An unusual defence was successfully pleaded at the Mixed Court on Wednesday by Ko' Wu-zau, a galley boy of the str. Tamara, who was charged With fatally wounding Ah Kuan, a companion in the galley. The affair occurred at sea August 10. The accused was given an excellent character by the ship's officer, and the deceased was described og a troublesome fellow.
Mr. J. E. Lemiere appeared for the defence, and asked the Court (Mh. Blackburn, British Assessor, and Magistrate Vu) to dismiss the case, saying the affair was an accident. The deceased (as previous witnesses had described) jumped on the accused while they were working in the galley, seized him by the hair with his left hand, and punched him with his right hand. Accused was sitting on a fixed stool which could not give way. He was playing with a knife, and had his elbow on the table. The shock of the deceased's attack brought his arm on the ledge of the table, against which the butt of the knife was then jammed. Deceased fell on the point of the knife, which penetrated his left breast, causing almost instantaneous death. Accused could not move his arm on account of the weight of the burly fellow who was assaulting him.
After the accused had been called by the Court to give evidence, Mr. Blackburn said the Court found that the accused was guilty' of negligence. The Code provided for a fine of $500 in such circumstances, hi extent Accused would be fined ut the Court would not go to that
The money was paid immediately, and the accused released,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.