New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-17
MURDERED IN MID-OCEAN.
A SAILOR sTABS TWO sHIPMATEs.
ATTACKED DEFENcELEss IN THEIR BEDs-Tnx AS
sAssIN GIVES HIMSELF UP.


sAssIN GIVES HIMSELF UP.
The steamer Erin, OF the National Line, which
arrived at this port yesterday, when In mid-ocean
on July was the scene Of tragedy IN which
Patrick Kelly, able seaman. stabbed John
Parry and John Chapman TO death. without tho
shadow of a cause, in the lower forccastlc where
they were quietly sleeping.
The Erin left London on June 20, with gem
eral cargo Of merchandise. Just before she pulled
out from the pier three seamen went ashore ana
refused to go on the vessel The steamer dropped
down the river to Gravescnd. where three seamen
picked up who willing to go, among
them Patrick Kelly When Kelly found that he
the Erin he wanted to go ashore, but
the steamer was under headway and he could not
get off. lie was discontented and surly all tho
time and growled like a dog when spoken to.
lie was disagrceable in every way TO his fellows
and was giant In physical strength and tho
seamen certain that he would make trouble
before the voyage was over.
On the night Of Sunday July 8. Kelly was In
the stsrboard watch with John Chapman, John
Parry, John Whitaker and John Harris and all
deck until q. Then the five went
into the lower forccastle and turned into their
buncs to sleep. Kelly began to growl and call
everybody names. Chapman replied to him and
Kelly said / warn every of you to mind
together Chapman, who small man,
about foot shorter than Kelly, jumped out OF
his bunk and invited Kelly to go on deck and
settle the dispute there with their bare lnuckles
Kelly did not accept the challenge and Chapman
jumped into his bunk after calling him cow
ard, and all was still.
WATCHING Ills VICTIMS sLECr.
The four sailors went TO sleep but Kelly rcA
mained awake. He looked around at all tho
hunks and was satisfied that all were asleep.
He then drew out n knife with blade five
inches long and an inch wide, and bent
noiselcssly over Chapman and raised his knee
TO the edge of the bunk to get a better chance
to do the villanous work. Then he seized Chap
man by the throat with his left hand and at
the same instant there was bright fash Of
steel in the air and the assassin's knife went
straight to his victims heart. 1t was awful
blow and crushed Chapman's ribs Chapman
jumped when struck, which partially broke the
murderer's hold on his throat and he cried in an
agonized voice OH oh! oh.' The grip tight
ened again and Chapman was dead.
Kelly held the knife firmly in Chapman's breast
until Parry, who had been awakened by Chap
mans diving cry, turrcd over in his bunk and
saw the murderer and his work The cry Of
Chapman he thought only the result OF
nightmare, but when he saw what it really was
ne started to jump up, eXclaimng: What is
the matter?' He never spoke again. Kelly
had been watching him like panther and
his feet touched the floor, he pulled the knife
from Chapmans breast, sprang about five feet
to Parry'S bunk, and before Parry was aware
what Kelly intended to do the glittering steel
descended and went straight to Parry's heart.
A stitcd groan escaped from Parry kclly's
fingers closed upon his throat and he fell upon
the bed corpse.
Kelly thought he was safe, having killed the
mistaken Seaman whstser sw it ali from rs his his
bunk on the upper row, and as soon as Kelly got
iar enough away he jumped to the floor and
Kelly glared at him for a moment and then cOolly
picked up Parrys shirt and wiped the bloody
knife on it. Kelly suddenly started toward Whit
and went up the stairway TO the deck Seven
bells rang then and William Hunt went below to
rouse the starboard watch. There were two
voices that did not respond TO his CHEEKY call.
THE MURDERER sURRENDERs.
When Kelly got on deck he walked straight
to the bridge. where Chief Officer Robert Easton
was on duty. Kelly saluted the officer and said
carelessy: There are two dead men below. and
here is the knife that did it," lie handed over
the blood-staned blade as Hunt came rushing on
the deck and confirmed the statement. Whitaker
and Harris, who had slept through the whole
affair. came from below Whitaker told the
chief officer that he had examined both men and
that there was no doubt about their being dead.
folded. and remained notonlcss until he was
ordered to hold out his hands. Double irons
were put on them and ne was placed n close
confinement. The only thing he said during the
rest OF the voyage was: Those who dance must
pay the fiddler
Of Chapman and Parry were dtopped into the sea
after Captain William Tyson had read short
burial service Both had been in the employ OF
the National Line for about fifteen years. They
were single and both f0r'y-three years old. They
were splendid seamen quiet and peaceable. and
were well liked by the officers and men. Chapman
has brothr in this city. When the Erin entered
her dock Kelly turned over TO the police The
shaclcs removed from his legs and he was
taken in "a cab TO the Chdrles-st police station
with the irons still on his arms. They had cut
into his wrists. lie went quietly and smiled when
an excited 'longshoreman on the pier shouted
" lynch him. At the statiOn-housc he smiled
repeatedly as Seaman Whitaker repeated the
story Of the murder to Captain Copeland Chief
Officer EastOn also made a statement
=. The prisoner said that his name was iatrlck
Kelly, gave his age as thirty-siX and said that he
WAS single and native OF Ireland lie reiuse9
TO make a statement lie was cool and collected
and smiled when the policeman took him TO q cell
lie will be taken to jefferson Market Police
Court this morning and turned over TO the United
Jail AS the murder was committed on snip
flying the English flag, Kelly after an examination
before Commissioner Shields. will bc turned over
TO the English Government and taken to England
for trial. Nothing is known about his home. lc
is said that he killed Il man in San Francisco and
that Kelly is fictitious name.
is THIS ANOTHER SECRET MURDERf
FINDING TIE BODY OF AN UNKNOWN MAN WITH
THE SKULL CRUSHED IN
mysterious case OF what is probably murder
has iust been discovered In the woods within few
miles of the scene of famous undiscovered Railway
tragedy On Sunday afternoon two New-York busi-
ness men, William Dallas and c. NJ Smith. were out
I'm the woods skirt Lawrence in the village
OF Wcstfcld on the Ncw-Jersey Central Railroad. ac-
companicd by a welraned pointer The dog ran
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