SHOCKING OCCURRENCE IN LYTTELTON.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 426, 23 October 1875, Page 2

SHOCKING OCCURRENCE IN LYTTELTON.

This morning early it was reported that Captain .Smith, of the barque Coq du Village, had met with a violent death. Proceeding on board we ascertained the following particulars : -Last night between nine and ten o’clock Captain Geo. Smith went on board the vessel, going inside the house, where his berth is, and also the first and second mates. He spoke to them of the great agony he wa s in, through some rheumatic disease in one of his legs. Ho appeared perfectly sober aud in his right mind, and both officers heard him turn in. The cook on board has given some trouble, and was recently locked up for refusal of duty. He went on board last night, and this morning at five o’clock Mr Edmonds, the chief officer, got up and went to sec if he (the cook) was all right. He was not to be found, so Mr Edmonds went aft to inform the captain of the fact. He called to him, but received no answer, and then went up to him and touched his forehead, which was deadly cold. He at once called the second mate, told him the captain was dead, and sent him for a policeofficer and a doctor. AVhen the police arrived they found the deceased lying on his left side, with a bullet wound through his left temple. Deceased was in his flannel drawers and singlet, and had one stocking on. He was lying so easily that no struggle could have taken place ; the right hand was laid gently across the left, and on the bed, as if it had just dropped from his relaxed grasp, was a small pistol, discharged ; the pistol is a breech-loader, apparently quite new; and in a bookcase in the cabin was found a box of cartridges, out of which only one had been taken. It is no wonder that the report of such a weapon should not have been heard by the two officers, though they slept so close. Dr McDonald inspected the body, which was afterwards removed to the morgue. Deceased had a wife and five children residing in Newcastle. The cook, who is supposed to have gone with some Maoris to join the whaling brigantine Isabella last night, has been sent for by the police, to see if he can throw any light on the subject.