STABBING AFFRAY ON BOARD THE S.S. MAMARI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10414, 12 April 1897, Page 5

STABBING AFFRAY ON BOARD THE S.S. MAMARI.

On Saturday, shortly before midnight, an affray arose between two men of the crow of the s.s. Mamari, lying at the Queen street Wharf, alleged to be over some old grievance between the two men, in which a man named John Morton, a lamp trimmer, was stabbed in the face with a sheath knife by Robert Weddall, A.B. The quarrel arose on deck, and Morton got knocked down by Weddall, who eudeavoured to kick him, but was prevented by a fh'eman named AJcAlcor, who separated the combatants. Weddall then went to the foreCastle, and when Morton got up he followed him. The two men met at the entrance, and Weddall, who had got possession of a sheath knife, struck Morton in the face with it, gashing his cheek from the corner of the mouth to the windpipo, the wound being about four inches long and two inches deep. Weddall went back into the forecastle. McAleer succeeded in disarming Weddall, bub gob his hand cut in the souffle.

Constable Mollvenoy was eentfor, and he entered the foreoaadd and handcuffed Weddall and took him him to the Highstreet Police station, where lie was charged with assaulting Morton with iiitonD to do him grievous bodily harm. Li tho meantime Dr, Hooper had boen sent for, and on arrival stitched up tho wounds of Morton, He deemed it better that the man ehould not be moved from the ship, though t.horo is no immediate danger. As the vessel will not sail for a day or two it will by that time be seen whether he should go to the Hospital or otherwise. Ac present Morton ia unable to speak or give any account of the fracas. Weddall says chat ho acted in self-defence only.