Shipping.

Evening Star, Issue 3270, 13 August 1873, Page 2

Shipping.

MUEDEE OF CAPTAIN WITTACOMBE,

HIGH WATER.

POET CHALMERS. arrived.

August 12,-Melaine, 136 tons.Walsh from Sydney. Passengers: Mrs Walsh and child. BAILED. August 12.—Lady of the Lake, s.s., 60 tons, Tall, for Molyneux. Storm Bird, s.s., 67 tons, Eraser, for Bluff Wanganui, s.s., 179 tons, Eenner, for Northern Ports. Taranaki, s.s., 299 tons, Wheeler, for Northem Ports. Passengers : Miss Purdie, Mr and Mrs Bills, Mr and Mrs Collier, Mr and Mrs Macgowan, Mrs Hill, Miss Peine, Messrs D. Reid, Turnbuli, Shield, Mauchan, six in the steerage, and 14 Chinese for Hokitika. August 13.-Maori, s.s., 118 tons Malcolm, for Lyttelton. Passengers: Mr and Mrs Menlove, Mr and Mrs Pritchard, Mrs Williams, Messrs Jacobs, Herdman, Thomson, Galbraith, Jackson ; and ten in the steerage. # Spec, 50 tons, Pratt, for Kakanui.

PROJECTED DEPABTTJBES. Claud Hamilton, for Melbourne, Aug. 20 Excelsior, for Auckland, August 18. J. N. Fleming, for London, August 30 Mary Ogilvie, for Westport, early Phcebe, for Northern Ports, August 19 Pretty Jane, for Port Molyneux, August lo Samson, for Oaniaru, AHgust 15 Strathnaver, for Auckland, early Vessels in Port Chalmers Bay this day : Ship: Cutwater. Barque : Jewess. At the Kailway Fier—Ships : J. N. Is lemma, Cospatrick, and Araby Maid. Barque: Plenary. The steamers Storm Bird, for the Bluff, Waneanui and Taranaki, for Northern Ports, and Lady of the Lake, for the Molyneux, took their departure last night. Th» Harbor Company's ateamer Maori iett the railway pier this morning, forLytteltoß, via Oamaru. . , , The barque denary finished discharging yesterday, and will sail for Newcastle at the end of this week. ~,.,. • -u The schooner Spec sailed this morning, with a cargo of coal for the meat preserving company at Kakanui. The three-m;tsted schooner Melaine, previously reported at the Heads, signalled for a tug yesterday, but there being none available, the s.B. Maori proceeded down this morning, when there being alight N.E. wind, Captain Walsh would not engage her services, ihe Melaine is reported from Sydney, having been purchased by Mr Copeland of Dunedm, and is under tho command of Capt. Walsh, late of the barques Union and Duke of Edinburgh.

The South Australian Advertiser reports that a shocking murder was committed on board the barque Tongoy, on Saturday night, the 26th ult., the victim being the master of that vessel. It appears that after the ship was towed to the anchorage, four of her seamen, named Joseph Adams, William Edgar, Thomas M‘Lean, and Ben Ribbeck were put on board in charge of the police, having been taken from the gaol to the ship under a warrant of deliverance. These men seemed to have had a mischievous intention even on boarding the vessel, for there were threats heard as to what would happen. On Friday night Captain Wittacombo boarded his ship, and remained on board till Saturday morning, when he proposed getting underway, but the men refused to man the windlass, and in consequence the signal was made for a shore boat, in which the captain landed to procure some help to lift the anchor, intending to go to sea as soon as practicable. At five o'clock in the afternoon he returned to his ship, and word was passed along to proceed to sea, and arrangements were progressing for that purpose when the four hands alluded to walked aft and told the chief officer (Mr Fergusson) they desired to see the master. The mate called him out of the cabin, and the spokesman asked what was to be done to them —in allusion to their previous misconduct on board. The master replied, “ I will tell you on Monday morning.” At this time the chief officer was standing a short distance off, without interfering in the altercation, which had no other aspect than a seamen’s 3 wrangle. Adams said—“ You son of a b , I will do for you. Take that. ” At the same instant he gave the master a blow with some weapon, which he then threw overboard. The master was immediately felled to the deck, while the cowardly assailants skulked away forward, and the officers carried the master below. He never again spoke ; the fearful blow he had received had gashed the upper lip completely through, and blood had flown down his throat till asphyxia resulted. At one period the mate felt him press his hand, but no other sign of returning consciousness was made, and in an hour he ceased to breathe. After the blow some of the crew were drafted off to procure medical assistance, and as soon as practiable Dr Gething went to the ship, but the unfortunate captain was beyond earthly aid. It was shown that the man Adams had the cook’s Tolling pin in his hand before he went aft, and that was supposed to be the weapon of death. On Sunday morning all the ships wore their bunting half-masted as a mournful tribute to the deceased. The captain was a young man, on his first voyage as master, and belonged to Plymouth, where his father held a position as officer in the coast guard service. adds a more melancholy interest to the affair is the fact that but a short six weeks before leaving England he was married. As showing in what trouble he had been placed, here is a last letter:—“ Barque Tongoy, July 26, 1873. Dear Sir,—You will very much oblige your bumble servant by letting the public know in Monday’s papers how the captain of the Tongoy is being humbugged by his crew. If I hoist the ensign over the boat flag, it will be for assistance to pick up the anchor and get under way.—Yours faithfully, C. A. Wittacombe, Master. R. Jagoe, Shipping Reporter,” At the time of the delinquents being taken to the station they had not been informed of the captain’s death, and therefore treated the whole arrangement with the greatest levity, having attained their object in getting ashore from the vessel. When, however, the charge of murder was read over to Adams he rather changed his manner. It is said each man drew lots to decide who should strike the blow which should bring them before the magistrate, and the Ipt fell on Adams.

Heads 6.52 p.m. TO-MORROW. I Port Chalmers J 7.22 p.in. 1 DUNEDIN | 8.7 p.m.