ALLEGED STABBING

Evening Star, Issue 20081, 23 January 1929, Page 7

ALLEGED STABBING

AFFRAY OH WHARF FURTHER EVIDENCE HEARD The ease arising from injuries received by a taxi-driver, Norman Maitland Childs, near the wharf on the night of January 14 was taken a step further in tho City Police Court, before Air J. K. Bartholomew this morning. Arnold Hinds, a coloured quartermaster off the steamer .Bloemfontein, bad been previously charged with assaulting Childs and causing him actual bodily harm. Hinds was represented by Mr A. C. Hanlon and De-tective-sergeant Nnttall conducted the police ease. William John Tanilin, a trimmer on the Maimoa, said on the night of the assault he was in the company of Childs. He had asked Childs to take six bottles aboard the Maimoa. That would be shortly after (i o’clock. Childs left the ship soon after that, and went to the hospital. Later in the evening, about U.JO, be and Childs went aboard the Bloemfontein. As they went up (he gangway they met a coloured quartermaster, of whom they asked to be allowed to look over the ship; hut ho said lie did not think anybody was -allowed on board. On being informed that they came from the Maimoa lie told them to go ahead. Ho did not know who the quartermaster was. They were in tho engine room about: twenty minutes, and then returned to the deck. Childs was ahead of him, and when he, reached the deck lie saw the coloured quartermaster, who said something about getting off tlie ship. The quartermaster had one hand on each of Childs's shoulders, and was pushing him along the deck in the direction of the gangway. He saw Childs turn to go down the gangway, and both the quartermaster and Childs went out of sight together. Witness went down the gangway two minutes later, and when he readied the wharf Childs was there. He saw nobody else. Childs was standing holding his side. He saw he was injured, and took him to the hospital niter the chief officer of the Maimoa. had conic ; 1 i render first aid. He did not see | the wound till the hospital was I reached, hut there was plenty of blood ! on the clothing. When lie discovered I that Childs was injured lie appealed to | an officer on Hie Bloemfontein, hut j the latter did not come down to the | wharf. As far as he knew Childs was j perfectly sober. There had been mi quarrel between witness and Childs and the members of the crew of the | Bloemfontein before he found Childs . had been injured. In answer to Mr' Hanlon, witness said be had known Childs about a week, but had been out riding with him in his ear a few j limes and they became very friendly. Six of them drank the beer Childs took I i the ship. It was Childs who suggested going aboard the Bloemlonlein. Witness did not know ilmt j Childs drank much; lie had had only a I couple of drinks with him. Childs was interested in engines, and wished to j see the difference between a single and I a twin-screw ship. They told the' third engineer they were going into , the engine room. Having received the permission of tin; quartermaster, it was not necessary to get the engineer's permission. When they got into , Hie engine room they obtained .. (he permission of the donkeymaii to look round. Mr Hanlon; Oh! The donkeymaii. Yon arc coming down in the social scale. | Witness recounted the return to Hie deck ami their leaving the vessel. The quarter-master was on the deck at the head of the gangway when witness reached tho wharf. He heard no words between the quartermaster and Childs. , lie heard no cry for help or aiiytiiing 1 to indicate that Childs had been stabbed. He did not think Childs re-

j (piired any assistance from the ship. I Neither of them were drunk. ! Witness: If you can get drunk on | one glass of beer, then it’s good beer, i W;tfiess did not see fluids coflap.se i on the wharf, and he did not see him lying on (he wharf. Some of the members of tliu crew of (lie Maimua told the second oflieer of the Bloemfontein what they thought of him, and witness did so. too. The only man lie wanted to have a row with was the quartermaster, but lie did not know if the accused was the ir.an or not. He was not interested in coloured people. They all looked alike to him. He did not call the second ollieer a “dago.” Reginald Clark, a trimmer on the Maimoa, said ho was returning to his ship about a quarter to JO at night. He saw a taxi driver .staggering about. Me got bold ot him., pulled bis coat back, and saw that be had been stabbed. An ordinary seaman, named Shields, was with him, and he went to his ship for assistance. The only other man on the wharf was Tamim, the previous witness. He saw no members of the- crew of the Bloemfontein on the wnarl. Witness was only a couple of feet from the gangway, and there was a quartermaster at die top of the gangway. He bad a piece of white sticking plaster over hd eye. Witness heard the quartermaster say: "Bring all your while men. We will show what we will do with you while men.” Witness saw tiie quartermaster di'aw a knife from its scabbard, but an officer on the Bloemfontein touched him and he put it away. Witness was quite certain that that was the man with the sticking plaster over bis eye,. Witness could not recognise the accused as the man lie saw thou. Witness was a. teetotaller. In answer to Air Hanlon, witness said be a.sw no signs of Tamiiii being drunk. Until be saw Childs was stabbed he thought, he was drunk. Witness said nothing to the men on the Bloemfontein. 'flic others on the wharf asked the officer to come down, but ho refused. as he said they might raid him, Mr Hanlon : Von an 1 sure he did not say you might brain him? Witness; Oh, no. Wc had nothing to brain him with. Mr Hanlon: Oh. but you could soon find something. Witness heard nothing offensive said by Taiiiiin or bis shipmates. He did not believe in listening to bad language. To Detective-sergeant NuUall, witness said the gangway was well lighted, and he could see what was going on. Detective Xuttall asked for a further remand till January 80, when Childs would then be out of hospital. They would be able to complete the case. The remand was granted.