SEA CAPTAIN'S SENTENCE
FIVE YEARS FOR MAN PUT IN IRONS BY THE CREW.
The story of a sea captain, ordering a gunner in his vessel to fire at a British hospital ship, and afterwards attempting to murder the gunner, John L. Gifted, R.N.R., was told at' Devon Assizes at Exeter on Friday, 2nd February, when Thomas J. Stayman,. of North Shields, captain of a large merchant vessel, came up for trial. The case for the Crown was that in .tho Mediterranean the captain twice ordered Gifford. to fire upon a largo hospital ship, and 1 when the latter refused the- captain said he and his gun and the Admiralty ought to go to together. When two days off Plymouth Stayman, realising that Gifford intended to Report him, tried to throw him overboard, Gifford being saved by a roll o! the ship. Two hours later the firs/t officer, Jackson, and some of the crow overpowered the captain and handcuffed Rim.
Besides Gifford 1 and Jaokson six membens of the crew spoke to hearing the captain's threats, andi Gifford gave_ his opinion thai the captain was either drank or mad.
Stayma.n flatly denied either attacking Gifford' or ordering him to fire on the hospital ship. He was found guilty of attempted murder, ajid pleaded guilty to' a charge of disobeying the senior officer at Gibraltar to come homo by •tie Admiralty route. The charge _ in respect to the hospital ship was ■withdrawn. ' ~ ■
The Judge sentenced him bo five years' penal sSrvi'tude, to run concurrently, for attempted murder and disobeying'orders.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19170417.2.50
Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 91, 17 April 1917, Page 7
Word Count
257SEA CAPTAIN'S SENTENCE Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 91, 17 April 1917, Page 7
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