FRACAS ON STEAMER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20060, 29 March 1927, Page 13

FRACAS ON STEAMER.

A SEAMAN STABBED. ACCUSED ACQUITTED. (Special to Daily Times.) CHRISTCHURCH, March 28. There being no evidence to justify his committal for trial on a charge of stabbing Tabit Saleh, a native fireman on the steamer Sheaf Alount, John Howard, a Malay was to-day set free. Howard came before Mr E. D. Alosley, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court and wae charged with assaulting Saleh at Lyttelton on March 24 so as to cause him actual bodily harm. Air J. B. Batchelor appeared for accused and pleaded not guilty. Chief Detective Lewis prosecuted. According to the medical evidence Tabit Saleh was admitted to the hospital suffering from a stab wound in the mid-line of his neck, going right through both walls of the windpipe. It was a very dangerous injury and tho man might either recover completely or develop complications due to sepsis. The wound could have been seliinflicted. The Chief Detective; Could it be conaistent with a statement that in a struggle Saleh attempted to use a knife and had it pushed back upon himself? Dr Cotton (house surgeon): Yes, it could have been caused in that way. Walter Thomson, second officer of the Sheaf Mount, said that the crow was British with coloured firemen. Howard came aboard with a bottle of beer and appeared to engage in a quarrel with Salon. They grabbed each other by the chceka. but before witness could get to them they separated and made their way for’ard still quarrelling. There was no show of knives, but both were slightly under the influence of drink. Witness saw nothing further of them until ho was called for’ard and saw that Saleh had boon injured. Howard had a cut on his fare. Witness believed that Saleh had previously drawn a knife on the fourth engineer. The chief cook of the ship, James Coates, said he hoard tho men quarrelling and saw them clinch. Saleh drew a knife but did not use it. Howard wanted to fight with bare hands, but afterwards witness saw that ho had a small pocket knife. Thev scuffled around and then separating went to their own quarters. At about b p.m. he saw Saleh lying outside the foc’sle head. He had been stabbed and was bleeding from tho throat. Constable APKenzie, of said that he found Howard standing with a group of native firemen on tho foc’sle near the entrance to tho firemen’s quarters. Saleh, covered with a blanket, lay on the deck, bleeding profusely from a wound in tho throat, and was semi-conscious. Howard said: “I no stab him. Ho slab himself.” Witness arrested Howard and searched him, but found no knife. Howard again said : Ho stab himself. I no run away. I would bo gone long time if I was going to do 90, In a statement Howard said that when he returned aboard he was mot by Saleh, who struck him on the faco and drew a knife. They got Saleh to go forward and Howard followed. He was undressing when Saleh came at him with an open knife, and in the scuffle that ensued Saleh was injured with his own knife. The next witness,was Mustapha Ahmed, who said that he was a Mohammedan. There was consequently some difficulty ns to how ho should be sworn. The Magistrate said that he had better bo sworn on the Koran, but the clerk was unable to find a copy. “I believe in every book that belongs to God,” said Ahmed, but this wag scarcely sufficient, and there was somo delay while the court considered what should bo done. Finally a messenger was despatched to borrow a copy of tho Koran from the, public library, and Ahmed was presently sworn on tho book of the prophet. In halting English Ahmed said that. Saleh hit Howard and then threw a bucket ol water at him. The two men grappled and Ahmed called for help. Tho Chief Detective explained that this concluded the evidence which the police wore able to offer, the injured man being still in hospital. The Magistrate said that be could see no evidence against Howard. Tho police had been particularly fair in presenting tho case. He could find no evidence to justify Howard’s committal for trial, and ho would therefore be . discharged.