The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1853-04-05 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF A SPANISH CAPTAIN IN LIVERPOOL-APPREHENSION OF THE SUPPOSED MURDERER.  Our readers may remember that the captain of the ship Providentia was found dead in his cabin, on Sunday morning fortnight, the morning after he had received some money from his owners. The circumstance gave rise to- considerable suspicion, from the fact that none of his money was found upon him or in his desk. On Saturday Espiro Lazzorowich, one of the crew, was apprehended at a cook-shop in the neighbourhood of Williamson-square, with a large quantity of doubloons and other coin in his possession. On being questioned, he admitted that he had taken them from the captain's bed after he was dead. He was brought before the magistrates at the Police-court yesterday morning. He is a young man, apparently under, or about, thirty years of age, and by no means bad looking. He was steward on board the Brazilian brig Provi 'entia, of which the unfortunate Vicento Antonio was captain.—Detective Sullivan, who had the management of the case, said that, in consequence of certain information received by Mr. Clough, he and police-officer Marsh went to apprehend the prisoner. On apprehending him, there was found upon his person 47 sovereigns, upwards of 60 gold doubloons, and other coins, including 18s. in English silver ; also, a paper addressed to the late captain by the consignees of the Providentia.—Mr. Superintendent Clough said the deceased had been found dead in his cabin, in the Queen's Dock, on the moruing of Sunday, the 20th of March. Et appeared that he had. been ill with a bad cold, and that he had directed Lazzorowich, the prisoner, who was steward, to kindle a charcoal fire in his cabin ; and the sulphur arising therefrom caused his death. The coroner's jury returned an open verdict. It now appeared that the prisoner went into the captain's cabin on Sunday morning, and finding him dead, robbed the place of the money, which the captain had obtained only the previous day. There was no cause whatever for the suspicion that the deceased came by his death in consequence of unfair treatment. One of the consignees stated that Vincent Antonio had the day before his death received from them the sum of £5O in sovereigns. The following day the cabin was examined, and none of the money was found. The prisoner, a few days afterwards, applied to them for money, and also stated that he wished to be discharged. With this request they refused to comply, and told him to go back to the brig and resume his duties. Two days afterwards it was discovered that he had paid a certain person two sovereigns ; and from that individual it was likewise ascertained that Lazzorowich intended to desert the vessel.. Immediately on the consignees being made acquainted with this fact, they gave information to the police. The moment witness saw the prisoner, he asked him who possessed the money which had been found upon him, and to this direct query Lazzorowich at once responded that it had been the captain's money.—The prisoner was here examined through an interpreter. He admitted that ha took the money, and did so with the greatest apparent sang. Jena. He said rurther that he took it from the bed on which the dead body lay.—Detective Sullivan produced various articles which had been found upon the prisoner, and among which the chief mate of the Providentia recognised a pair of drawers belonging to the deceased captain. In the same bundle was a variety of new vests, trowsers, ties, &c., which appeared to have been freshly purchased, and which Lazzorowich had no doubt bought with the fruits of his robbery. Admiral Grenfell, who attended as Brazilian consul at this port, said he certainly would not prosecute unless he were bound to do so.  The magistrates ultimately sentenced the prisoner, to two months' imprisonment, at the same time acquainting him with the fact, that had the ship not been proceeding immediately to- sea, with the witnesses on board, he should certainly have been put upon his trial for. a more serious offence, which would, in all probability, have entailed upon him a much heavier penalty. After he had been sentenced, the prisoner, who manifested very little feeling either one way or another, expressed his anxiety about his boxes, which were on hoard the brig, and which he desired might be left behind, a request which will be complied with.