Murder on the High Seas.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 43, 20 February 1892, Page 3 (Supplement)

Murder on the High Seas.

Extraordinary Escape and Recapture,

Sensational Story.

A most extraordinary story is bold concerning a murder which took place on the high *seaß near the Cape of Good Hope last Sep. bomber. It appears thab five months ago the barque Emmanuel, of Genoa, Cap. tain Rixi, left Rangoon for London with a cargo of teakwood, On September 19 last, the barque being then off the Cape of Good Hope a quarrel arose between two members of bho Italian crew—Garaffo Nicolo and Caffa Steflano. The altercation had reference to the handling of the sails, bub this trivial dispute v| attended with tragic consequencesTior Nicolo, in a moment of passionate excitement, drew his sheath knife, a weapon with a blade four inches long, and sbabbed Steflano, his uncle, in the left side. The blow proved a fatal ope, for the victim of the crime expired in two or three minutes, There was naturally greab commotion on board, but bhe murderer was quickly seized and, without resistance, disarmed. By the captain's orders he was handcuffed. Thus fettered he was consigned to a small deckhouse adjoining the cook's galley, and the connecting links of the handcufls were passed through a tackle, giving the prisoner plenty of play with his hands. The murder was commitbed aboub 3 o'clock in the morning of the date mentioned, and from tho time of his seizure till six o'clock on the morning of Nov. 5 he remained in captivity. Bub on the latter date it was found that he bad succeeded in escaping, and there were indications that in doing so he had performed a feat as extraordinary as tho teats attributed to the most notorious prisonbreakers on record. How he managed to .get rid «f the handcuffs is not clear, but it was ascertained that he had utilised a ' fishhook ' in wrenching open a board, and so wriggled through from the place of his confinement to the cook's galley, ho being a slim young fellow only twenty years of age. The age of tho murdered man was twentytwo. The latter, as the vessel did not stop ab the Cape, was buried ab sea twenty-five hours after the crime was committed.

Great excitement was caused on board when ib was discovered bhab Nicolo had, for the time being, escaped; bub bhe captainsurmised bhab if bhe fugitive did nob drown himself—to prevent which possibility great care was exercised—he would soon be starved into submission. Wonderful to relate, however, neither of these contingencies occurred, and a great- deal of mystery attaches to tbe murderer's movements between Nov. 5 and Dec. 12, when tho vessel arrived at the South West India Dock, there being no evidence to show that, for over a month, while he remained hidden, he was seen by capbain or crew. It was manifest bhab having gained admittance immediately after his escape to tbe cook's galley, he had helped himself to some food. It was assumed that he had conbriued bo'secrebe himself among the huge baulks of timber with which the vessel was laden up to thedeck. There were cavities into which he could creep, and in which it waß scarcely possible to track him, bhough be was known to be prowling aboub. He was manifestly driven to some straits for food, and hunger compelled him .to emerge stealthily from his retreat. But, according to the statements of h> shipmates, nothing was seen or heard of him after November 11 till the vessol was docked in the Thames. Between the sth and the 9th he twice, without observation, pillaged the provision store, and twice did he break into a watertank. On the 11 th he was heard attempting once more bo geb into the provision Store, bub tho notoo -mado by thosa.who sought to capburo him caused him vbo abandon the attempt. How he continued to exist for the ensuing month no satisfactory evplanation is forthcoming, but it is suspected that food was placed within his reach by members of the crew. On the arrival of the vessel ab bhe SouthWesb India Dock on Saburday the' captain informed the doc?i police of the tragedy which had been committed, and of the fact bhat the murderer was still unenptured. An inspection of the vessel failed to reveal his hidingplace, and there seemed little chance of ascertaining whither the fugitive had crawled in order tb escape from justice. Apparently, he had buoyed himself up by the hope that if he could remain concealed till the vessel reached port he mighb be able to get off unpercolved, and so evade the penalty of his crime. The* vessel was closely invested by the dock police, reinforced by constables of tho metropolitan police, bub there did not seem much likelihood of tho hunted wretch being dislodged or lured from the undiscovered aperture in the timber where he lay. Superintendent Cahil, of the Dock Company's police, and Superintendent Stead, of the metropoliban police, repeatedly joined in the search. Twice on Sunday a glimpse of him waa obtained, but he immediately darted into his retreat. He was then without clothing. For the time being the opinion was formed— though vigilance was by no means relaxed— that he could not be reached till the vessel was unloaded. The unexpected, however, happened, for the murderer, realising that there wis no longer hope of eventual escape, and being ravenous with hunger, decided upon revealing himself. Before surrendering, which he did on Monday night, he held a parley with the besiegers, stipulating that if hie surrendered he should not be ill-breated. Thiß assurance being forbheoming, he emerged slowly in a state of absolute nudity, and before he could be removed from the vessel he had to be provided with some clothing. What Ilia motive was in divesting himself of his clothes—whether he had contemplated a swim for freedom—has not been elicited. Altogebher, he was in a sorry plight when removed by the metropolitan police to Limehouso Police-station. Pending extradition proceedings, ho being an Italian and tho "murder being committed on an Italian vessel on the high seas, he remained in the custody of the divisional police. The aoeused was ordered to the Poplar Infirmary, suffering from emaciation and starvation.