ADVENTUROUS NEGRO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20249, 8 May 1929, Page 14

ADVENTUROUS NEGRO.

WANTED TO GO TO POLE.

AFFRAY ON AMERICAN VESSEL.

CHARGE OF ASSAULT FOLLOWS.

Keen interest was aroused last February in the case of Robert White Lanier, a negro mess boy, who came to Auckland fired with enthusiasm to accompany Commander Bjrd on his Antarctic expedition. When about to go South to attempt fo join the expedition ho was arrested following a stabbing affray on the American steamer Golden State, on which he was employed, and he was charged with causing actual bodily harm to the boatswain, John F. Murphy, by stabbing him ■in the chest. He pleaded not guilty in the Police Court, and his trial in the Supreme Court commenced before Mr. Justice Kennedy yesterday. Accused entered a plea of not guilty and was defended by Mr. Webster. Mr. Hubble, for the Crown, said the evidence would bo brief. Ho would call the doctor as to the nature of "Murphy's wound, and also Detective McHugh, who took a statement from the accused. The eye-witnesses of the occurrence, the crew and officers of the Golden State, were no longer in New Zealand, but their evidence given in the lower Court would be read to the jury. There had been some kind of a row between the boatswain Murphy and the accused, and Murphy chased him to the cook's galley. At lunch timo the accused made a lunge at Murphy as he was seated at the table, and when Murphy got up to follow him he found he had been stabbed. The evidence of eye-witnesses was that the assault was quite unprovoked. The wound suffered by Murphy was described by Dr. Ronald F. Blair, who attended to him at the Auckland Hospital. Witness said it was an incised wound from ljin. to long, about Jin. deep and situated 3in. above the heart. Murphy made a complete recovery. Detective-Sergeant McHugh said accused was in tears when interviewed after the affray. Accused said to the captain: "I did it because the boatswain jumped on my back and was hammering me while I was down." Witness read the detailed statement accused hart made to him. Accused was quite frank with him. There ! had evidently been ill-feeling on the steamer.

The evidence given by the injured man, Murphy, the captain of the Golden State and others in the lower Court was read to the jury. The hearing will be continued this morning.