AFFRAY AT SEA

Evening Star, Issue 25849, 20 July 1946, Page 9

AFFRAY AT SEA

SEAMAN FATALLY STABBED CHARGE OF MURDER (P.A.) AUCKLAND, July 17. At a special sitting of • the Police Court to-aay, a rnemoer of the crew of the motor vessel. Sussex, James Watson, a seaman, aged 46, appeared before Mr J. H. Luxford, S.M., charged with the murder of Peter King on or about July 9, when on the high seas between Balboa, in the Panama Canal, and Auckland. The . evidence was led by the Crown Prosecutor, Mr V. R. Meredith, and the accused was represented by Mr Henry and. Mr Aekins. Mr Haymer appeared for the NevV Zealand Shipping Company. William John McCarten, a donkeyman, said that on July .9 he and a man named Rutherford were with King in witness's cabin ' before tea. They consumed two bottles of beer. After tea they went back to the cabiu and Watson joined them. He had a glass in his hand which he said contained rum and beer.- King chaffed the accused for drinking his own rum, and the accused said he would bring in his rum if King would do the same. The two men went out and later returned with their rum, which was consumed. ACCUSED INSULTING. Witness described the drinking which took place during the evening until shortly after midnight when Watson came into the cabin and called witness, King, and Murray a name. Murray took exception and asked if that was meant for him as well. Watson said it was, after which Murray knocked the accused to the floor. Witness said he took the accused along to the bathroom and left him there on the floor. He went out on to the deck where King and Murray were, and shortly afterwards King went inside. [ The next thing witness knew was j that King staggered out on to the deck holding his left side. Watson was following him, and it could be seen that blood was oozing from between the injured man's fingers. Watson had a knife in his hand and witness ran and knocked him down. He sat on top of him and struck him twice. The accused "became unconscious and he was handcuffed. . Corroborative evidence was given by another donkeyman-greaser, Henry Murray. Another member of the crew, William Rutherford, said he saw Watson beine held on the deck. The accused still had a knife which witness recognised as his own; Witness had left it in his locker, but the accused knew it was kept there. -He had previouslyborrowed it at Liverpool. •"". - Alfred Henry Arthur Roseman said he was on duty in the engine- room, on July 9. He w.ent upstairs to get some iced water, and as he passed the greasers' bathroom he heard voices, The accused was tying on the floor, and King was trying to lift him up. Watson appeared to be unconscious. Witness helped King, ; and the boatswain, who had come in. to carry Watson to.his cabin.. Witness then went to get'the water. On his return, he looked into Watson's cabin, and the accused, was lying on the floor with King standing.over him. ', ' STABBED IN SIDE/ -

"Just theii Watson'jumped up," said witness. ..'-'.' He pushed King against the bunk into a sitting position with his back agaist the bulkhead. He went to the locker and drew a knife, took it from.its sheath, and rushed to the bunk. _He lifted his arms and thrust the knife into. King's side. Str.uthers Robert Wallis, supernumerary chief officer, said he saw King lying on the hatch. He had a large wound-under his left arm which \ appeared to be very deep. Witness I bandaged it and. felt his pulse, which was very weak. He was removed to I a cabin in the officers' accommodation, J but his heart, beat and pulse were weakening, rapidly. At approximately [ 1.30 a.m. the master pronounced Lim dead. The master of the Sussex, Captain Albert Edmond Taylor, said that when he saw King shortly after the tragedy he appeared to,be almost dead Watson was slumped in his seat, apparently in a stupor, and he was bandcuffed. Witness said that Rutherford slapped the accused's face and was asking him why he took the knife. Watson revived .and said something about having been called a name. When told of King's condition, ~he said, he was, sorry. v The accused was placed under arrest. "King was an 'old servant of the i company," said Captain" Taylor. "His home.was in Liverpoool, and his wife and five children live there. Watson was born in Glasgow." The accused pleaded not guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. \ ' .' , >