FIREMAN'S DEATH.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 290, 8 December 1925, Page 8

FIREMAN'S DEATH.

° FOLLOWING A FIGHT. TRIMMER CHARGED WITH ASSAULT. TROUBLE ABOARD THE lONIC. A fight last evening on board the White Star liner lonic, lying at the ] King's wharf, had its sequel in the death of a fireman and the arrest of a trimmer on a charge of assault. The dead man is James Kelly, agijd about 35, a native of Swansea, Wales. The prisoner, afc present in the custody of the police, is Phillip Michael Sullivan, a youth of 19, who came from London. Remanded Till Thursday. Sullivan was charged at the Police Court this morning, before Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M., with assaulting deceased. He was represented by Mr. Holmden. At the request of Chief Detective Cumniings he was remanded till November 10. Bail was not sought. Accused was on duty aboard the lonic yesterday morning. He finished his work at 10.30 a.m., and went ashore by permission of the engineer, at 1.30 p.ni;, with a mate and another trimmer. The three went up Queen Street. An hotel was visited by accused and his mate. They had some drinks. At 4 o'clock the mate left accused, and returned to Hie ship. Both were sober. Kelly Swore At Him. Sullivan returned to the ship at 5.30 o'clock, and at 6.30 he went on the top deck, where the deceased, Kelly, was on the same watch. Kelly was standing near the door of the alleyway. Accused did not speak to him, but Kelly is alleged to have approached Him, saying that he would fight any English , especially accused. Sullivan, not wishing to be involved in a brawl, advised Kelly to go away and Have a sleep. It is alleged that .Kelly swore at him 'again, at the same time striking at him. Sullivan ducked, and Kelly missed him. The Fight. ' Accused retaliated. He struck Kelly three times, twice on the chest, and once on the right eye. He was hit three times himself. Kelly's wound above the eye 'began to bleed, and he was also bleeding from the face. Half a dozen of the crew arrived, and the fight ended. After tho fight on the top deck, Sullivan went to -the bottom of the alleyway, and about ten minutes' later was followed there by Kelly, who then had a dressing on his eye. They began to fight again at the bottom of the stairs. They had their cpats off, and got on to the floor, and struggled for some time. Again, some "of the crew stopped the fight. Kelly and Sullivan were covered with blood, and after they were separated, Sullivan went to the mess-room, and Kelly to his bunk, where he lay down for about 20 minutes. Fireman Collapses. Later, accused saw Kelly standing, and then Heard a fall. He turned, to find that Kelly had collapsed. After the fall, water was put on deceased's face, and someone went for the doctor,'who was not on board. .An officer came down, and after examining Kelly, said that he was dead. A post-mortem examination has been held, and the cause of death stated to be hemorrhage of the brain. The skull was not fractured. Chief Detective Cummings, with Senior Detective Hammond, Detectives McHugh, Robertson, Knight, Moon and Barling, and Sergeant Fiannigan, of the waterfront police, commenced investigations at 9 o'clock, ■, and remained aboard till 4 a.m. to-day. * AS inquest touching the circumstances | surrounding the death of Kelly was opened before the Coroner. Mr. F. K. ■ Hunt, S.M., this afternoon. Harold Cotton, the fourth engineer on the lonic, gave evidence of identity, and. said that. deceased joined the ship at Gravesend in. October,. 1925. He was a widower, and leaves three children. His father lives in Lancashire. Witness I last saw deceased alive at .10 a.m. yesterday. _ The inquest was adjourned until such time as tho police are ready to proceed.