ship proceeded on her course. While the preparations were being made for the rescue of the child Ntcholls remained quite unconcerned. The mate had him placed under arrest and locked in his cabin, one of the crew being told off to watch him. In the evening he was placed in irons, but they were removed the next day. On the evening the incident occurred the captain told Nicholls of the charge against him, but he only stared vacantly and said he knew nothing about it. During the remainder of the voyage Kichallsdid not seem to realise the gravity of his position. In the day time be was allowed to move about the deck, but at night he was locked in Iris cabin, Nicholls, when brought ashore, was more an object of pity than anything else. He is evi dently perfectly insane, is reduced to a perfect skeleton, and is very weak. He did not appear to have the least idea where he was or what he was or what he was charged with. On him were found a pair of baby’s leather boots, which he always kept with him and which he begged to be allowed to retain, the desire being agreed to. It was only at the sight of these that he gave evidence of any sensibility, for he then began to erv and moan about “My poor little baby that I loved so much.” Mrs Nicholls has been arrested on the charge of being accessory to the murder, in that, knowing her husband was unfit to be entrusted with the child, she left it entirely to his care, and by such neglect contributed to its death. Some of the sailors give a different account of the affair, and declare that the baby slipped out of

Nicholla’a arms. Mrs Nicholis has made a ; statement that there were bickerings oh the voyage between her and the captain’s wife. and the stewardess, and she was fa'sely accused of having been too intimate with one of tlie ship’s officers. She states that Nicholis loved the child dearly. He had previously been in the colonies as a soft goods clerk, and owns property in Sydney and Auckland. Doth are fairly well connected, and Mrs Nicholis has been a nurse in the Soudan war.