The Sun. — 1854-03-28 (London, England)

ANOTHER CHARGE OF MURDER. John Jordan, steward on board the merchant steamship Trafalgar, was indicted for the wilful murder of William Hare, a boy on board the same ship. Mr. Blair prosecuted, and Mr. Simons volunteered his services to defend the prisoner. It appeared that on the 14th March, inst., the steam-ship Trafalgar was lying in the Sandon graving dock, Liverpool, undergoing repairs. About half-past 11 o'clock at night of the day in question police constable 59 and Richard Titherington were on duty near the docks, and while there they heard a noise resembling the closing of a door or something very similar to it. They at once proceeded on board, and on going towards the state room they went to the steward's room, which they found fastened inside. The pushed it open, and the prisoner came out, apparently very stupid and drunk, and when he was apprised that there was a boy dead on the deck, he with much difffculty came on deck. The lad was lying by the side of a gun carriage, and under the gun. His head was between the wheels, and he was inclining to the right. His left eye was cut, and blood was running over the right eye. The body was warm, but he was quite dead. The prisoner put his hands on each side of the lad's head, and said, " poor Bill ! poor Bill !" He also put his hand upon his hips for a minute or two and then went into the cabin. The body was conveyed to the Northern Hospital. Some hours previously the boy told one of the firemen that he did notlike to go on board the ship, as he was afraid the steward would kill him. This was regarded at the time as a joke. On the morning after the occurrence a ship's carpenter, who was working in the cabin, stated that when he went on board to resume his work be observed the prisoner to be much contused aid agitated. He remarked that it was a horrid affair about the boy, and that the ship's company blamed him for the murder. The shavings on the floor were covered with melted tallow, and they were taken to the hospital. The carpenter left a large screw-driver in the cabin, but on the next morning he could not find it. It had since been found. In the prisoner's portmanteau was found a cotton shirt wet, appearing as if it had undergone an immersion in water. Part of the deck of the saloon was slightly scorched by hot tallow being thrown on it. The surgeon of the, hospital deposed that there was a contused wound on the left eye an inch in length ; a contusion on the right ham, about two or three inches in diameter. On making a post mortem examination he found an extensive fracture of the skull. A severe blow or a fall might have produced it. It was exactly opposite the wound on the forehead ; both could not have been produced at the same time. Death was instantaneous.  With reference to the hot tallow, it appeared to his lordship that as the dock regulations prohibited lights after nine o'clock, the tallow must have been thrown there some time before the body was found. He showed the improbabilities that existed as to the prisoner having comnited the murder, if a murder was committed ; and The jury, under his lordship's direotion, returned a verdict of not guilty.