The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1881-12-28
Homicide on Board the Steamer AMER
Head

Early on Christmas morning report ran round
town that Chinaman had been shot on board the
steamer A,yer Head. On enquring we find the
facts to be as follows: The homicide occurred
about seven o'clock. The steamer had hauled off
from the wharf and anchored in the stream
preparatory TO go to sea on Monday As soon as
the shooting was reported to the Captain, he put
the second officer, who had done the shooting,
under arrest and then started of to the shore.
On landing, Captain Roper went directly to the Ho
tel and not TO the stationhoUse from there he tele
phoned to the station house: Marshal Parke was
Immediately called for, and soon as possible
six policemen were sent off to the ship the Attor
ney-General and the Marshal following shortly
after. The dying man was at once removed from
the ship, as his presence on board tended to keep
up great excitement among the Chinese passen-
gers A preliminary examination took place on
board, the spot where the man was killed was eI-
amined and measurements taken. Certain
Chinese eye-witnesses of the affair were picked out
and they and the second officer were taken ashore.
At the station house the written statements of
the witnesses were taken down by the Attorney
General and his Deputy. The event seems to have
happened in the following manner The Captain
had ordered hunks TO be made IN the place of the
cargo which had been discharged here These
were being put up by Chinese carpenters who were
working their passage over: to facilitate their
work the Captain had ordered breakfast to be
served to them at $50 instead of z, the regular
q
not received their breakfast and the second officer
went into the galley and asked the first cook why
it was not ready. The statement of the chief cook
Is that he replied that consequence of the vessel
being in harbor there was no steam to cook with,
and therefore he had been unable to get the break
fast ready. The second officer at once struck at
him and he parried the blow with a ladle. The
second officer says that the chief cook used violent
and insulting language. He retired aft and draw
ing his pistol advanced again into the galley in
search Of the chief cook, whom he wished TO arrest
cook having hidden himself in the Chinese
doctors room. The second officer approached
another cook who was in the galley this man he
charges with using violent and indecent language:
he seized him and attempted to drag him aft to
the Captains quarters holding the revolver in his
right hand. The Chinaman struggled and in the
scufie the pistol went off, the bullet entering the
top of the head-the man died about two hours
after. The Chinese witnesses say that the man
who was killed used no abusive language, but this
is denied by the officer.
1t may appear extraordinary that an officer
should draw pistol when having an alteration
with one Of the crew. In explain ton of this we
may say that probably every Chinese passenger on
board the AIjey Head is armed, that the men are a
very rough lot, that discipline has to be strictly
enforced and that the white men who have to con-
troll these people are very few in number.
At the Police Court on Monday the second officer
of the AHjer Head was charged with manslaughter
in the first degree he waived examination and the
case was sent to the Supreme Court for trial. The
trial will probably take place on Monday next.
Captain Roper will wait for week in order to
the result OF the trial. in spite Of his ship being
liable to a heavy demurrage. The Captain gives
the prisoner good record, and the Chinese on
board there has never been any trouble before.