A Terrible Tragedy

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 25, 12 August 1884, Page 3

A Terrible Tragedy

A shocking °cone was witnessed on the deck of the British vessel Myrtle, as she lay at Whitestdne, Long Island, on 16th May. On that date the vessel left New ..York for Peruainbuco with a cargo of naphtha. Several of the crew were under the influence of liquor, and the vessel came to an rnchur at Whit«stone. The second mate, named Michael Walsh, went to a chest which . belonged to a seaman named. James Williams, and tood a bottle ot whisky away. This led to a quarrel, and Williams brandished a knife before Walsh, who struck Wil liains on tue hack of the neck with an axe, breaking die spinal column, and killing the ( "poor fellow instantly. Some of the crew then went toward Walsh, who .threatened death to the first who approached. He then rau at the aailorp, niO6t of whom were Norwegians, who instantly took to the rigging for safety Wulsh than draffk the whisky, and appeared to l^conie completely frenzied. Having found that the sailors were out of his reach, he attacked the body of the unfortunate man Williams, and hear it with a inarling-spike into an unrecognisable ma*s. The captain of the vessel was on shore at the time, and the mate to the shore for assistance. „ Jhe police authorities went on board and arrested VVafcn, who did not make any resistance. Next day he said- he did not remember, having committed the dreadful crime, and he attributed everything to die nmddt'Mrtg' influence ot the liqribr which h^'h'&H consumed Williams was a native of Kova Scotia.