TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4229, 9 October 1874, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

SUPPOSED MURDER ON BOARD THE ONEGA. ' [PitESS Telegraph Agency.] Ddnedin, Thursday. At port Chalmers this day the second officer of the Oneca, Charles Dodd, was brought before the Resident Magistrate, Mr. Hansford, charged with the murder, on' the high seas, of a sailor named Green. Mr. Heggxtt prosecuted; and Mr. Stout was retained for the defence.

Captain Henry said: Green was an American, about thirty-seven years of age. He last saw the seaman on the evening of September 17, in the second mate’s watch, about 11.45, and the second mate told him that there was a man overboard. Within five minutes of this, all hands were on deck. The night was dark, and there was a strong wind from the N.W. The vessel was all aback, and he (the Captain) asked if, should the boat be lowered, any man would go after Green. They all refused, as it was not safe. The vessel was stopped for fifteen minutes, while they looked for Green ; then they hauled away, as no trace of him could be discerned. Had ordinary lifebuoys, but none were thrown overboard. It was afterwards ascertained that the man overboard was John Green. The accused told him first that the man slipped out of the main rigging overboard, and next said that he had jumped overboard. ■ No complaint was made till their arrival in port. The accused told witness that Green had jumped overboard because he (Dodd) had told him to go on the gallows for being asleep. He refused to go at first, and he (Dodd) had to strike him. Green had been insolent to witness, and he (witness) had said, a few days before, that he (Green) was a scoundrel and deserved whipping. Daniel Sharp, an ordinary seaman, stated: Saw Green sent on the gallows by Dodd, one evening. Green could not keep his balance on the gallows, aa the ship was rolling too muchGreen caught hold of the staysail halyards to prevent himself falling. Dodd told him to let go the rope or he would knock him down.' He also told him to go amidships. In doing so Green fell down. Dodd then struck him on the head with a belaying pin, knocking him. down, and he remained down about five minutes. Green begged for mercy. Dodd replied, “ I will give you no mercy, you son of a and sent him on to, the gallows again. While Green was going on, Dodd struck his hands from the sheet with the belaying-pin, and struck him on the heels, and ■ Green i went 1 overboard. After looking over the side Dodd ran aft and called the captain, but ten or fifteen minutes elapsed between Green’s falling overboard and the captain’s coming on deck. Dodd told witness that if he ever mentioned anything about his clubbing Green he would MU. him. Dodd in running aft dropped the belaying-pin, which witness picked up, and gave to the police on Sunday last. The Court will, adjourn at seven o’clock this evening until to-morrow.

It is considered certain that the case will go to'trial, as Mr. Mansford, in the course of a legal argument, said’ihe was thankful, to say that he would not have to adjudicate upon the case. The Court was crowded the whole of the day 1 . ’, ■' ' ... . : . William Bartlett was committed for . trial for forgery. ■' ‘ ' 1 Lyttelton, Thursday. The llcgatta Committee have ' decided on a schooner race, open to all comers; of .150 tons and under. First prize, £100; second prize, £25. And a bay traders’ cup and £ls, and a whaleboat race for £3O,

CiuiiSTcmntcii, Thursday. At the Supreme Court to-day, Thomas Timmins, charged with an unmanly offence> was acquitted. George Henly, charged with an indecent assault, was also acquitted. The same prisoner and Charles Reid, charged with an attempt to commit a felony, were found guilty—sentence deferred. Robert Adams, found guilty of larceny, was sentenced to imprisonment for three months. Auckland, Thursday. ; The Pakiri murder case occupied the Court all the day, and is not concluded. The evidence chiefly related to the prisoner’s former illusage of the deceased. George Watson, who helped Dyer to carry the deceased from the creek to the house, said that she told him the occurrence was accidental. George Sharpe deposed that he saw the prisoner and Watson take something from the creek that he thought was a pig. He went to Dyer’s house, and found the deceased sitting on the floor, with her hair burned off, and the skin of her face, neck, and arms hanging in shreds. The prisoner was pacing up and down the room smoking his pipe. Witness dressed the deceased’s wounds. Evidence was adduced to show that the kerosene poured over deceased did not come from the shelf, where a can might have been knocked over, but had been taken out of a can that stood behind, the door. Some of the ■ witnesses seemed to give their evidence reluctantly. They denied having made statements and expressed opinions that other witnesses swore they did. The Judge will'sum tip to-morrow morning. •

The City Council’s six per cent, loan on the security of the city endowments only attracted two tenders, amounting in all to £2500. The balance of the loan will be left open at par.