Pitcairn's Island  Notes  Source  Whalesite

Draft letter from Colonial Office to Admiralty
(May 4, 1898)

The Sec.
[of] the Admy

Sir,

      I am directed by Mr Sec. Ch. to ack. the rect of your letter M/286 of the 14th Jan. last transmitting copy of a letter from the Commanding Officer of H.M.S. 'Comus' reporting on his visit to Pitcairn Island & giving an account of a double murder committed there in June last by one H.A. Christian.

2.       It appeared to Mr Ch. desirable, in the interests of law & order in the Pacific, that the murderer shd. be brought to justice, & owing to the peculiar circs of the case it was found necessary to consult the L.O. of the Crown as to the best method of achieving this object.

3.       From the accompanying copy of the corresp. which ensued, the L.C. of the

Admiralty will see that the L.O. have recommended that Christian shd. be removed to Fiji for trial, & that, in order to give the Court of the High Commn jurisdiction in the case, directions should be issued by the S. of S. bringing Pitcairn Island within the scope of the Pacific O. in C. of 1893.

4.       Copies of the desp. & Instructions which have been addressed to the H.Cr

in accordance with the recommendations of the L.O. are enclosed for their Lordships' infn

5.       Mr Ch. trusts that their Lordships will be able to instruct the C. in C. on the Australian Station to make arrangements with the High Commr for the removal of the prisoner & the necessary witnesses to Fiji.

6.       The exes of the trial will be charged to the W. Pacific Vote.

I am
[H.B. Cox]

      Pagination of the original record has been maintained.

      Joseph Chamberlain (1836–1914) was an influential British
businessman, politician, and statesman. He was Secretary of State for the Colonies, June 1895 to September 1903.

      Harry Albert Christian was born on Pitcairn Island on Mar. 11, 1872, one of 12 children of Alphonso Downs Christian and Sarah McCoy. In the early 1890s a relationship developed between Harry and Julia Warren. A daughter, Eleanor Linda Warren, was born to the couple on Aug. 14, 1895. Some time later Harry's attentions turned to another woman. On Jun. 17, 1897, Harry killed Julia and the child and threw their bodies into the sea. Though the bodies were never found, the crimes were found out, and Harry admitted to them. Harry was tried on Pitcairn and found guilty of murder. He was taken on H.M.S. Royalist to Suva, Fiji. There, on October 8, 1898, in the Suva gaol, he was hanged for the murders.
Source: Pitcairn Islands Study Center "Who Are the Pitcairners?"

      Captain Henry Hart Dyke (1848-1912) commanded H.M.S. Comus 1895-1898. He rose to the rank of Vice-Admiral.

Document no. 108. May 4, 1898. "Draft letter from Colonial Office to Admiralty". Pages 1660 to 1667.

Pitcairn's Island  Notes  Source  Whalesite