BRISBANE TRAGEDY

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 106, 6 May 1924, Page 7

BRISBANE TRAGEDY

UNREPORTED ATTACKS

CORONER SUGGESTS AN INQUIRY

(CINITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COIIMOHII) '■'■'. "...,' SYDNEY, sth May. /-■-At. an inquiry into the tragedy on the Australian' cruiser Brisbane, officers gave evidence that they knew nothing of the alleged assaults. Previous to the murder, < they stated the- men were encouraged to come forward with griev.ances.. . ' • The Coroner, in - recording a verdict of murder'-and suicide against Brown, said it seemed strange; that a series of assaults should not come to the Notice oE the officers. This' suggested to him that the discipline must be very rigid, and it might be well for the naval authorities to look into the whole question. He did not say that there-was any reason for altering, the system in, 'any way,, but; it , might be well to look into it ..and see. whether something could not bo jdone to make it certain that those responsible for the safety of the men would discover matters which would suggest that'll danger existed on a particular ship at a particular time. :.. ' George Ritchie, a seaman on -H M A S Brisbane, was Isund dying in his-bunk on tho._ morning, of 13th April "with his head pierced by a sharp-pointed hammer and his throat cut. A search of the ship resulted in the discovery of the body of Geargo Brown, a cook, in tho •refrigerating room.- He had strangled liunself with, a, cord tied to part of "the machinery. - During, the inquiry stones wero told of mysterious-assaults, of which several men had been the victims, but which were,not reported to the officers of tho ship. ,