The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1881-05-21 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

ATTEMPTED MURDER ON THE  HIGH SEAS.  AT the Borough Police-court, on Thursday last, before Mr. Preston, Joneph Michael Artius, a "seedy" looking but powerfully-. built man, aged about 33, late boatswain of the ship W. H. Watson, of Liverpool, was charged with feloniously firing a revolver at David Stephenson, captain of the ship W. H. Watson, with intent to murder him, on the 29th September last, on the high seas. Inspector Harris said that he received the prisoner into custody on Wednesday afternoon from Captain Hayes, of the P. S. N. Co.'s 8.8. Patagonia. He brought him to the polies office, and charged him with attempting to murder David Stephenson, by firing five shots from a revolver at him on the kigh seas, on the 29th September, 1880. In answer to the charge he replied " It is quite true." Superintendent Clarke said he had received the depositions in the case from the Treasury, with instructions for the prosecution of the prisoner. There were two witnesses in attendance who saw the act committed, and in whose charge the prisoner had been sent from Valparaiso by the e.s. Patagonia. . _  Robert Owens, ste;ard of the W. H. Watson, but promoted to be boatswain in succession to the prisoner, said that on the 29th September, between four and five in the afternoon, he was on deck serving out some beef from the harness cask, when he heard the master speaking to the prisoner. The master asked him "What he was doing there; why was he not getting the foot repel; up aloft." Arthur was then lying against the deck house picking his linger nails, and the master told him if he °could not find anything else to do he could find him something else to do; why did he not get the foot-ropes aloft before six o'clock? The prisoner replied "Go to h-11," and knocked the muter down. The prisoner then walked on to the poop. The master followed him, and was going up the poop ladder when the prisoner kicked him in the breast. Seeing that that did not do him any harm, the prisoner exclaimed "Damn! I will kill you," and put his hand in his pocket, from which he pulled out a revolver and fired five shots at the master. The master exclaimed "Men, are you going to stand and see me murdered ?" The thing happened in so short a time that nobody had time to get up to where they were. Witness jumped up and got hold of the prisoner, who then hove the revclver overboard. The master had a shot in the forehead, another in the neck, a piece knocked out of his right arm, a piece taken out of his lip, and a shot in his right shoulder. When witness got hold of the prisoner the latter said, "Damn! it is a failure. Boys, take no mercy on me. I intended to murder you and all hands." The occurrence took place somewhere off Monte Video, for witness beard the captain, when he thought he was going to die, tell the chief officer to keep the ship for Monte Video. Next day, however, the captain, who was better, said "I am all right yet. I think we can proceed on the voyage." The ship then continued her course to Monte Video. Witness last saw the captain on the sth December, and left the ship about six weeks since to bring the prisoner home in the Patagonia. It would be about two months and a half before the W. H. Watson would arrive in Liverpool. Supo•rintendent Clarke applied for a remand till Friday, when Mr. Moore would be in attendance to prosecute. The prisoner, who had nothing to say, was then remanded to Friday.