STRANGE CASE.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1660, 14 June 1875, Page 2

STRANGE CASE.

MACQTJARRIE THE SHIPBUILDER, SETS OFF A STEAMER WITH A BAILIFF ABOARD, FULL SPEED!

On May 2, at the Water Police Court, —before the Water Police Magistrate and Messrs. Levey, Solomon, Charlton, and Bird—Daniel Macquarie, shipbuilder, and George Budge and Edward Woolmer were charged—first, with having unlawfully beaten one John Mason, security clerk in the Bank of New South Wales ; secondly, with having unlawfully and maliciously attempted to destry a certain vessel, whereby the life of plaintiff (Mason) was endeangered ; thirdly, with having unlawfully and maliciously attempting to inflict grevious bodily harm on the plaintiff, and unlawfully assaulted plaintiff.

John Mason deposed that on Friday week he was sent down by the Bank of New South Wales, to take charge of a yacht from Mr Macquarie, about 10 o'clock in the morning and as he arrived, the vessel was put about off from the wharl; witness jumped on board and saw there the engineer Woolmer, and to him handed his authority to take possession of the steamer, under a bill of sale ; Woolmer read it and handed it to a gentleman on board who said the boat was going down the 'harbour on a pleasure trip •in consequence of this representation the bank was communicated with, and he remained on board the yacht and went with it on its trip down the harbour; he got back to the Circular Quay about half-past 5 o'clock ; the pleasure party on board the vessel left; he then proceeded to put the warrant into effect. Mr Budge, foreman of the yard, came up. Witness asked Budge to step on board, a hewished to speak to him. They went to the saloon, and he said he presumed that he (Mr Budge) knew what had brought him there. He replied, "You have no right here," that Mr Macquarie had had a meeting of his creditors, matters were arranged, and that he was carrying on business for the last ten months and more. Mr Badge then said, "We want the yacht, go ashore;" the yacht was alongside a punt connected with the wharf ; when he told him to go on shore, he pointed to the punt, and said after that if he

did not go that way, he would have to go the other—meaning the waterside ; Mr Budce then said after a minute or two that tris>*Jlfc was not Macquarie's, but his ; he reap leave the vessel; Mr Budge wefe-'■■.-"«" to the punt as if to go up to the % Jj. before he left the conversation bli Me rather warm ; Mr Budge went upthe\fnj and as he passed the foremost part ofHffie steamer he told Wcohner to wait for M? Macquarie till 7 o'clock ; he waited till 8 o'clock, and then asked the engineer to send to Mr. Macquarie to tell him that he wished to speak to him. Both Mr. Budge and Mr." Macquaiie came down ; Mr. Macquarie came alongside the launch. Mr. Macquarie made many remarks of a jeering kind as to the position he would be in if he slept there all night ; sometimes he spoke angrily and sometimes in a jeering tone, half laughing; he then ordered the removal of carpets, cushions matting, &c, from the vessel; shortly alter he came on board again from the punt, and said, " Will you go on shore?" he said that he cin'd not; he said, " Suppose I make you or force you ;' he said that if he did he must resist; he then took him by the left arm and^ said, "Qo ashore;" he put himself in an attitude to resist, and held back; Budge called out, "You, go ashore, Mr. Macquarie —leave Mr. Mason to me, I will manage him;" Mr. Macquarie then went onshore. Mr. Budge took off his hat, aud handed it ashore to Mr. Macquarie ; Macquarie sang out to Budge to bring her on to the buoy sternfirst; this was done, and Ihe boat was brought over lapping stern on to the shore; when she was brought alongside, Mr. Macquarie called Budge ashore; there then appeared to be a whispered conversation between the two ; Mr. Macquarie asked witness if he would go on shore, and he replied that he would not; Mr. Macquarie afterwards, addressing Woolmer engineer, said "Turn full speed ahead and jump adiore ;' Woolmer appeared to hesitate; Mr. Macquarie repeated the order more peremptorily and in (he same words; Woolmer was about, to do so, \.he i witness said to him, "Will you enter the service of the Bank of New South Wales?" he replied, looking towards Mr. Macquarie, "Thatis my master ;" the engines were started, and the engineer was told to jump ashore, jmd he did so ; the launch then went ahead very quickly, witness was the only person oh board; he had not seen the boy from the time he took the message to Mr. Macquarie ; just as the vessel was leaving the shore, Mr. Macquarie called out, "Have her and bed —;" the red light was put out when the cushions were removed; the steamer left the wharf shortly before 9 o'clock; witness knew no'.hiig about- machinery, or the manage ac it of an engine; the launch headed up Johnson's Bay, obliquely across Darling Harbour ; there where wharves alongside, from which vessels would be frequently leaving ; there were also vessels lying about, he took the wheel, and headed the launch first up Darling Harbour; he did not know how to stop the engines, or to manage them in any way; after getting just above the Gasworks, he thought the traffic too great, for the steam ferry-boats were going backwards and forward, so he turned her head, sounded the steamwhistle, and passed round Miller's Point to the north side of the harbour; he knew nothing as to the rules for lights so as to . avoid vessels ; beyond being able to steer he would not be able to manage the launch; if he had met a vessel he would not have known what to do ; he went along the north side of the harbour till he got alongside of the steamer Scotland, when he hailed for an engineer; he had made several circuits tween that vessel and Dawes Point, before they could understand his position ou board the Scotland ; at last they sent a boat's crew with two engineers on board; they refcaed him from the position he was in fit wasthenlOminutesor a quarter past 9o'clock, Be had never been to sea, except a few trips to and from Melbourne. The engineer told him that the launch could go from nine to t»-n knots an hour, and that the engines were 14 horse po^v er She was about 50 feet long. If the launch had gone straight on without being steered, she would have come-into collision with the shore. She would not have takeu long to have crossed Darling Harbour. —John Ford deposed thot he was second engineer on board the steamer Scotland. On Friday evening last he was called on deck, and saw a steam launch passing the ship ; there were calls for assistance from the launch, and witness went on board; he found the fire-grate service of the forpace quite full of coal, and the door fastened; but for the thumbiscrew "being slack, the launch would be going at full speed ; the water was in the lower end of the gauge-cock; the effect of the water being low in the gauge- ( cock, showed that a very strong fire was ' on, and the boiler in danger; the boiler was not in a position to feed itseif, anyone not knowing anything of the engines and works, and putting more water in, would render it likely that there would be an explosion through its action upon the overheated boilers; there was sixty pounds pressure of steam to the" square inch; the safety-valve showed 72 lbs. pressure; it appeared to him that under sach circumstances, were they to have continued, the destruction of the steamer would hare been inevitable; there would be no danger wh"e there was water in the guage-cock. Macquarrie and Bridge were committed for trial on the charge of attempting to destroy the vessel, so as thereby to endanger the life of John Mason. The charge of beating was withdrawn. At the trial the jury found both accused guilty, and they were sentenced to three months' imprisonment.