ALLEGED MURDER OFF THE COAST OF DURHAM.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 13, 7 December 1863, Page 5 (Supplement)

ALLEGED MURDER OFF THE COAST OF DURHAM.

(From the Newcastle Chronicle.) On Thursday, at the Sunderland police court, Jean Guiot, master, Lefevre F. Joseph, Eugrne Jean, N/cola Scan, G. M. Emilc and Jos ph Gorio, the two last being boys, were charged with cau.-ing the death of Matthew Williamson, a fisherman, en Tuesday Eight, about seven miles off Seaham harbor. Mr. Robson prosecuted on "behalf of the town clerk, and Mr. Graham defended the prisoners. Mr. Robson said it appeared that on the night of Tuesday, about half-past ten o'clock, Matthew Williamson, and three other men, fishermen, belonging' to Hartlepool, were, fishing for herrings with a not, about six or seven miles off Seahftm hiirhor, the harbor being W.N.W. While they were thus busily employed they saw a ship hearing down upon them, which .iftctvnrds turned n»> *° v " <K - -i-:^ «■« ' which these two men oelonged. The fisherman did all they could to attract attention, by making the fire blaze, and blowing the fc>£ ho; n, though the weather was clear. The ship, however, came right down upon them, aud caught the boat forward, and she was in some danger of going down. Under these circumstances, three of the crew jumped, and tried to get on board the French ship, feeling their lives to be in danger. The fourth man remained in the boat. Matthew Williamson wus among those who jumped. As soon as they got inio the chains the crew of the French ship endeavoured to throw them hack into the boat. Williamson and anoihev man, named Andrew Bogey, were driven hack, and made a second attempt lo get on board. While they were climbing up Williamson was struck on the head by one of the crew with a log of wood or a handspike, and the blow loosening his hold, he fell into the' water and was drowned. There was no doubt a French ship was answerable for damage done by process in the Court of Admiralty. But although the present od'enf-e had been committed within the jurisdiction of the Court of Admiralty, he doubted whether an English court had jurisdiction to try it. Robert Robson said the ship struck the boat right upon the stem, and as the rope did not give way at first they were in danger of being sunk. He called to his companions to jump on board the vessel, and he, Andrew bogey and Matthew Williamson immediately jumped into the fore-rigging of the ship. They were hanging on the side when the two men who jumped with him were knocked back by the crew of the vessel, and some of the crew were also trying to knock him back wilh their hands, but his arm was fast in the fore shrouds. They were " braying '' at his head with their flat hands. He got on board, and while he was climbing up, Bogey and Williamson jumped a second time into the main-chains. When the J latter had his knee on the gunwale, one of the crew, who had been shoving at the witness, went to Williamson, and struck him on the head with a log of Wood, and he tumbled into the water and was drowned. Witness instantly went to the skipper at the helm and told him to put the helm up and let the vessel go by the wind, but the skipper answered by stamping angrily, and using very violent language, ending by striking at witness, who avoided the blow by retreating along the deck. The two men who were attempting to push him down were L. F. Josepn and Eugene Jean, but he could not say which of them it was who struck at Williamson. Andrew Bogey, another of tha» men, gave corroborative evidence, and identified Joseph as cue of the men who had pushed him back. Benjamin Robson said he stayed in the boat when the others tried to jump on board the ship, and he saw Williamson pushed back. That was the reason witness did not jump. He also saw him jump the second time, when one of the Frenchmen struck him a blow on the head with a handspike, which knocked him into the water, and he was drowned. On looking up to where Williamson fell from, he saw the man Joseph looking over the ship's side, but he did not see any more ot the crew. The Mayor said that Nicola Jean and the boys would be discharged. The other prisoners were remanded for a week. The magistrates agreed to accept bail for the captain in the sum of A' loo, and two sureties of .£SO each. They declined to accept bail for the other prisoners.