STARTLING EXPERIENCE ON BOARD A STEAMER.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXIV, Issue 9, 11 January 1890, Page 3

STARTLING EXPERIENCE ON BOARD A STEAMER.

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Ihe -Post Of Thursday says :— An expeiience, calculated to W-.ve a deoidedly ui> - pleasant impression upon the m^nsory of* those undergoing it, occurred to Bovsr 1 saloon passengers of tbo s.e. Grafton, which arrived in port this morning from Gtt,-.-moatb, Westport, and Nelson. A full comY pleineut of passengers being onboard, som' half-dozen or more gentlemen, moat of whom had taken the Bteamer at Nelson last night, occupied tbe social ball as a bleeping apartment, turning in on tbe lounge . Nothing occurred to disturb their slumbers until about 3 o'clock this morning, when one of the numher was awakened by .someone touching him, and on opening his eyes was astonished to find another pair of gleaming, orbits peering into his, which in the dim light of the room he saw belonged -- ybo a person of somewhat small stature. In a calm and decisive tone the visitor informed his somewhat sleepy but surprised fellow passenger that he was " Jack the Ripper, ; ' and that there was another murderer asleep in the apartment. Such a piece of intelligence might be calculated to widely awaken any person, as it did in the present instance. The communicative stranger went on to deliver an assurance that the passenger would not be harmed providing he kept quiet and did not move. •• If you move, " was the startling addition, " I'll smash your brains out. " The passenger thought it advisable under the ciroumstances to " iie low, " scaroely knowing what to make ot his visitor's singular behaviour. He had then the satisfaction oi seeing some of tbe other occupants of the cabin awakened ic the same melo-dramatio fashion, and similar information and caution administered. Having done this, the man took off his coat and vest and paced the apartment in an '■ excited manner, muttering to himself be* ; tween the puffs he made at an unlighted oigarette. The slightest motion made by any of the recumbent passengers at onoe attracted his attention, and he repeated to several his threat to knock out their brains. Frequently ' ha went out of the cabin, but was observed to look cautiously round tbe door to see that no one moved in his direction, a motion some were inclined to make, but coneidered i v - desirable under the circumstances not^to stir. After a somewhat longer absence than usual tbe man oame into the saloon again with a stiok, and beoause one of the passengers balf asleep happen d to turn uneasily he was. pounced upon by tbe apparent lunatio, for suoh was the con- j elusion the occupants had come to, and the j stick held threateningly above his head. The opportunity long waited for by one of ttie passengers then offered itself — '.be man's attention was diverted — and springing from his oonoh he seized tbe intruder by tbe neck; but hie hold was imeonre, and tbe man slipped away and rolled underneath the table. Getiing upon hia feet, he in return rushed headlong at the passenger, wbo was then oblig<d to strike hie would-be assailant a violent blow, knocking him down. A general melee then followed, in which the whole of the occupants of the saloon took part, and eventually the man was secured. The captain and officers were afterwards informed of the adventure, and the prisoner, who had beoome terribly violent, was placed under lock and key tn the smoking saloon. On arrival of the Grafton in port Dr. Collins was asked to examine the man, wbo is still on board the steamer, pending a reply to a communication which has been sent to his friends asking what Bteps shall be taken concerning his unfortunate condition,

Mr Alexander M'Millan, the manager of a gold mine near Ararat, lost his life in a terrible way. He was engaged with three other men in putting a syphon in the bobpit, whenby some means the engine started, and before Mr M*Millan could withdraw his head from under the beam of the bob his head was oompletely severed from his body.