CHARGE OF MURDER ON THE HIGH SEAS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 167, 22 July 1946, Page 8

CHARGE OF MURDER ON THE HIGH SEAS

STAB WITH KNIFE FOLLOWS I SEAMEN’S DRINKING BOUT (P.A.4- Auckland, July 19. At a special sitting of the Police I Court a member of the crew of the i motor-vessel Sussex, James Watson, ■ a seaman, aged 46, appeared before Mr. Luxford, S.M.. charged that on 1 or about July 9, when on the high' seas between Balboa. Panama Canal, and Auckland, he did murder Peter King. Evidence was led l>y the Crown Prosecutor, Mr. V. R. Meredith, and accused was represented by Mr. Henry and Mr. Aekins. Mr. Haymer appeared for the New Zealand Shipping Company. William John McCarten, donkeyman, said that on July 9 he and a man named Rutherford were with King in witness' cabin. Before tea they consumed two bottles of beer. After tea they went back to the cabin and Watson joined them. He had a glass in his hand which, he said, contained rum and beer. King chaffed accused for drinking his own rum, and accused said he would bring in his ruhi if King would do the same The two men went out and later returned with their rum, which was consumed. Witness described the drinking> which took place during the evening until shortly after midnight, when | Watson came into the cabin and i called witness, King and Murray a■ name. Murray took exception and asked Watson if that was meant for him as well. Watson said it was, after which Murray knocked accused to the floor. Witness said lie took accused along to a bathroom and left him there on the floor. He went out on to the deck where King and Mur- | ray were, and shortly afterwards King went inside. the neat thing witness knew was that King stag- i gored out on to the deck holding his ' left side. Watson was following iiiia ■ and it could be seen that blood was ' oozing from between inc injured I man’s lingers. Watson had a knife in his hand, and witness ran and knocked him down. He sat on top of him and struck him twice. Accused became unconscious and he was handcuffed. Corroborative evidence was given by another donkeyman - greaser, Henry Murray. Another number of the crew, William Rutherford, said he saw Watson being held on the deck. Accused still had the knife which witness recognised as his own. Witness had left lit in his locker, but accused knew it was kept there. "Watson jumped up," said witness. , "He pushed wing against a bunk into ! a sitting position with his back , ■ * n.mhead. He went to 1 the locker and drew the knife, took 1 if from its .'.heath and rushed to the • bunk. Ho lifted his arms and thrust . the knife into King's side" Struthers Robert Wallis, supermini- , ary chief officer, said he saw King 1

lying on a hatch. He had a large wound under his left arm which appeared to be very deep. Witness bandaged it and felt his pulse, which was very weak. He was removed to a cabin in the officers' accommodation but his heart-beat and pulse were weakening rapidly. At. approximately 1.30 a.m. the master pronounced him dead. The master of the Sussex, Captain Albert Edmond Taylor, said that wheu he saw King shortly after the tragedy he appeared to be almost dead. Watson was slumped in a seat apparently in a stupor and he was handcuffed. Witness said Rutherford slapped accused’s face and was asking him why he took the knife. Watson revived and said something about having been called a name. When told of King’s condition he said he was sorry. Accused was placed under arrest. “King was an old servant of the company." said Captain Taylor. “His home was in Liverpool and his wife and five children live there. Watson was born in Glasgow." Accused pleaded not guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court, for trial.