SEAMAN MANHANDLED.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 May 1923, Page 4

SEAMAN MANHANDLED.

AM 121? 1C AN SKIPPER FINED. WELLINGTON. .May I. At the Alugi-trate's Court to-day, Captain Wcrw.-u :--r, oi the American schooner Forest' Home, appeared before Mr E. I’iigc, S.M., on a charge of assaulting Thomas Mullin. a seaman on the vessel. The story told hy the complainant was t,, |he effect that on Friday evening lie was nighlwatelinmn and alter lighting the lamp, h" went down into Ihe galley to warm himself lor a few minutes. Later the captain arived on the scene and a-ked why lie was not on dcd;. Witness replied that he was "keeping himself warm.” whereupon defendant seized him hy Ihe throat and began to punch, ki'-k and generally illuse him, at the same lime calling him offensive names.

\\ iilinui Ford, another sailor, separated the pair and Ihe captain then threateningly said: "You come back late and I’ll fix von.”

Two oilier seamen, William Ford and William Clclland, deposed to having seen (be rap'ain and Alullin.s si niggling in tli • galley. The former bad

separated them and had heard Were witzer sav that he would fix .Mullins.

Defendant demised that he arrived back - 1.0 bis vessel about 0 o’clock and found there was no man on watch, nr any light on the gangway, lie wenl to his room, but was worried about a mal for. He finally hunted about to find the man who was supposed lo no on watch. "I found Mullins in the

I ley/' cominiied the caplnin, playing

solitaire. I asked him what lie was doing and lie got up and looked iruthronLPiiingly in the fare, so 1 tried to put him out. The crew have been up against me all the voyage. Ho concluded bv denying that he used disgusting language to complainant, nor had he llireatened him with a revolver w huh he had produced only on one occasion, and then to kill a pig.

"The noisier of a vessel hears a great deal of responsibility,’’ commented the .Magistrate, “but there are very wide powers extended him by which he can maintain disciplino. T think, in ibis case, the captain exceeded his duly and committed an unnecessary assault. lie will be fined t and costs.