SHOCKING TRAGEDY AT SINGAPORE.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 2, Issue 63, 16 March 1868, Page 68

SHOCKING TRAGEDY AT SINGAPORE.

(From the Free Press, 9th January.) A most shocking tragedy has occurred on board the Navarino, a’ British barque which left our anchorage about 6 o’clock in the morning for Hongkong. We give the particulars as nearly as we can gather them, but of course do not pledge ourselves to the correctness of more than the primary ,'facts. It seems that the'mate took the:vfessel out, and that both he and the second mate were drunk at breakfast time, and. the captain asleep in his cabin ; that at about half-past 11 o’clock, the second mate being in charge of the deck, ordered eight bells to be struck, and then . went below, woke the captain up, and asked him to have something to eat, and —then went mto the first mate’s cabin and turned him up. They both then came into the cabin, and in course of conversation with the captain, the latter said the mate was d: unk; that the pilot had told him (the captain) so, and said he (the ; pilot) was afraid to take the vessel out because of it. The mate fetched the pilot —amative—down before the captain, and before him the pilot denied having said so. At this the captain laughed, but afterwards accused the second mate of being drunk, which he denied, and some words ensued, and the captain ordered the latter to leave the cabin. The second mate squared up to the captain (who is an old ' man), and told him if he was not so old , ; he would strike him, or words to' that effect. The captain on .this shook his fists, and said that had he possessed the strength he once had he would have thrown both of, them (the -mates) out of the cabin, and peremptorily ordered the second mate out of the cabin or he would stab him, and the carpenter, who was also present, says that he suited the action to the word, and drawing a bayonet fromthe rack of arms at the side of the cabin, Btruck the second mate in the throat with it. The carpenter helped''the wounded man up the companion,'leaving the captain' and first mate together, and within i . very short time after was followed upon by the latter, who leant over the ‘ companion door for a moment or so, and then the captain rushed upon deck' and either pushed or struck the mate doWn. At this time the second mate was lying on the fore hatch having his wound dressed, as well as the. cook could do it, with water and wet cloths. The first mate went forward to the forecastle and there aid down, and pulling up his shirt up over his loins said he was stabbed, and it proved to be so. While the men were attending to the first mate in the forecastle, the second mate died on the hatchway. The native pilot, „or some of the crew (Europeans) signalled toH.M.S. Zebra, and some officers and men Bain* how, together with the master attendant, went on board and took proceedings necessary in the matter. The captain, ot course, was on shore, and remains as a prisoner. His name is Young. The second mate’s name, .who is dead, iB Bichard White, and that of the. first mate John‘Grant. The body of the second mate was brought ;on shore last night aad carried to the hospital to await an inquest to he held to-day. The first mate is on . . hoard, Blabbed in the back, and of course under medical treatment.