THE WAIWERA MURDER CASE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12610, 18 July 1904, Page 6

THE WAIWERA MURDER CASE.

ACCUSED AT THE POLICE COURT. AN EXTRAORDINARY LETTER. [from our own correspondent.] . . London, June 10. Yesterday, at the Thames Police Court, before Mr. Cluer, the" man John Sullivan, aged 40, who gave his address as Saxelby Road, Customhouse, and was stated to be a seaman late, of the s.s. Waiwera, was placed in the dock charged with the wilful murder of the deck boy Dennis Lowthian, aged 17, whose parents reside at 3, Hawthorn Terrace, New Slnldon, Durham.. The. murder took place on the voyage from New Zealand to London while the vessel was between Monte Video and Teneriffe. Some of Lowthian's relatives, wearing deep mourning, were present in Court. The prisoner Sullivan, a sturdy, good-looking seaman, dressed in dungaree, examined the witnesses most intelligently upon every detail. Mr. Frayling prosecuted on behalf of the Treasury. He said that the prisoner had been an able eeaman on board the s.s Waiwera, and the deceased lad was one of the deck boys. They left London together on January 6, outward bound for New Zealand and it was noticed from time, to time that the deceased appeared to be upon terms of intimacy with Sullivan, who also appeared to be jealous when anyone spoke to the boy. When off the. Cape of Good Hope they seemed to be less friendly, and on March 28 Sullivan punched Lowthian in the mouth and also touched him with a knife, for which act he was sentenced to imprisonment for seven days. After that occurrence there were constant bickerings between the two and on May 3, on the return voyage, the prisoner picked up a chopper and said to a shipmate, "This will be a good, thing to do away with anyone." After the murder had been committed a chopper was missed, and it was believed that that was the instrument which the prisoner had used. It was also thought that after dealing the blow Sullivan had thrown the chopper overboard. On May 16 a similar hatchet was seen under the prisoner's mattress, and on the day following he said to the deceased lad, "Beware !" and Lowthian asked, "What have I got to beware of '(" to whioh the prisoner made answer, " Wait and see." On the evening of ■* he n*xt day, May 18, he said to the boy, 'I will break your neck. I cannot stand this much longer, and there will be a murder on this ship before morning." About nine o'clock that night, continued Mr. Frayling, the accused was seen by a man named Fisher to raise his hand and strike the boy on the head with some' instrument. The boy fell, and expired almost immediately. Prisoner then observed, " He's dead, the little . If I could got at him now I would out him to pieces." Sullivan was at once put into irons, and he called to the captain and said there was a letter in his pocket which dealt with the faots of the oase. It was addressed to a member of the crew and was of a most extraordinary character. It ran thus:—"This is my last declaration in this world, as I am about to take the life of Lowthian, and should give some reason for it. I have been better than a. father and mother to him. I washed his clothes, and waited on him as if I was a paid servant. His father wrote and told him to be honest, truthful and straightforward, but he did not possess one of those virtues. I found him to be one of the . lowest specimens of humanity I ever met, the most audacious liar 1 ever met. While he would look at you in the face with a pure, innocent face as in the viper himself. He was also a thorough, accomplished thief. I have seen him steal money from a counter in Lytteltou. He broke the church clock at his home, and told me he laughed while his father used to talk about the blackguards who did it. I washed his clothes and did everything for him. In return he called me names and gave me no peace. That is now too sole oauae for me going to commit this terrible deed, and/if I thought I should get fair play from the captain I would not do it. Lowthian has brought bad charges against me. and, as I expect to go before God, it is all false. He got me seven days in gaol for assault, and he did everything he could whioh the devil planned out for him. He will die to-night. I have not much sympathy with his father and mother for rearing such a dog, but I will say, ' May God help thorn.' I hope this will bo a warning to other boys not to try and blackmail. When I kill him directly I shall think I have sent one of the worst snakes the world has ever seen. Good-bye to this foul, dirty, wicked world. I shall cut his head off and take it overboard with me. I hurted myself internally that sometimes I can hardly breathe. The captain said I was shamming, and he vvas backod up by a half-bred simple thing who. called himself a doctor and was working his passage home." Evidence bearing out this statement was given, and th» ship's log with the record of the occurrences was put •'fo-._ . ... .. . !

("We have had news by cable that tha prisoner was found guilty, condemned to death, and executed.]