The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-02-23

i Drunken Sailor Drowned on
the Water Front.


News was circulated around the
city yesterday that foul murder had
been committed on board the Ameri-
can bark Matilda, which is lying at
RobinsOn's wharf \ representative
of this paper called on Captain Sven
son who willing gave the following
statements concerning the unfortu-
nate affair:
During Tuesday night, Alfred Ste
vens and Fred Godfrey, both seamen
on board the Matilda, entered into Il
quarrel. They were intoxicated, Ste
vens being more so. Another sailor
| by the name of Patrick Comfy inter-
fered with the men, and they both
turned their attention to Comfy, who
was perfectly sober. The quarrel in
creased, and all the men went on
! RobinsOn's wharf to settle their differ
| ences. Stevens and Godfrey COM
| bined themselves against Comfy, but
the latter being too much Of Il scien-
tific fighter for them, they gave up i'll
disgust. All the three men then re-
turned to the vessel. At 1880 o'clock
on Wednesday morning, the captain
was awakened from his slumber by
Stevens, who wanted revolver
from the captain. The officer
ordered Stevens out Of the
cabin, but the latter resisted.
Comfy then came aft and said, ~ will
take him forward" Both men went
out of the cabin while the Captain
remained within. Stevens again re-
sisted, and Godfrey soon came to his
aid, wishing to overcome Comfy. Dav'
id Sinclair seeing this, ran toward
them and tried to quiet down the I'M
ruly men. Finding the two men get
ting too desperate Comfy and Sinclair
while Sinclair hid himself on the YES
sci. Stevens and Godfrey then de-
clared themselves masters of the stu
alton and defied any one to make
them keep still. They went forward
and mounted the gallant forecastle,
and with capstan bars in their hands,
they stood near the gangway waiting
for either Comfy or. Sinclair to come
aboard, at the same time soothing
their minds by calling their foes the
hardest names they could think of.
Captain SwensOn at this moment
began to get weary of the wild per-
formances of his men. He then slyly
got down into his boat, which was
tied near the stern, and rowed to the
boat landing, from whence he pro-
ceeded hastily to the Police Station to
call the police to his aid. The Cap
tain could have silenced the 'tfunny
business" of the men by force, but he
did not care to assume so great q re-
sponsibiiity.
In few minutes five policemen and
Captain Swenson arrived at the wharf
and they mounted the gang plank
, half way when they were met with
stern remarks from stevens and God
frey, Gwen kill you all if you come
aboard" The policemen seeing that
, the men were standing at the head OF
gangway welding their bars in an in.
, furiated manner, the men considered
it not safe for them to advance, sc
, they retreated to the wharf.
Before the arrival of the policemen,
, Comfy had swan to the vessel, and
had got aboard by means of a rope
He discovered from some of the men
that Stevens had been to his bunk tc
get razor. Comfy then approached
Stevens and Godfrey on the gallant
: forecastle and tried to take away the
= razor. The three men struggled des.
, perately in the dark while the police.
, men were standing on the wharf
= During the struggle, Alfred Stevens
2 an Australian, % years of age, fell
L overheard from the starboard bow. Il
} was believed that his head struck the
: fluke of the anchor during the fall
3 Stevens did not rise again. Godfrey
4 at the same time threw overheard the
bars. The policemen on the whar
a heard something drop into the water
:. but could not find out what it was az
3 the night was dark. When Steven:
fell overheard, Godfrey, his compan
ion, cooled down. The policemen
e boarded the vessel and arrested hin
v and lodged him in the Station HOUSE
S for the night. Comfy made severa
= attempts to find the body of Stevens
O soon after the fatal fall, but was un
successful. At O'clock, Captain
Swenson ordered his men to use fisl
hooks 10 find the body, but this searcl
was again unsuccessful. AT 2:30 o'ClOcl
yesterday afternoon, the Government
diver came with his diving apparatus
and he found the body after search
ing half an hour. The body was foun
S lying underneath the keel near tn
bow. 1t was taken to the station
where an examination was made b.
DR.. Peterson. Two ugly gashes wer
e found on the skull besides other mu
u citations about the face and head.
n Marshal Ashley at once impanelle
q coroner's jury which it is eXpecte
will hold an inquest to-day.