DREADFUL MURDER AT THE BAY OP ISLANDS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1266, 6 March 1872, Page 3

DREADFUL MURDER AT THE BAY OP ISLANDS.

|_NEW ZEALAND HERALD, TEB. 27.] In our Monday's issue ve published some brief particulars of a murder committed on the high seas, on board a "whaling ship, which was expected to have arrived at the Bay of Islands before the Comeratig left. By the arrival of this latter vessel in harbor yesterday, we have, however, been able to learn a few additional particulars, for ■which we are indebted to Captain Wilson, of the whaling barque Milton, now lying at the J lay of Islands The captain boarded the Kuropa just before entering the Bay of Islands. She is an American whaling ship, belonging to Edgar Town, Massachusetts, and was making for the Bay when she and the Milton parted company. From her master, Captain Mellon, Captain Wilson obtained the following information : That one of ihe boat-steerers —a Portuguese —had been murdered by one of the foremast hands, a Portuguese lad about sixteen years of age. It sems that the two had come out from America together in a wbaling ship,— the one as fourth mate, and the other as cabin boy. The latter was said to have been very saucy, and several times to have " cheeked " his superior officer, who had several times occasion to correct him as cabin boys are often corrected on board ship— that is, by strik ins him. A few months asjo both the Portuguese and the boy exchanged into the barque Europa, which was shortly to sail for America with a full cargo. The Portuguese was appoin'.ed boat steerer, and the lad was sent into the forecastle. They still got along as bad as ever, the boy often saucing the steerer, who, in his turn, administered

slight castigation. The lad is described as being of a sullen, morose disposition, and he wa« on move than one occasion heard to vow vengeance. About two months ago they were both on the main together, when the steerer, incensed at something the boy had said, struck him with a marlinspike. Very shortly afterwards, when they were both on deck, the lad was seen to rush from his berth, and before any one could interfere to prevent the blow, he stabbed the steerer in the abdomen, just below the navel. The knife penetrated through the intestines and pierced ihe backbone, thus inflicting a fearful wound. Everything was done for the unfortunate man, but he died half an hour alter the fatal blow had been given. His murderer was at once placed in irons, and as it was not convenient to make for port just then, a cacre was constructed in which he was confined, and where he has remained since. The body of the murdered man was consigned to the deep shortly after death Captain Wilson thinks it probable that the Eiuopa has by this time reached the Bay of Islands, where the criminal will be handed over to the authorities to be tried for the crime.