The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-01
MURDER ON THE INDIANA.


Ne HAD Been obliged 70 Rsprimand Seaman
Garter. ana. while ne Was STOPPING Over.
the Latter. VINE was Drunk. I.unEed at HIS
Back-Kenny,s Death Almost instantaneous.
A cold-blooded murder occurred on board tho
bettlcship Indiana last evening while sho lay at
the cob dock in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The
man who lost his life was Thomas j. Kcnny,a
master of arms of the first class, and his as.
~sailant, who stabbed him in the back. Is Philip
Carter, who had boen in the service only eighteen
months.
Kenny was % years old, and he had been in
the service for moro than eight years. He was
q hrst class seaman. and during his long
service in tho navy he had earned the re-
spect of all the officers and men with whom
no came in contact. Tho murder occurred
at $3.50 O'Clock. About forty Of the comm On sea-
men. among whom was Carter, were drawn up In
line on the berth deck TO receive their bcer as
| usual before supper. Kenny was in charge OF
tho mon. Carter, who had been drinking. was
unruly and disobedient, and Kenny had con-
siderable trouble in keeping him in line
whilo tho beer was being passed along tho
line. At first ho spoke kindly to Carter and
told him that his conduct was unseamanlike
Carter made answer in n surly voice. Shortly
aftorward Kenny was obliged to speak sharply
to him. Then tho men began to wrangle, and
finally Carter rushed toward Kenny and tried to
strike him. Before he could reach him, how.
ever. the other men of the limo got around him
and held him back.
The line was reformed. and as Carter went
hack to his place every one there thought they
had heard the last of the quarrel. A minute
afterward. while Kenny was standing in
front Of the line. he suddenly turned
his back on the mon and stopped
over as II to pick something up
from the deck. All this time Carter was
watching him narrowly. When no saw the
masterat-arms stoop over he loaped for
ward, and, before any one could divine
his intention, he plunged his keen-edged
knife bayonet into the middle Of Kenny's
back. Without n sigh or a groan the
master~at.arms fell forward on his face. Then
he turned on his back, his lips tiuttercd slightly,
and an instant later he was dead. The whole
thing was done so quickly that the men in
line scarcely understood what had happened
before their comrade had expired. Carter. who
seemed to be appalled, mt the magnitude Of his
crime, stood in the middle of the deck, ~grasping
the blood-stained bayonet in his right hand and
gazing vacantly down at the face of his victim.
Then the sailors fell upon him and he was
dragged below and put in irons.
KNOWN that Kenny was q devout Catholic,
one Of tho men ran for a priest. Another
hastoned with tho story to Capt. IL. c,
Gaylor, Commander Of the Indiana, and
the latter Immediately reported tho muir
der to Commodore Bunce, the ommand
Of tho navy yard. After hearing the details OF
the crime Commodore Bunce ordered a board
Of Enquiry consisting of acknowledgements
Selfridge of the Puritan, Lieut.. Simms Of the
Puritan. and Surgeon Ferebee. to convene. and
they began at once to make an investigation o.
the crime. Tho board was still in session at mid
\ ,iuht and all n mazda fnr infnrrnntiro cou~erp
ing their work were denied. The police wer,
not notified of the s~tabbing. and it il
not likely that they or any of tn,
civil officers OF Kings county will know
officially that q murder has been committed oil
board the Indiana. When the labor OF tn,
board Is completed the Secretary OF tho Nav.
will receive Its report through Commodor
Bunce, and Carter will DO turned over to tn
United States authorities for trial.
All the men aboard the Indiana were ex
tremcly rcticent last night concerning the mur
der, and it was not possible to ascertain whethe
or not any i'll feeling had existed be
tween Kenny and Carter prior to tn
wrangle last evening. Carter was ava
from the ship on leave Tuesday night
. and he did not return until yesterday morning
1t was noticed that he was in bad humor durin
the day. The knife bayonet with which he CON
D mitted the murder was thirteen inches long
1t was said that Carter took 1t fror
tho arms rack on the deck before the men got /
: line and concealed it in the bosom of his shir
Y Further than that he had been in the servic
. as O common sailor for n year and
- half nothing could DO learned OF hi
career. Kenny had been attached to tn
Indiana eight months and his record was exec
lent. The greater part of his service had bee
In the Marine Corps. While there he rose to b
q corporal.