New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-06-06
NEWS OF zHK CIT z.
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT.

Trial. FOR MURDER ON THE HIGH SEAs,--Rob
ert Hill, a mulatto man and q native Of Mar
Unique, Was placed on trial before this court,
yesterday, for the murder of George Drinkwa-
ter, native of the State of Maine, on the 10Th
of April last, on board the ship Moses Taylor,
while that vessel was on her passage from Havre
to this port Drinkwater was mate of the ship,
and accused was employed as an ordinary sea-
man,
e. W. Noise, q. 8. District Attorney, con-
Quoted the prosecution, and the Court assigned
to Thos. j Durant, ESQ, the task of defending
the prisoner.
Mr. All Don, q Chinaman with his long black
tails wound neatly about his head, was called
up, and his peculiar form of oath--which con-
sisted in first solemnly promising to tell the
truth and then, in pledge thereof smashing an
earthern vessel upon the foor-Was administered,
The following is the substance of his testimony
Was employed as steward on board ship Moses Tay
Tor the passage from Havre to this port On the 10th
of April prisoner the cabin and inquired of the
witness for the ships pump Witness replied that the
puup was not in the cabin but in the galley, Prisoner
became enraged and talked very loud insisting upon being
shown the pump The mate, Mr. Drinkwater, came int
the cabin and asked what the matter and, being
he ordered prisoner out of the cabin prisoner
fused 60 the mate took hold of him to push him
/
mate struck him in return; prisoner then drew knife
stabbed the mate in the left side of the breast the
then attempted to away but the prisoner seized
him, and witness saw him strike, or make motion to
strike a second time. The mate cried out, Bob has
killed me-" and died in about tive minutes afterwards
Cross e1umied.-Was outside the cabin but saw the
whole Shipped board the vessel at avre
did not know any person on board previously
IA great many questions were asked this wit
ness in regard to time and the relative positions
of parties, which he did not appear to compre-
bend, and his answers were, generally, unintel-
lgblel
Capt French sworn.-Am master of the American ship
Moses Taylor; left Hayre the 10th of Aprli when
about four hours out at about O'clock IN the evening
distress moment after, witness entered the cabin and
found MIR. Drnkwater on the floor enchanting Bah has
killed me ~ Witness asked him who had killed him. and
he repeated Bob Witness asked him how he had beer
hurt but the mate too weak to reply and died ine
dately Afterwards called prisoner up and asked him
why he had killed the mate and he replied that he could
not help it. that the mate had struck him asked him fol
his knife and he replied that he had thrown it overheard
The course of the ship then altered for England
reaching plymouth witness had Hill put in irons Th,
body of the mate was taken ashore and Inferred after
Coroner inquest had been held upon it two wounds
founaone deep and mortal in the left breast and
slight one in the right breast.
Observation-Disclosures had acted carpenter OF
board the vessel previous voyage kept his tool
chest part Of the time in the cabin but had bust
ness there except for his tools the pump belongs in h
galley does not know whether the galley locked
did not examine accused immediately after the murde
to see whether he had marks of blows because it wa
dark examined him next morning and found no markg
it was not the habit of the mate GO armed oheceC
toll knows he was not armed at that particular time.
=, Question by Jurors it customary for seamen t.
carry knives
Answer-Yes I'M almost universal custom. but not s.
much so formerly there was clause in the ship
articles prohibiting does not know whether said arcl
had been specially communicated to the does
know whether the pump, bersngng to the water
was in the proper place (the galley that night.
Mcleod fseaInan) sworn.SWas told to go to the whec
at o'clock afterwards asked the mate for permission
90 into orocaste for shirt and while there heard
sound in front the first cabin as OF persons struggling
shortly after heard one cry out " Oh, my God
Immediately after met accused and asked him what wa
the matter he replied I've cut the mate three or fou
times and now they may kill me ~ did not the mat
from the of leaving him. near the Wheel until aftf
u his death
the Moses TAYLOR the mate pursue the prisoner
catch hold Of him mate threw the prisoner waite
cask the mate then fled, and the prisoner pursued IN
caught him witness then saw prisoner strike the mat
but did what weapon he had saw no struo
. at the time mate pursuing the prisoner tt
mate after being struck, ran upon deck and stoope
down at the same time crying out.
8 The prisoner was rereating torwnr
when pursued by the mate saw them scuiie against II
watpr-rasks but saw blows near them and sa
the whole affair during the scutie the parties
IS dIsepraCed heard cries ordinations until after Il
s the mate was stabbed the mate tall man saw
wound the prisoner next days was not there when II
- quarrel commenced thought the mate endeaVorir
70 to escape from prisoner at the time ha saw them.
y Here the testimony for the prosecution VS.
: concluded.
:, Eugene Nipper (French,) for the defence swornW
on board the Moses Taylor as passenger in the secon
cabin was in bed in the at the time of IL
occurrence the door of the cabin OPEN and Etne
e heard seufe in the frstcabin; the mate takir
very loud but did mot hear prisoner say any thing 50