FATAL SCUFFLE ON STEAMER

Evening Star, Issue 17311, 26 March 1920, Page 4

FATAL SCUFFLE ON STEAMER

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST.' DEATH FROM SHOCK. The District Coroner sat at Wellington yesterday to discover the circumstances attending the. death of Robert M'Nab (storekeeper on the steamer Waikana), who was liilled in a scuffle on the steamer Armagh on Tuesday night. In connection with this tragedy a fireman named Benjamin Henry Bright stands charged with murder. Alfred Farnsworth, an able seaman, said he was talking to Quartermaster Aimstrong at the Armagh's gangway, when the accused Bright and a friend 'tamo on board. When a man named Cullen appeared on the scene, in company' 1 with M'Nab. Bright said to Cullen : " Come hero, Charley." Cullen approached Bright, who hit "him on the mouth, knocking him down. ■ Deceased M'Nab was leaning against the ventilator smoking a cigarette, and Bright remarked to him : " What did you hold me for?" M'Nab made no reply," and Brurht then struck him on the face! Deceased fell to the deck, and while he was lyin" there Bright kicked him on the, body three times. Witness did not see M'Nab interfere with Bright. Accused did not kick deceased very haul. Wiliiam John Armstrong, quartermaster of the steamer tinned to seeing a bit of a tussle between deceased and; Bright. His attention had been attracted before this by Cnllen exclaiming; : "Don't hit. mo again: I'm crook." Witness saw accused kick at M'Nab about three times. M'Nab went back about three yards before falling. Dr Kingston Fyffe, who made a post mortem examination of the body of deceased, stated that he found a superficial bruise about En inch above the left eve and another over the right eye. There was also n third bruise below the left knee-. There was no fracture of the ribs, neither was there any injury to the brain or fracture or dislocation of the neck. The only cause of death witness could give was shock. The stomach way full of food. io the Coroner: If the man was kicked over the solar plexus when the stomach was fall, that might account for death. The Coroner's verdict was that deceased died on the dock .of the Armagh .after being knocked down and kicked by Benjamin Hemy 'Bright, the cause of death being shock. OLD FEUD ALLECKD. Joseph Cullen told a Wellington 'Times' reporter that a feud existed between himself and Bright over an argument »t Lyttelton. Cullen and Bright were together in Christchurch. last week when the Armagh was lying at Lyttelton, and Cullen, who .was "on the spree," and without money, sold his watchchain. According to Cullen, Bright thov.irht that he had a. Tight to a share of the money derived, and an argument ensued, Cullen being struck by Bright. Bright slept on board the Armagh for two nights, daring the vessel's stay at Lyttelton, although not actually employed on the ship. Cullen furthor said, " I am paid off this ship, and I asked M'Nab to help me off with my baggage, and this is what- happened." ACCUSED AT POLICE STATION. At the Police Station the accused said: "I am a, ship's fireman, residing at Willis street, and shortly after 6 o'clock was ou board tho Uiimaroa, lying at the Queen's wharf. I was drunk at tho time, and don't remember anything after that." Being further questioned by Detective TTieklebank, the accused denied being ou the Armagh on the. night of the tragedy, but said he knew Cuiien, having met him in Lyttelton. Ho stoutly denied being on the Armagh. Cullen and two other members of the crew of the Armagh who witnessed the affray picked out Bright from a line of six men. The. positions of those in the line were altered several times, and on each occasion they identified the accused. He was quite sober. w«uni>wwijiy urn Maaaam