The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-07-31
AGAINST MATE BRAN
Examination Begun in the Case
Of the Nash Murder.

| BOSTON, July 81, 1S96.-The prelimin-
ary examination Of Thomas Bran, first
mate, and Charles Brown, seaman, of the
/ barkentine Herbert Fuller, on the COM
plant charging them with the murder
of the captain, c. J. Nash, his wife, Mrs
c. J. Nash. and A. W Framberg, was
begun today before United States Com
missioner Flslze.
There was large crowd present. Ex-
District Attorney Allen appeared as coun-
sci for Brown. Bran was represented by
James f. Cotter and John p. Dore. Dis
trict Attorney Hoar moved that both
prisoners be tated together This was or
| dered.
Assistant District Attorney Casey then
called as the first witness Frank Nochec,
who testified that he shipped on the Her
bert Fuller on July 5. last saw the cap
tain alive at seven o'clock on the night
Of July 1s. Saw his dead body afterwards.
About one o'clock on the morning of July
"A was on deck; saw second mate; went
into forecastle to get his pipe filed. At 2
o'clock went to the wheel to relieve
Brown. The bell did not strike at two
O'clock 1t was the duty Of the man at
the wheel to strike the bell; saw the first
mate going down the companionway in
a hurry towards the cabin. Someone
called out .sMr. Bramv Bran stopped
over the eompanionway. Heard passenger
Monks say to the mate, Don't you throw
| that board at me- / am all right" Bran
then came TO witness at the wheel He
asked where Brown was. He looked pale
he went to the passengers room. Wit
ness saw the passenger put on some
clothing Both passenger and mate came
/ on deck. After coming on deck they went
to the window between the main and the
rnizzenmast. AT four O'Clock the cook
eSpencer1 came on deck He fthe cook
went forward and joined the mate and
passenger
hay casne back ana told witness that
the captain was dead. Witness then said,
Good Cod They went forward agasn.
The crew came up and talked of directing
the course to the nearest port The mate
talked of going to French Guinea The
mate g9ye orders sOuth-southeaSt. Witt
ness was relieved by Oscar Anderson at
the wheel. Getting among the crew Wit
ness said the mate said. Don't blame the
living for the dead. The dead cannot an
swer for themselves The mate said the
captain might have got an axe and killed
them ana then killed himself
To this proposal Brown said. Throw
the bodies overheard
Mate Bran was drunk at four O'Clock.
He was crying and praying, but witness
did not see any tears coming out of his
eyes.
Mate Bran said the captain was a Free
mason.
Witness sadd that soon after he was at
the wheel he heard a sound like gurgle
He leaned over, with one hand on the
wheel, and saw the mate and the pas
senger going to the passengers room.
Witness described the position of the
bodies when found Brown, Anderson and
Hendricks were putting the canvass on
rough
In the presence of the mate witness
heard the steward (Spencer1 ask what
cuts were on the captain The mate re-
pied that he did not know. Brown was
talkatfve before the murder, but after
! the murder he would not talk with the
men. Brown first taiAsd with the wit
/ ness on the morning OF the murder, say
| ing, THAT will be all right if there is
| not any more done
! When the crew, the passenger and the
| first mate, the steward and the passenger
| asked If those present knew anything
about the murder and Brown answered,
I Brown grinned when he saw it, and the
| mate, (Bran) yelled as he threw it over
/ board
Up to one o'clock A. NJ, July IA, it was
Browns lookout
Those present on the deck on the morn
i Monks, Spencer slicen. Perlock and An
derson. The vessel was then about six
hundred miles out. Brown did not. have
on the same clothes after the murder as
before. He threw his pair of overalls
| overheard saying, II could be held as the
| murderer now have blood on my
mate IN irons, The mate said, II am
an isslocent man
On eross-examination. witness said
that on Sunday before the murder Brown
told him that he had killed somebody
/ in Holland and that he got off on a plea
1 of insanity. witness helped put Brown
in irons He suspected the mate first.
/ 1t was on the following Sunday tnat the
mate was put in irons, and up to this
time the mate had directed the ship.
4 Noehec stated it was after 205 when
/ he tcek charge CT the wheel. Up TO that
i hour he card noting unusual to attract
his attention. and everybody was at MS
/ post of duty SO far as ne could CO.
/ serve Tt was two minutes later he
thought when he saw the men going
| down the cabin.
He put Brown in irons by the direc-
ltion Of Bran and put Bran in irons BY
! the direction of the cook tSpencer1.
I What Bran said w8s, Death cannot
talk of themselves. The second mate went
/ to assault The captains wife. The captain
/ got the axe and killed his wife: then the
haps, got the axe from The captain and
lsilles5s him ard then The sscond mate
II Killed. himself and threw the axe On the
/ deck and then went into the forecastle'
The witness reiterated this statement
| as having been made by the mate Sal
i wage was talked of and was first mesl-
j toned by the steward. Witness said that
he knew Of no trouble between Brown
and the captain aaa the later s.;,, M.sfs, S,
Brown first mate and witness second
mate SO that when Bram AMI Brown
4 wers put in irons. witness was command
THE bcdses was held and conducted by
s. Monks. The steward said to Brown
ssYou have Killed those persons, down
there.