ASSAULT ON THE HIGH SEAS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LIX, Issue 6872, 9 March 1883, Page 5

ASSAULT ON THE HIGH SEAS.

[B* Tbmobavh.J [VBOU OUV OWK COKBEBPOKDBHT.] WELLINGTON, Maboh 8. A curious case of alleged assault on the high seas engaged the attention of the Resident Magistrate 5 * Court to-day, when Frederick Holmes, chief officer of the ship Montrose, woe charged with having unlawfully assaulted Alexander Matson, a seaman on board the same ship on Jan. 22. The evidence of the complainant was to the effect that on the day in question the chief officer placed a piece of board on hie back with the word *' liar ” written thereon. After he had gone on working for some time, one of the passengers gave him a knife, with which be out the rope, and he threw the board overboard. The defendant came alongside end asked him who had thrown the board overboard. Witness told him, and the mate then struck him in the face three times. Holmes got bold of another board, and placing it on witness’ back, said he would break hie back if he took it off without permission. Ho could not say what the weight of the board was, but thought it wae about 4lbs or 61b#. The day below the assault took place, he did not tell anyone on board that ho had seen one of the female paesengers coming up from the saloon. One of the male passenger# complained that he had uttered words to that effect, and witness was brought up before the captain charged with making suoh an Walker Redmond, gurgooti of the »hip, do* posed j Tim board was so heavy that the man’s neck became discoloured, and he advised the captain to take it off. The captain declined to do so, and ordered wltnese to return to hie quarters. One of the passengers was very exelted because he had hoard that one of the officers bad been rather intimate •irh a ladv passenger whom he intended to was witness’opinion that he had engaged the prosecutor to watch the ooaplei benoe the captain’s wrath. Frederick Sutter, a steerage passenger, deposed to witnessing the assault. The blows in hie opinion were pretty severe. Mr Tippett, i one of the passengers, was" sweet on one of the lady passengers, and there wae some talk about theirgoing down into the saloon. This closed the case for the prosecution. Th* eooaiod depoiod thftt about 8 o'clock M! the afternoon of Jan. 22 the mao wae snriiy from hie work, and witness went over to him and asked him into one of the lookers. He emphatically denied that he struck the “Sntoin BiUett admitted that be had oasMMl a board to he placed on Matson's backwith the word " liar” marked thereon. Be also admitted (hat on one osoosion he had 1 •sas^aasasws

ship. That was hi* way of maintaining order on ward hi* veswl. He *»» complainant put his arm up to ward off * blow, but did not observe the mate strike him. J. Moffett, a passenger, gave evidence that Captain Billott and Mr Holmes were the most gentlemanly officer# he had travelled with during the paet nineteen yean, and that as far ae he could see no assault had been committed. ..... His Worship did not think there was a preponderance of evidence sufficient to convict, and dismissed the information.