Fracas on a Ship

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 41, 20 September 1890, Page 4

Fracas on a Ship

Shortly ■before one o'clock yester-<day-a gainful scene occurred on the ebirr America now in .port. Daring the early part of the day some of men had -been ashore drinking, and the cookii was amongst them. It also appeared that the. cook, Charles Stockall. had been drinking on Saturdaiy n and"Sunday-and that yesterday there 'jras no dinner ready for the men. The captain of the ship, Captain Adams, went to the galley to epeafe to the cook who used . most ziUthy and abusive language and was very insulting. The cook had a large knife^in his hand and continued to . ; insulj - the , captain, who thereupon, throttled him. Some of the men came in and. took the cook away. «The ■captain 'then left, the deck and went .into tHe cabin, buT returned and v^eut forward to. the_ galley again. The -cook recommenced using disgusting and insulting language, and threatened[ jthe , captain. Thereupon the <captain fired bis revolver, and the struck a young sailor named Oarl Johansen, about nineteen years of age, in the thigh. The man fell on to the deck, and was afterwards taken into the cabin. - The police were sent for, and arrested the captain and cook. Dr Guthrie waa called to .attend the young sailor Johaneen,' but after examining the wound he could not find the bullet, and ordered .his removal to - the casual ward, {With Dr. Fitzhenry, he again endeavoured to find the bullet. They probed the wound for two hours but .could not get any trace. The bullet's course seems to have been very erratic and it is presumed that it has lodged in the deep muscles of tbe x thigh. The Captain is in ihe habit of carrying a revolver, but states he did hot intend to shout the cook but merely to frighten him. He is of opini'dn that the bullet Ktruek the deck- house and glanced off. Captain Adams, will be brought before the Court this morning on ft charge of shooting with intent to do grievous ■foody harm, and Stockall, the cook, will ( also be charged wiih using thrtafenihg language [Captnin Adamd has been committed tor trial.] — Chris tcliurch Proas.