A MYSTERY OF THE SEA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13481, 4 July 1907, Page 5

A MYSTERY OF THE SEA.

* .. DISAPPEARANCE OF A- '* - PRISONER.

SEQUEL TO THE OPUAWHANGA TRAGEDY. •.

The Opiiawlinnga. tragedy ended sensationally'early yesterday morning, so far as the accused man, Mervyii Karl Braditaw,- «™ concerned, for he disappeared must, mysteriously from the steamer Aupouri whilst 4beinc escorted from Whangarci to Auckland. Bnidshaw was arrested on Monday at ■nn>'aivhaiiga .V Constable Cu-hill a ! harce of attempting to murder [lis uncle, ' Allan Edward Bissctt, by stabbing him vit'h a sheath knife, under circumstances ; Lrcadv reported. Bradshaw was 22 or 23 • v ears of age, and was a nephew of Bissett, and a member of the Whangawi County : : Council and Otonga Road Board. He was remanded from Whangarei to Auckland for Vht days'. Constable Wade took charge 7the prisoner, and left Whanparei with Jha about noon on Tuesday it. the s.s.

A V\fteii'the Whaiigaici Heads were reach- . "' '. ed the steamer ran into very heavy weather, *° d all on board had a very uncomfortable ' !• » The accused and the constable were time. *v u . hoth seasick. , In view of the subsequent sensational deV velopment, it may be interesting to mark L Movements of the accused man. About "' midnight on Tuesday he expressed a desire 7- on deck, and the constable accom,Jk bim, afterwards seeing him safely - L* in Ms berth. Later on accused made 'another request to go on deck, but the constable was- too ill to accompany him, and he a%ed a steward to do so. The steward • accordingly went, on deck with Bradshaw, and saw him safely back to his berth afterwards. .;'"'■■ , .'■•'■ .' •"• • Shortly after 6.30 yesterday morning Bradshaw got up. He was then seasick, but he said he. wanted to go on deck. Constable Wade told him "to wait a • minute" while he got up to accompany him. Bradshaw did not wait, but ran : up the stairs and out of the saloon. The : constable followed him almost immediately. The constable endeavoured to open the door of the deckhouse, where he thought Bradshaw might be, but the door , was locked. A few minutes were lost by the constable in endeavouring to get a . .'■ reply from the empty deckhouse. The other houses on deck were searched, but, finding no trace of the accused, the con- • stable gave the alarm. One "of the seamen ran aft to see if Bradshaw had gone ' overboard, but, seeing nothing, he and some other members of the crew searched the ship from end to end, without success. The Aupouri was off Rodney Point •when Bradshaw was missed. The weather .was very bad at the time. The constable and others, passengers as well as the crew, were of the opinion that Bradshaw had jumped overboard from the stern of the vessel and was instantly ' drowned, as no person could have kept afloat more than a few minutes in such a sea as was running. ; • 'The assistant cook told the constable that he saw'Bradshaw pass the galley two or three minutes before he heard of the >■■...'■ alarm. The unfortunate man appeared to be in a hurry, but the cook took no par- ;' • ticular notice at the time. Bradshaw went towards the stern and was not seen afterwards. Some idea of the rough character of the "' weather may be gathered from the fact that the journey occupied 24 hours, instead , flX.ibout 12, the^usuaLtimfi.t-Ott- the arrival ol the Aupouri at Auckland the local ft police were at once communicated with, and a further diligent search was made of A; the vessel, but without result. " .'.'.', BISSETT STILL ALIVE. . [BY TELEGRAPH:—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Whangarei, Wednesday. Alan Edward Bissett, the victim of the stabbing outrage at Opuawhanga, is still alive, though in a very precarious state. Medical opinion is to the effect that there is some faint hope of recovery if no change '<.■:' •■.\\ivc the worse takes place during the next two or three days. ',_' . ,