A Strange Story.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 1451, 10 September 1885, Page 4

A Strange Story.

The Paris correspondent of the Daily Triet/raph says : — Under the sensational heading of " Murder of a French subject by German sailors," the Matin publishes and extraordinary story. It seems (says the Matin) that the German frigate Bismarck, which is at the present moment cruising 1 along the East Coast of Africa, under the command of Admiral Knorr, has just marked by a murder its sojourn at Libreville, the chief of our establishments. A petty officer and several sailors of the Bismarck having gone on shore endeavored to outrage a woman who had attracted their attention, and when her husband interfered m her defence cruelly murdered the man. The corpse was found lying m the road covered with wounds, and an inquiry having- been instituted into the affair, the crew of the B'smai'ck were suspected of having had a hand therein. A minor official having gone on board the ship, no attempt was made by the Germans to conceal their offence! But matte rs.assumed a different complexion when the Governor of the Gaboon proceeded m person to the Bismarck to demand the surrender of the murderers to th) French authorities. Admiral Knorr then contended that they had acted m self-defence, although no excuse of the kind had been given before, prevailed on the sailors to withdraw their confessions, and finally met the reiterated demand of the Governor w'th a peremptory refusal. The same even ing an officer belonging to the Bismarck called secretly at the dead man's house and bribed his relatives by the payment of £20 to withdraw their complaint. The coloily earnestly hopes that the affair will not end here. Our national honor is concerned. The account given by the Matin is supported m all its essential details by the Temps.