Sea Tragedy

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XV, Issue 215, 10 December 1925, Page 5

Sea Tragedy

CAPTAIN MCDONALD’S MURDER. PANIC ON STEAMER KLANG. Auckland, Dec. 10. The full horror of the Straits Settlements tragedy,-on the steamer Klang, when a Malay ran amok armed with a kris, is revealed in the details received by the mail yesterday. The Malay ’fatally stabbed Captain Murdoch McDonald (who was born in Auckland), and seven others wore wounded, including the chief engineer, Mr. William Rae. Tho Klang loft Singapore for Port Swettenham and Penang on October 31 with about eight European passengers and over 200 deck passengers. When the vessel was approaching Tanjong, Pagar, a Malay passenger suddenly ran amok with a knife and stabbed right and left. Panic ensued and the deck passengers rushed all over the upper deck to escape the, madman. Eventually the main deck and boat deck, on which the saloon is situated, were isolated, and the ship was put about. The Malay stabbed thirteen persons. Captain McDonald left the bridge to investigate after tho ship had been anchored, and be was fatally stabbed in the abdomen. Rae, on coming up from tho engineroom, encountered the madman, who stabbed him seriously in the chest.

Medical assistance was summoned, and two inspectors with eight constables, all armed with rilles and found it under a veritable reign of terror. They eventually made their way to the stern of the upper deck. where they found the' Malay with his back to the second-class cabins. After trying for a quarter of an hour to persuade the man to drop the knife. Inspector Bostock was forced to disable him with a shot in the leg.

Tho chief officer told the police that the captain had been killed, and he ordered the man to be shot down. Inspectors Bostock and Christie both fired, and the man died subsequently on his way to the hospital.