Nelson.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume XIX, Issue 1954, 23 April 1864, Page 4

Nelson.

STABBING AT NELSON. (From the Nelson Colonist.} ..... A serious and fetal case of etabb’ng occurred in Nelson on the I2th. The victim was a sailor on board .the mad steamer Auckland, named William Burkitt, aged Ste,. and belonging, we believe to Sydney, but a native of Ireland. It appears that a dispute, originating on board the steamer some eight or ten days ago, had taken place between the two men, and caused a feeling o r ill will. On shore last evening, about eight o’clock, the two men came to high words again, and so far as we can. learn, blows were exchanged, or the deceased man struck at the cook, who retaliated by drawing a butcher’s knife, which he wore in a sheath, and stabbing Burkitt in the abdomen. The man fell at once and was conveyed into a hnu e on the Haven-road, and thence to the bospit-1. He was attended by Drs. Cusack.and Tlmbin, who found on examination a ,wound on the lower part cf the abdomen, and., towards ..the right side. - The wound was between,.two and three inches long, and from it. was depending between fully two feet of the unfortunate man’s intestines. ~ , . Little or no hope cf his recoverv was entertained by the medical men after thev . had examined and dressed his wound. , Daring the five hours he survived his stomach , refused ■ to retain opiates and restoratives ; he was frequently seized with violent retchings, -believed to have caused internal hemorrhage to bleed afresh. He v suffered several severe, paroxysms of pain. He never rallied, but gradually sunk and died at two o’clock this morning, about six hours after be had been u y

.The principal witness at the inquest held on the body was Hem y Pearce, who sa,id f . , I last, saw deceased in, health, about halfepas’ seven last night. ; He arid 1 were walking together,. I havjng met .him wjiile we yvere both out. We went together about. yards from the place -up towards the town. . As weu.were going to the ship- met the prisoner ard the chief cook beside the liriie.kiln,-and just-beside the w.hart' (Drewitt’s New Wharf.) deceased stopped Frank.,the prisoner, and, said to him "I have a few w-rds to say to you.” Prisoner said “I want notbing to do ,with you,‘\and, he shoved deceased from him at the time. D - ceased .then said, “I want to settle that, little growl we had on board the ship.’’; They had a few words some days before. Deceased then went up to. prisoner a second . time, .and the prisoner then stepped back and then struck him in tlie. belly.. Deceased did not . strike prisoner., . There were no blows.-.exchanged or given, except the shove. 1,1 did not know whether.he intended to strike,,-but no blpws were struck, , After, prisoner had stepped back, he: immediately ran up,to him, an<| struck him in belly : I saw .this very, distinctly- . Prisoner did not say a word at the.time, he struck him. Deceased did not fall at the moment, but he immediately cried out, Oh 1 the knife ! I rap forward, when I saw him staggering like a.drunken man and saved hiyn from .falling. ■ When, he called out, I said to prisoner, .“Youlve .stabbed the man.” ..Two other persons cameup, .and one of them said,, “If he Jigs stabbed.the man don’t let him escape.”,- There was tno blow struck be ween the parties,,, except that .whjch inflicted the stab.. I laid deceased down on the road, because-he.said he was\ not fit to walk. He .said his “guts were, hanging iout.” I endeavoured to push them in again,-1 met another fireman, _and we carried deceased into u store on the Havetj-road. ~ i. ,

.After some more; evidence, had been .heard including. that of Dm Cusack, wfip depo-ed as to the fearful wound the knife had made in deceased’s abdomen, , , ~, • . ! The Coront r.snid .there w?s no further ,evitjence necessary the jury to come to a conclusion,. The question resolved itself int,q one of murder It vgis plain p,n the evidence >hat the fat,al .blow ,wca struck under.such circumstances.as could not, in his Qpiniqn, .reduce it Jo the. lesser change. There was no blow struck,,except the fa a 1 bb w by the prjspner, and there was no justification for such,an,act, nor any,.provocation. c , ..The jury then . gave,, a verdict of • Wilful ' M urder”, against the prisoner, and aojo.qrpecl until five to allow time for the coronei drawing U[i the fornuTinqitlsition.