New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-05

A NATE FATALLY STABBED BY SAILOR
ONLY ONE WITNESS OF THE AFFRAY-THE MUIR
DEFER CLAIMING TO HAVE ACTED IN sELF-DE-
PENCE.
CAPTAIN Joseph Laughlin, of the United States
steamer Woodwork. shortly after noon yesterday
observed signals of distress from the British ship T.
j. Spicer, which was lying off Ellis Island IN the
bay. The Woodwork steamed alongside
and learned that in fight which had taken place
on board the Spicer few minutes before between
Patrick OCraew, a sailor, aud Daniel Spicer, the
first officer Of the ship the former had stabbed the
latter in the breast with a sheathknife, killing him
instantly The sailor had been placed
under arrest by the second officer. Captain
LaHghlin made haste to the city and informed
the police. Detective Oates and Officer Cotton OF
the New Street Police Station, Immediately pro
cured a small boat and rowed out to the vessel
The prisoner was brought to this city in company
with witness of the murder, a seaman named
George Richmond and arragned before Coroner
Knox. Richmond testified that he arrived IN TINS
CITY Oh the bark JOAN Rutherford from Antwerp
Oh last Sunday. During the week he had been
staying al the Caledonia House, a sailors boarding
house at No 125 Roosevelt-st. Yesterday morning
he was indeed by a blind man TO ship on board the
E. J. Spicer He went Oh board the ship about
noon in small rowboat. He went down mo me
forecastle TO put his working clothes In the
forecastle at the time were the prisoner and two
other men. While the men. none of whom he had
ever seen before. We're changing their ciOlhrs inc
first mate Daniel Splcer came down INTO the IoIe
castle and said
Hurry mp, and get to work"
O'Craew asked him who he was. and the mate re-
liied that If he knew who he was he would be
satisfied to obey hm-tlli he was the mate OF the
ship. The mate then turned abOut and went out on
deck again. OCraew then said to Richmo.d;
Let rs get up on deck, OF there viii be some
trouble"
Meantime the two other sailors had gone on deck
When O'Craew and Richmond reached the deck
the first called TO The second mate for tackle
for them to work with and AT this stage OF the pro
credlngs. according to the witness. Spcer applied
harsh name to OCraew ard without any prOVoca-
ton rushed upon him and BRAT him with MS hsts
and kicked him. The two men iel on ihe
deck and rose to their feet; the mate grasped a
| capstan-bar and the witness SAID ne was conn
dent he intended striking VCraew with II. Jhen
the witness saw the mate tall forward on the deck
with the blood squirting from wound in the breast
The murderer, after stabbng the mate nung the
sheat-knlte over the vessels side and gong up 10
the witness SAID
=" You are the only one who saw this, and yOu are
all ! have to depend upon"
The noise OF the tight had by this time drawn the
resi- of the ships TO the place and the muir
deIer was secured and placed below IN confinement,
where he found subsequently by the two po-
| Icemen calmly smoking cigar. Pools OF blood
covered the afterdeck, where the fight took place,
aud the capStan-bar was sInrared all over with H.
The prisoner Is hard- featured man. about thirty
maTked with smallpox. He preserved an ap-
pearance of stold indifference through
| cut the examination, and when not
| smoking was eating candy. lie bled somewhat
from a cut behind the right ear, and complained Of
having bruises on the groin from the effects OF the
| mates kicks, out examination by the coroner
| did not result IN finding any bruises. In repfy TO
! questions by the coroner, he SAID ain native
! of Montreal, and have been a sailor all my hfe
had three or four glasses OF whlskey yesterday but
| none since. only had one dollar and drank win
tbree OF her men. If l die Tor this, Will die III
| uoceptly for done It in self-defence. | am sorry
from the bottom Of my IRISH heart that the poor
fellow has gone to the better world"
The coroner sent the prisoner TO the IOmOs. ana
committed Richmond TO the House of Detention for
| Witnesses The inquest viii probably be held to-
day when Captain Spicer. OF the h. j. Splcer and
a relative OF the dead mate, VIII testify, ami also
| boy who Witnessed the fight on board. The coroner
saws be does not believe the story OF the aray as
! told by Richmond TO be entirely tru-.
The consignors Of the vessel, J. +. Whitney Il Co..
| of No 26I2 Broadway, state that the character Of
the mate was such as would warrant tue belief
| that he had acted the manner ascr1bed TO HIM.
| lie was tWenty-seyen years Old OF line ply sique,
! and naive of ParrsDOrO Nova Scotia. lie was
married nine months ago, and his vile had been ia
| this city with him until thursday, when she re-
| turned their home on Spencers Island Nova 500
tia Ihe body Ol the mate was removed To TINS CITY
last night ana arrangements were made lOT sending
II on t. Nova Scotia immediately. the L. j. Spicer
Is owned by J. T.. BIgcIow * SONS, OF SpenceTs
Island She left her dock 1T " eehawken yesterday
morning Oaued With cargo Oi petroleum., Tor Lon
don Owing To the death Of her mate she VIII not
now SAL before Monday.