HORRIBLE MURDER AT SEA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7002, 26 April 1884, Page 2 (Supplement)

HORRIBLE MURDER AT SEA.

An adjourned inquest was held at Hull recently touching the death of Joseph Rowbottom, a youth 16 years of age, who was cook on board the smack Sterling. The skipper of the vessel, Joseph Nicholene, and the third hand, Thomaß Hardisty, were charged at the Eolice'-court with the wilful murder of Rowottoin and remanded. Fresh evidence was given by Daniel Dyall, who, in the course of his statement to the police, said : —One after- ] noon I saw the skipper and deceased in the cabin. The deceased was lying on the floor, and was calling out, "Oh, skipper, skipper, have mercy on me," and I_saw the skipper kick the deceased in the back about the loins with his sea boots. I went below about seven o'olook, got my supper, and turned in. The skipper, the deceased, and Jones were there. After I had been asleep a few hours I was awoke by feeling the splash of water on me, and upon looking out of my bunk I saw the deceased lying on the floor, and the third hand throw three buckets of water over him. The third hand said, " Now, then, get up, or I'll give you two or three more." Each time a bucket of water was thrown on him the deceased called out, " Oh, oh." The skipper was rubbing deceased's hands, and trying to bring him round again. They then lifted the deceased up, and carried him to the fire. After he had lain in this state —he appeared to be unconscious—for abour half-an-hour, he got up. The skipper then said to the deceased, " You have been shamming. I'll soon show you," and he then got the piece of rope with the- bucket at the end of it and commenced to thrash the deceased, which caused the lad to cry out in pain, " Oh, skipper, skipper, don't!" I heard the skipper say to the third hand, " Take him on deck and keep him there till 12 o'elcok to-night," The third hand then said to the deoeased, "Go on with yoa ; get up on deck." The boy then went on deck, followed by the third hand. He had no right to be on deck after seven o'clock in the evening. He was frequently ordered on, deck at night, and was called early on the following morning. In rfact he had very little sleep, and was gradually worn out. Deceased was beaten every day nearly up to the time of his death. I saw the third hand beat him on one occasion with a thick rope, fully two inches thick. On Saturday, 16th ult., between 10 and 11 in the morning, I was at the tiller, when I heard a scuffle below in the cabin, and I saw the third hand pushing the deceased, who was cryiDg, up the companion ladder. The third hand called out to me to "Catch hold of him, Deckey." 1 put down my hand and took hold of deceased, and made the pretence of pulling him up. The third hand pushed the deceased oh deck, and, when he got on deak himself, he caught hold of the deceased (who was crying) in his arms, and laid him across the sole tub, face upwards, and, addressing him, ho said, "Now say your prayers ; you have only five minutes to live." The deceased then commenced to repeat his prayers as well as he could, still sobbing, and after the deceased said a few words the third hand said, " Are you done?" The deceased said, "Oh yes, I'm done." The third hand then seized hold of the deceased, took him in his arms, and carried him forward of the mizzen rigging, and held him over the side until thedeceasod's feet touched the water. The deoeased called out then whilst being held in that position, " Oh, God, have mercy upon me !" The third hand then lifted him on deck again, and brought him to. the companion ladder, and pointed to the cabin. The boy itftpn went down, followed by the third ;hand.. On the following morning (Sunday), about nine o'clock I was at'the tiller, when I saw : deceased come on deck. The third-hand came after him, and handed him a ship biscuit and a half, and said to him, "Here, take these, and go forward and eat them ; that's your breakfast, you b ." The deceased then commenced to devour the biscuits ravenously, and the third hand went below. The deceased had had nothing to eat for two days before this. He had frequently complained of feeling hungry, and 1 observed towards the last that.he was gradually getting weaker and weaker. The lad appeared to me to be dazed, and he looked very ill. About nine o'clock on the day ho died I heard loud voices in the cabin, and, looking down the companion, I saw the third hand rush across the cabin. He had hold of the deceased by the guernsey he was wearing, and I.Baw him bash his head three or four times against the side of the cabin. They were very heavy, loud knocks, and it sounded all over the vessel. About half-past seven the second-hand came oh deck and shouted out, " Where is the lad ?" I went to the hatch of the forehold, bent over it, and called out "Joe" four times, but got no answer. I then procured a lamp, and on looking down, saw the deceased lying in the hold between some casks dead. The jury returned a verdict of " Wilful murder" against Nicholene and Hardisty.