Shanghai Sept. 3.
Before Mr. F. J. Scnvnt, Commissioner.
S. x". R. Bascomb, Reuben Bascomb an able-bodied seaman, was charged with having threatened to do bodily harm to Captain Evans Jones, of the str, Benoni, while at Yokohama on August 13, and was further charged with assault, He put in a plead of not guilty.
Major Chauncey P, Holcomb, District Attorney, prosecuted, and Dr. Hua-chuen Mei defended the accused.
Captain Jones was the first to give evidence. He stated that shortly after midnight of the night in question, he found accused, who was on watch duty, asleep. He took him by the arm and lifted him up. Accused then picked up a stick and charged him with it. In order to defend himself he grabbed hold of the accused for he was in fear of the consequences. There was a tussle. Accused then showed a box: ing attitude and used some profane language. A short while later he, the accused, told the captain that he would be better dead than alive. Accused called out "murder" when the captain caught hold of him. Witness held him till he consented to go forward. As a result there was a strike and 17 or 18 men went ashore at Yokohama. They did not leave because of his cruel treatment. said the captain in reply to Dr. Mei. The matter was reported to the U.S. Consul at Yokohama.
James P. Osborne, a super-cargo, Andrew Blair, the chief engineer, and Oscar B. Tare, the second officer, also gave evidence for the prosecution. The captain was not drunk at the time, they all stated.
Accused, who stated that he was a British subject. gave evidence stating that he was on watch duty at the time to see that nobody except the members of the crew came aboard. He stood near the gangway and saw the captain come on board shortly after 12.30. The latter went into his cabin and after about 20 minutes came out again and found him sitting on some straw sacks. He told accused to get up and walk the deck. Accused did so and put his hands on his
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