The Sun. — 1854-02-27 (London, England)

FATAL AFFRAY.  BRISTOL, FEB. 26.--At a late hour last night—viz., between 11 and 12 o'clock, murder was committed at Bristol under the following circumstances : There are now lying in the port of Bristol two vessels —the one, a Spaniard, called the Rosario ; the other, a Scotch vessel, the Highlander. The Rosario is manned entirely by a Spanish crew, and the Highlander by a crew composed of Englishmen, Seotchmen, and Americans. • On Friday evening one of the Highlander's crew was passing along the quay, and seeing one of the Spanish crew ill-using a woman, he interfered for her protection. The Spaniard struck him, and a struggle ensued, which was, however, put an end to by some of the police who happened to be, near the spot, and who, having separated them, sent them by different routes in the direction of their several vessels. At a later hour of the same night the crew of the Highlander were crossing Queen-square, when they were met by the Spanish crew, who instantly attacked them with their knives, and one of the English crew was wounded in the shoulder, but they escaped without further injury. On Saturday evening the Spanish crew went into a publichouse callad the Hole in the Wall, in Princes-street, near the quays, and, having entered a room on the ground-floor, they called for some beer. While they were in this room a part of the crew of the Highlander came into the public-house, and as they passed the room saw the Spaniards. One of them, uttering an exclamation, caused the landlord to apprehend that there would be some disturbance ; he insisted upon their going into an upstairs room, and the Spaniards remaining in the downstairs one, so as to keep them separate. Shortly afterwards another of the crew of the Highlander, who had not been in the public-house, came to the door, where he stood talking to a girl. While he was there one of the Spaniards went out, and uttering some abusive exclamation, pushed the Englishman, and then looked up at him insultingly. The Englishman replied that he could bear looking at, when the Spaniard immediately exclaimed, "Me no knife ; me no knife !" and called his companions from within. The rest of the Spaniards then came out and attacked him with their knives. The Englishman fled towards Queen-square, but in the Avenue was knocked down and jumped upon. By this time the remaining portion of the Highlander's crew, hearing the disturbance, came out, when th Spaniards attacked them indiscriminately with their knives. The Englishmen, being unarmed, fled in differen directions, pursued by the ferocious Spaniards. One of them ran across the street to Albion-lane, and, by a lucky accident, slipped, and fell into the passage of the Albion, which fortunately saved his life, for the Spaniard, suddenly missing his prey, drove his knife up to the hilt into the back of an unoflending man named Murphy, who happened to be accidentally standing at the corner of the lane talking to a woman. The Spaniard then turned and pursued another of the English crew towards Queen-square, and, coming up to him in the Avenue, made a thrust at him with his knife. The Englishman, fortunately happening to raise his arm, was were nceol n uvse y 3 eid u to h only slightly wounded, and escaped a fatal thrust, for such was the force of the blow that the knife was driven into the window-shutter, where it remained sticking, and when afterwards removed front it, being covered Roobter in t with blood up to the handle, no doubt remained of its being the same knife with which Murphy had been stabbed. The police havingCenow arrived in some force, tHheeskthinrse,eanwdosunehdnedßemaelen; Murphy almost wounded,o are n the Bristol immediately died. The Tlnhfieromathreyr,s, twherehough severely immediate danger. The police also succeeded in apprehending six of the Spanish crew. An inquest will be held on the body of Murphy to-morrow.