THE THOMASINA M'LELLAN AGAIN.

Evening Star, Issue 4248, 7 October 1876, Page 2

THE THOMASINA M'LELLAN AGAIN.

In our yesterday's issue we gave particulars of the hearing, at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Port Chalmers, of a charge preferred by one of the seamen—Valentine Mailley - against Captain Gibb for keeping him chained to a stanch'on in the hold for five weeks, during which time, according to the man's account, he suffered severely. His statement was borne out by several witnesses. On the part of the captain, several witnesses, including most of the ship's officers and apprentices, were called, and they all stated that Mailley had been found drinking in the hold ; had confessed to them and the captain that he had stolen the drink; and that he was a dangerous man, the captain haying been compelled to put him in ironß as he had threatened his denied that he had drawn his revolver till Mailley had threatened him, and then he thought it was time to do so. He did not recollect using the expression sworn to by several of the witnesses for the complainant, "put that dog in irons.' He tried to treat men as men, and did not imprison Mailley until he had consulted his officers, and some of his passengers. At 4 o'clock the evidence was concluded, and the magistrate (Mr Mansford) reserved judgment till Monday. We understand six other cases will come on for hearing on that day. - The petly officers and crew of the ship Thomasina M'Lellan are gaining unenviable notoriety. Last evening several of them were ordered by Captain Gibb to go on board the ship in a boat belonging to Wm, Jewiss, a well-known waterman at the Port. They had not long .started from the jetty before they commenced to fight, and the second mate desired Jewiss to run his boat on to the rocks and laud them there. Being fully aware of the danger of such a proceeding, Jewiss refused, but endeavored to pacify his unruly passengers, and while so engaged one of them knocked him down, and with tho ad of his comrades threw him into the water, where they treated him in a very brutal manner, being urged on by the second mate, who, it is said, advised them to to drown Jewiss. Most of the men scrambled from the boat to the rocks and made their way ashore, leaving Jewiss to get back to his boat the best way he could. He succeeded in regaining her aad seached the landing place with his clothes torn off him and suffering from the effects of the severe maltreatment he had received. We hear that Mr Jewiss intends taking proceedings in the Magistrate's Court. One of his assailants is already in custody, and as he knows the rest it is anticipated there will be little difficulty in bringing them to justice.