THEFTS FROM A VESSEL

Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 3, 5 January 1916, Page 8

THEFTS FROM A VESSEL

TWO OF CORINTHIC'S SEAMEN IN COURT

ALLEGED VISIT TO THE SURGERY,

An unusual display of articles—surgical instruments and patent foods —was on view at the Magistrate's Court today, when two seamen named Robert Ralph Carr and Albert James Adams, belonging to R.M.S. Corinthic, were charged with the theft of the goods produced, (-valued at £60, and the property of the Shaw, Savill Co.) from the surgery of the vessel. Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., was on the Bench. Mr. P. W. Jackson appeared on behalf of Carr. Chief-Detec-tive Boddam conducted the case for the police. Dr. George Hamilton, medical officer on the Corinthic, said that the surgery w;is situated aft of the ship. Witness on the 23th December locked the door of the surgery at 10.30 a.m., and' gave the key to the chief officer. Next day, when ho visited the surgery, he found dressings of all kinds on the floor, drawers open, and signs of fire. On making an inventory ho found fivo boxes of surgical instruments, a stethoscope, and a roll of forceps missing, also foodstuffs—nine tins of Nettle's food, «:\en tins of condensed milk, and three tins of Allenuury's Food. Six bottles of chloroform and five bandages had also disappeared. He estimated that it would take £60 to replace the instruments and foodstuffs. Approximately the damage done by fire to the surgery and contents would be £10. John Henry Dray, second officer on the Corinthic, said that on .visiting the surgery on the 30th December he discovered it was on fire. He got the key, opened 'the door, and extinguished the fire. The surg-ery was practically the whole length of the ship from the seamen's quarters. 'To Mr. Jackson: Carr shipped as quartermaster in London. He was disrated .by the chief officer to able seaman, but witness did not know if it was at his own request. Frank Biiney, seaman on the Corinthic, said that lie was night-watchman on the night of 29th December. Witness ' saw accused in the alley-way between 2 and 3 o'clock.on the morning of the. 30th. As far as witness could see, they were both slightly intoxicated. Witness saw no one else with the exception of Mr. Dray. He visited the afterpart of the deck at 3.30 a.m., and saw smoke coming out of the surgery. Going for'ard, he informed Mr. Dray. Royd Bnrgell, another seaman on the vessel, gave evidence that he saw Adams on the foc's'le about 3 a.m. on the 30th trying to open a small brief bug. He was fully dressed. Detective-Sergt. Rawle said that he obtained statements from both accused. Adams's was to the effect that the two men went to the surgery, and Carr got through the porthole. He took the bottle of brandy, and both of them drank it. Carr then passed the articles out to him. Carr, in his statement, said that he remembered getting through the porthole and drinking the brandy, but he remembered nothing after that. Witness explained that the surgjeal instruments were recovered from one of the ship's boats, and the patent foods were discovered in another boat. Adams pleaded not giiilty. and was committed for trial. Carr said that lie wislfed to call two seamen on the vessel, and was remanded until I.oth January.