AUSTRALIAN NEWS. THIS SUPPOSED MURDER IN THIS SOUTH SEAS. The Attack on the Crew of the Schooner Ariel.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 333, 12 January 1889, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN NEWS. THIS SUPPOSED MURDER IN THIS SOUTH SEAS. The Attack on the Crew of the Schooner Ariel.

A Brisbane telegram of January 2nd says : From the evidence taken at the inquuy into tho supposed murdor of J. S. Armstrong, Government agonb of the labour j schooner Ariel, by the natives of Manoba Island, there in some doubt ay to whether ho waa ac dually nuudered, and lie may now bo dhve amount the natives. Tho tact ot tho minder looted on the testimony of an islander named Joe, which is vety oonbradiotoiy. Two boats went ashore, one containing Armstiong and Joe, and the other the mate and a boat's ci ow. Armstrong book with him a bottle of bluestonc water" for a chief who wassullciing Irom a soi elimb. The mate gave evidence; that tho Government ayen(-"& boat rt;,(clied the fchore iii\sb. Ann- > stiong was carried ashore by Joe, and by the time witness had reached his boat, lie had aone up tho beach, and wa? bovond speaking distance. Some ten of tifbeon minutes later, ho hoard a cry, and .saw Joo running towaids tho boats quite naked, waving I rig hand, and singing out, "Comoon quick, they kill him Government." He soized his rillo and jumped oub of the boat, and called on the crew to follow him. Ho gob 50 yards from the boat when the natives appeared from among the treea. throwing speais and shooting airow.s. Finding there were too many natives in front and bos id o him, he ran back, and iound the boat Rome way ofl from the shoie, tho crews backing them out and firing at tho same time. He did nob .see tho Government agent fall, being surrounded by natives, and having lo&b sight ot Armstiong shortly after he left the boat. On questioning Joe, the lafctor told him ho saw the Government agent being caught by tho arms and legs, and two or three men were aiming blows at him with tomahawks, but he did not see him fall. Joe further stated that one blow on tho nock from a tomahawk finished the Government agent, and also that bwo native*- tiied to sei/e him (Joe), but ho broke away from them after having his clothes tom off in the struggle. Being .short of ammunition the boats returned bo the schoonct. Joo, in his evidence, qa I*©1 *© an account of hid btruggle with tho natives, bub admitted that he was not able to sec what the natives did with the Government agent lie did nob know whether tho Government agent was dead or not. He did not &co him fall down, and only hcaid him shout, ''Oh! Look out.'' The other evidence generally corroborated that of the mate.