MURDER ON THE HIGH SEAS.

Southland Times, Issue 1136, 5 April 1869, Page 3

MURDER ON THE HIGH SEAS.

Hugo Levinger was again charged at the City Police Court with having, in December laßt, murdered three natives of Polynesia, on board the schooner Young Australia, which was at the time on the high seas. The prisoner was supercargo on board the vessel, and three natives who were taken on board were murdered. Last week the prisoner was brought up, , and remanded until to-day, when he was discharged, but immediately on getting outside the court was re-arrested on the

same charge. The reason of this was that the first arrest was informal, having been made upon a warrant issued upon information furnished by telegram, but the original warrant, with the depositions upon which it was issued, having arrived from Sydney, the second arrest was made by virtue of this warrant. Mr Aspinall, for the defence, requested that no action might be taken in this case uutil next day. He felt uncertain as to the legality of the document, which he wished to look into. It set forth " that he had in the month of October last, on board the ship Young Australia, then being at the island of Tanna, which is situate in the Pacific Ocean, and is not subject to Her Majesty or any European state or power, he, the said Hugo Levinger then being the super* cargo on board the said vessell, did feloniously, wilfully, and of malice afore* thought, kill and murder three men whose names are unknown." The magistrates agreed to grant the application and enlarge the prisoner's bail, but having seen snd read the depositions while the prisoner was awaiting the arrival of his sureties, they came to the conclusion that bail must be refused, on account of the atrocities disclosed in the depositions. They knew nothing of these horrifying disclosures until after the applicaton had been granted. — Melbourne Herald.