New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-05-03
THE MURDER AT SEA

The circumstances attending the murder on
hoard the British bark Morning Light on April 20, when
nj sea- were revealed before Commissioner OsDorn INC
vessel left Buenos Ayres the 9th OF March, and hau
very pleasant voyage till the 22d OF April On that day
Edward Bervins and Thomas III. johnson were on Tue
topmast about in the Afternoon Both men were en-
"a ced in scraping the topmast, Bervns being little
above the other He had his shoes off, and called out 10
Johnson below to exchange places WIN hfh'
"a that which tho latter had was easier
for person in his bare rect Johnsoh
either did not heed him refused to change paceS'
Whereupon Bervins called johnson" "a farmer John-
son felt ncted at this epithet and made answer II
Won don't shut up I'll cut you Bervns continued 10
tvit and to tease and Johnson put his threat into exec
tion by making q lounge at him with his knife Inc
weapon struck in the abdomen and made q Iearl, ,
wonpd Beryns dropped his knife, which fell on deck,
and Johnsons knife fell Immediately after It, Johnson
caught Beryins in his The rest OF the crew were
beow and their attention first attracted by the fail
ing Of the knives Then they heard two or three hes
groans from above one of their number went up ana
found the man stabbed. BY of ropes he was 2w
cred down and wound examined large mass OF lat
protruded; the seamen tried to stun TINS at pGa agi
into the wound, but it would not stay there wht was
very singular there did not come drop Oh p9o nol
this wound; OF the men, however sad lint gre't
quantities Of blood issued from the mouth nc ai, AZ
n m next day, "a hours after the wounding 10 fiehry
baker aud james Maddox, fellow sailors, he made an
antcmOrem statement, c0lnhchcihg' ac'VIo on6o.E
their narrative, by saying that he t!etetseu!
was az much to blame a. the prisoner Ine dGSSa ,
was buried i'm the sea- and johnson was arrested ny tc
Harbor Police tine arrival OF the vessel at tns port on
Sunday The prisoner, Johnson - iitl'coi ho,n.'',
% veafs of age and the Of physician HIS parets
are still living there. He Is not married. nc "cuI Oh
hoard the bark Morning Light, at Buenos Ayres, on the
very day Beryius, but there Wls no previous
acnnaintance between them Bcryns his fellow sailor,
was native of Ost RauderveD, Hanover, ana % years
OF age He requested the Captain TO write WORD 10 me-
folks at place mentioned winch the Captain PROMISED
To do His comrades add that Beryns was engaged 10
he married in short time. The preliminary tXanni-
the taken yesterday by the ohtcd states
authorities. -, n. oro
present Mr. Purdy Assistant cttt"rney apperoo
in the ease, and moved Commissioner Osborn 10 Issue
his warrant and transfer the prisoner aud Witnesses 10
the custody of the L. $. Marshal until the Brtsh ,oh
sui Mr. Archibald. could be informed. The Commissioner
committed the prisoner for "a hours ana directed the
British Consul 10 he communicated with. III no response
should be received in the "a hours he should discharge
the prisoner Tbe prisoner was then ariagheu anu lh
the charge against him, asked ii nc Hau
any abatement TO make lie nad nothing say. Subse
qucntly British Consul appeared by counsel and Mr..
Charles Spencer for prisoner, and 1t was arranged that
preliminary examination aa place tLis morning before
The Commissioner ~ 10 O'clOcf.