SINGULAR MURDER AT SEA.

Evening Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 100, 16 November 1882, Page 3

SINGULAR MURDER AT SEA.

? Tho Southampton magifltrates( wore ongaged for several days recently in hearing a ohargo against two Irish sailors—William Henry Bolland, aged 21, and Thomas Walsh, aged 22—of having wilfully oaused the death 01 Samuel James M'Dowell, another sailor, by throwing him into the sea from the British vessel Vick-and-Mebane. The ease presented some features of a peculiar character, and depended principally upon the evidence of Thomas Williams, the mate of the ship. It appeared that on the 3rd of April last, the ship was anohored about a mile and a half off the land in St Andrew's Sound, State of Georgia, and in the afternoon the master, boarding-master, and five of the orew (including the prisoners), came on board from Brunswick, all the worse for drink. On the boarding-master settling with the crew, tho deceased, who was also in liquor, declared his dissatisfaction with the money paid him, and threatened to swim ashore. A great deal of drunken altercation followed, and ultimately the prisoners took hold of him and lifted him over the rail_, and after holding him a few seconds let him drop into the water. Tho mate heard tho words " lot go " and hoard a splash in the water, and on looking ovor tho rail saw deceased como up to tho water's edge. Ho threw the man a rope, but the tide was floating him away, and he thon ordered the boats out, but all was useless. Aftor some timo the two prisoners jumped overboard, but tho unfortunate man had then sunk. During the interval the mate heard tho prisonors utter several remarks indicating a murderous intent. The mon wero not put in irons and charged with the Inurder until the ship arrived a.t Rio Janeiro, 68 days afterwards. The charge was heard before the British Consul at Rio, and the prisoners, with the witnesses and their depositions, wero sent to Emjland by the Royal Mail Company's steamship Tagus, whioh arrived at Southampton. The prisoners were committed for trial at the next Hampshire assizes.

Tho Wcirarapa Star publishes a report that a woll-known resiaont of Masterton, who has contributed to the building of tho borough in a humble capaoity, has just come into a British baronetcy and a fortune of £90,000.