THE FATAL AFFRAY ON THE RAILWAY WHARF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9988, 27 November 1895, Page 5

THE FATAL AFFRAY ON THE RAILWAY WHARF.

, > ■- CORONER'S INQUEST. FOUR MEN ARRESTED ON A CHARGE OF MURDER. An inque9b took place yesterday afternoon at the District Hospital, before Dr. Philson, coroner, and jury (of which Mr. E. W. Simondß was chosen foreman), to inquire into the circumstances surrounding the death of Ned Mateloe, a native of Aitutaki, Hervey Group, who died ab the Hospital that morning from injuries received on the Railway Wharf during a fracas late on Saturday night, The jury having viewed the body, the following evidence was taken:—

Charles Davidson deposed that he was a seaman on. board the barque Allonby, lying at the Railway Wharf. Ho had seen the body of deceased that day, but had no previous knowledge of him. On Saturday ho loft the ship at 8 p.m., and went up town, and returned at 11.30. Was in company of a man named Tyrrell, belonging to the brigantino Defiance, alongside his vessel. They were talking for some time, and he heard a noise as of drunken people coming down the wharf ; two were white men, and the others were Kanakas. They all began to quarrel and strike each other. There was then a rush of Kanakas from the Linda Weber. Tyrrell and witness went to see what the disturbance was about. He heard somo one call out, "Look out, for they have got revolvers," On hearing this he ran away and returned to his own ship. Witness saw a man knocked down, who was not a Kanaka, but he was not present.. Ho saw one man present who was in his company. Ho was not in the row, but was insulted by the Kanakas, Witness did not Bee any revolvers in the hands of anyone, or hear any shots fired, or see any bricks thrown. There were several trucks on the wharf filled with bricks. Ho identified a man namod Roborb Evans as belonging to the Allonby. Did not remember Evans coming ashore and taking him on board, or of any other man doing so. Witness recognised Antonio as belonging to his ship, but did not romember seeing him ab the time of tho row or afterwards.

Robert Evans deposed that ho was a seaman on the barque Allonby. He identified the body of deceased, having spoken to him, but did not know his name. Last time he saw deceased alive was on Tuesday, 19th instant, on the Railway Wharf, Ho did not know how tho man came by his injuries. He heard a row on the Railway Wharf late on Saturday night, and went ashore, and separated those who were fighting. Witness l'ocognised three of those present, but they were nob fighting, Ho shoved them on board ab- once, as bricks and sticks were flying about. He recognised two Kanakas, pointed oub to him, as having been in the row. They had something in their hands, bub he could not say what, and were standing on the wharf alongside their vessel. He did not see deceased at nil thai night. Witness received a blow on the right side from a brick thrown at him, but he could not say by whom it was thrown. He saw Tyrrell fighting among the others.

John Simmons deposed that he was a eaman, belonging to tho barquo Natal Queen, lying at the Queen-street Wharf. He was unablo to identify the body in the morgue, as he had only seen Med once while living. Witness was in an hotel about eleven o'clock, and could not remember anything after leaving it. Was told he was picked up down Queen-street by Scotty Brayle. He knew nothing of the row, bub ib was possible that he was thoro.

Antonio Santos, who is a native of Brazil, on being asked to give evidonce, declined to do so, or, apparently did not understand English sufficiently to understand the question put to him. Mylius Simave deposed that he was a seaman on board the Allonby, and a nativo of the Mauritius. He did not know deceased. Was up the town on Saturday night, and returned to his ship near midnight. Was in company with Antonio, and was drunk, while Antonio was also in liquor. Ho saw no man on the wharf when ho went on board.

Emanuel, a Kanaka, deposed that ho was a seaman belonging to tho Linda Weber, and deceased also belonged to her. Witness was nob on shore on Saturday night, He beard late ab night) docoased on the wharf sing out his (witness's) name. On getting on deck be found Ned had come on board, Someone on th# wharf threw a brick at Ned, and hit him on the head. Witness got on the wharf, and saw a man running away. Did not know the man's name, but ho was a white man. There wero others also ; five or six, and they ran behind the shod on the wharf, but he did not know them. He was afraid to go after them. Thore were three bricks found on the deck of the vessol, bub be did not see any othor sticks or stones that night. Captain Robert Owens, of the Linda Weber, gave evidence as to leaving the ship at noon on Saturday, and on his return oil Monday forenoon, being informed fchab deceased was injured on Saturday night, He ab once took steps to get medical aid, and had deceased removed to the Hospital, accompanying him thore in a cab. Daceased was quieb as a rule, but got drunk occasionally. He was not able to give any account of how he was injured. The mate and witness both went ashore, and the vessel was loft in charge of the crow. Dr. Marsack, who was called in to see dooeased before Irj was senb to the Hospital, deposed iiiab deceased was in a semi-unconscious condition, apparently suffering from compression of the brain. There was a lacerated scalp wound over the frontal bono to tho right of the middle line. It was a transverse wound one and a-half inches long by a quarter of an inch broad. Ho found pieces of brick and hair drivon into tho wound (pioces produced), and wedged thero to a depth of one and a-half inches. Such a wound would be inflicted by a very violent blow or by a brick. There was depressed fracture of the skull. The wound was dressed temporarily and the patient sent to the Hospital, Dr. Pabsb, house surgeon, doposed to the patient being treated ab the Hospital. There. was a consultation of the honorary medical staff, and deceased was put undor chloroform, and the pieces of bone removed which were pressing upon tho brain. The brain was greatly lacerated, and death was the resulb of the injuries to ib by a violenb blow, such as would bo caused by a stick or a brick. Deceased died about nine hours after admission. There was little or no hope for him from the outiot. The post mortem showed that apart from the injury to the brain, deceased was healthy. Constable Oliphanb (Water Police) deposed that the first information given to the police of the affair was on Monday afternoon ab two o'clock, and he went on board the Linda Weber and saw the deceased, who was being removed to tho Hospital. There was greab difficulty in getting any information as to how deceased came to be injured. Robert Evans was recalled, and gave further evidence, to clear up some points. Carl Johnson, mate of the Linda Weber, deposed that he left the Linda Wobor 011 Saturday afternoon, and did not return till half-past seven on Monday morning. When he caliod the crew to turn to, deceased did nob appear. On his asking tho reason why, Ihe was told the man was ill, In half an hour ho wenb down to see about ib, and found deceased lying with his head bandaged, ahd half unconscious. Ho saw that deceased was dangerously ill, and went to Mr. Hall, chemist, for some salve and afterwards for medical aid. The crew did not tell him how the man was injured when he called him on deok, but simply said he was sick.

At this stage, Inspector Hickson applied for an adjournment for a week, to enable him to produce further evidence. The Coroner (Dr. Philson) ' accordingly adjourned the enquiry till Tuesday next, at 10 a.m., at the Central Hotel (for the convenience of the jurymen), and they were bound over in a penalty of £10 each to appear on that date. The Court then adjourned. At seven o'clock last evening Chief DetectivoGrace, accompanied by Acting-Detective McMahon and Constable Oliphant, arrested Charles Davidson, John Simmons, Antonio Santos, and Myluis Siraave, seamen, on a charge of the murder of Ned Mntoloe, of the brigantino Linda Weber.