Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1888-08-18 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

MURDER ON THE HIGH SEAS. Patrick Kelly, a seaman, has been charged at Bowstreet Police-court with the murder of John Chappell and John Parry, on board the steamship Erin, on July 9 last, during a voyage to New York. Mr. Angus Lewis appeared to prosecute on behalf of the Treasury, and called John Whittaker, a seaman, who deposed that he was on board the Erin during the voyage. Witness, the prisoner, the two murdered men, and a man named liarris were on the starboard watch on the morning of the day in question. On the previous day (July 8) while discharging a duty Chappell made use of an expression, and the prisoner asked if it applied to him. Chappell replied in the negative. Later on another altercation ensued, and the pesoner said, Say no more, else I will fix you." Chappell replied." I will be as good as you." The next morning at seven o'clock witness was aroused by smothered cries, and he saw the prisoner standing over Chappell's bunk. He had his left hand on Chappell's forehead. His right hand was at Chappell's left breast, and witness observed that his face was covered with blood. At that moment Parry awoke and looked towards the prisoner and Chappell, uttering at the same time a terrified cry. The prisoner drew his left hand from Chappell's left breast, and witness saw that he had a knife in his hand. The blood spurted a distance of four feet from the wound in Chappell's side. Ilarris, who was sleeping on the opposite side of the ship, also awoke, and said," Oh, what is all this 8' Witness replied, There is stabbing going on here, can't you see ?" After withdrawing his band from Chappell's breast, the prisoner took two steps towards Parry— who was lying down in his bunk, and stabbed him over the heart. The prisoner picked up a shirt belonging to Parry and wiped the knife on it. lie afterwards held it up to the light, and witness identified it as the prisoner's knife. Witness went to both the men and found that they were dead. The prisoner went up to the main-deck, and was afterwards put in irons by order of Captain Tyson. Corroborative evidence was given in support of the above facts, and Detective-Sergeant Reegan, who, with Detective-Sergeant White, of Scotland-yard, arrested the prisoner, deposed that he said, .1 am not sorry for,what I have done, and if I had had the chance I would have served (using foul language) Whittaker the same. They were always against me." —The prisoner was formally committed for trial.  MARY KRIM, John M'Leod, and Hugh Matheson, who were on Feb. 3 last sentenced, the first two to nine months' and the third to 12 months' imprisonment for mobbing, rioting, and deforcing a sheriff's officer on Clashmore Farm, Assynt, Sutherlandshire, have now been liberated. They had thus a remission of sentence of three months and sin months respectively. They were driven to an unfrequented station in the suburbs of Edinburgh, and were sent off with the night train for the north, and no one knew of the fast until they were recognised at Lairg Station, in Sutherlandshire. The authorities behaved very considerately to them in paying their fares and providing these with plenty of refreshments on the way. In order that they might have no delay at Lairg, a vehicle was specially hired to drive them the distance of 46 miles to Clashmore. The prisoners seemed very agreeably surprised at their liberation.