RUNNING AMUCK.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 9471, 21 July 1891, Page 3

RUNNING AMUCK.

A fireman of the steamer Morayshire, a Russian named Otto Kochan, was charged ,at tho Lyttelton, R; -ML- Court yesterday, before Captain R. Ticohurst aiid Jir J. .Hamilton, with creating a disturbance on board his vessel at midnight on Saturday night. Accused appeared in Court- with his face and head in bandages, for it appears that ho got tho worst of tho general. scrimmage which evidently took place. The following evidence given against the man speaks for itself: —Thomas TVhite said ho was a fireman on board the Morayshire. Accused was also a fireman, and he came on board just before midnight on Saturday and possessed himself of a large piece of bar iron, 1 and a knife, and began making a row, threatening to kill anyone who came iu hia way. He used disorderly language and. created ageneral disturbance, and said he would be the death of witness and another fireman named Fletcher. He Then mado a run at witness with tho bar, and lifted it to strike him, but ho (witness) managed to get out of the way of that blow, when accused at oaco delivered another, knocking witness dorm. Ho had given accused no provocation, and had to leave the vessel in consequence of his carrying on. To accused": Did, not ray he would kill the iGo'rmfeh when be cdaic onboard. Tri knockling .iDqddfe-.tbe-forecastle .with -, the -inqa. .-bar [accused smashed a. stove and a ,lamp. J. iFletcher, another fireman, said bo, wont on ihdard at-’ll p.m. on Saturday, aiidhwas sit‘thifv.dc'wn.unlacing hia boots; whcn;‘f& saw accused coming towards him with a large iron bar.’ Accused called him

- -—, and then mode a dash at him. Witness pur- up hia arm, and instead of the blow striking his head as it would have done it caught him on the arm and ho fell down. Accused then fell on him and assaulted him in aiaosfc brutal manucr. He .caught hold or the fleshy past of.his chest with hia teeth and almost t:ok the piece out, and had not some or the other bauds come to his assistance accused would have killed him. The marks on his face and head were inflicted by accused. Had no quarrel with him previously. John Emmcrsou and several other 'firemen and the quartermaster gave similar evidence. Accused made a rambling statement, saying ho was told that some of the men had intended to kill him. He was further: charged with wilfully breaking a stove, valued 50?, the properly c f the New Zealand Shipping Company ; r.n-.i several oi the same' witnesses explained how, in his endeavours to strike them with the

pieco of iron, ho struck the stove a heavy blow, and broke it in pieces.. Captain, Oouil, master 'of ' the Morayshire, - gave accused a very bad character, and said‘he had been the ringleader of a groat many disturbances on board. He bad also refused duty on one occasion. The Bench .said accused would be sent to gad! for ’sis; weeks for the assault, and fourteen days for wilfully damaging the stove.