The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-03-15 00:00:00

THE ALLEGED MURDER ON THE
HIGH SEAS.

In London, on Tuesday, at the Thames Police-court,
Domingo Velasquez, captain of the Alice Holden,
lying in the West India Dock, was charged on remand
before Mr. Saunders, with carrying on a system of
cruelty to Louis Bonaparte, a cook on board, during a
voyage from Surinam to London, and finally causing his
death by throwing him overboard into the sea. It
was stated by Richard Wildey, a plain clothes in-
spector of the H division, who had charge of the
ease, that since the prisoner had been under remand a
lad named Coker, who had been engaged on the Alice
Holden during her voyage from Surinam to London,
and was the only witness to speak to the fact of seeing
the prisoner seize hold of the cook by his feet and throw
him overboard into the sea, had died, and an inquest
will be held on his body. The last time Coker appeared
in court he seemed to be in good healthand spirits, and
apparently had nothing whatever the matter with him.
The lad died in the London Hospital, not having re-
covered consciousness after he was admitted. The
doctors are said to be still of opinion that his death is
due to poison, all the symptoms pointing to that
, conclusion. It is now stated that he was found
insensible in his berth in the Sailors' Home,
and not in the street, as first reported. Charles
Coulson, an able seaman on board the Alice Holden,
was called, and he stated that on one occasion he
saw the cook bleeding from the face from the effects
of a blow delivered by the prisoner. After leaving
Tobago he saw the prisoner beating the cook with.
bamboo sticks every day between that time and,
Christmas Day. At seven o'clock on Christmas morn—
ing witness went to the galley to fetch his coffee, when
he saw the prisoner beating the cook with a stick, and
heard him say "I will kill you before much longer."
The cook afterwards went on to the bowsprit, ap-
parently to commit suicide, when he was dragged back
by order of the captain and fastened to the rigging by
witness and the mate. The prisoner then took a rope's
end and thrashed him with it. On the day the cook
was supposed to have fallen overboard, witness was at
the wheel when the cook came to the pantry for
some water, and the prisoner asked him where
the cork of the bottle was. While the cook was
stooping to look for it the prisoner kicked
him in the face, back, and shoulders with his
heavy sea boots, and he continued his ill-usage for
three or four minutes. The cook went to the pantry,
followed by the prisoner, who seized hold of him by
the hair of his head, and said, "This is the way you
waste my stores." At that time they were wearing
the ship rnnd, and the prisoner took the wheel from
witness, who went to the main-brace on the starboard
side. He then saw the cook coming aft on the
port side, and shortly afterwards heard a screaming
aft. Witness took the wheel, and in about twenty
minutes he saw the prisoner go to the lazaretto
and call out, but got no answer. The prisoner asked
him if he had seen the cook, and he replied he had
while wearing the ship round. Between one and two
o'clock in the afternoon the prisoner came to witness
and said "Come and sign this statement;": but it
was put off until four o'clock, He then saw the
captain had made an entry in the official log-boek,
and read it over to him and asked him to sign it.
Witness said "I don't want to sign it," and the pri-
soner then said, "Do you want to get me into
trouble when I get to London. Do you want to knock
some nails into my coffin? I have more trouble with
you than all the other hands in the ship." Seeing all
the other hail& had signed the log to the effect that
the cook had fallen overboard, he signed it.—Several
other witnesses were called, and the prisoner wa%
committed for trial, _