Pitcairn's Island  Notes  Source  Whalesite

Admiralty to Colonial Office
suggesting visit of a Judicial Commissioner
to Pitcairn
(May 30, 1898)

      Sir,

      With reference to your letter of 4th instant, No 8596/98, and to previous correspondence, respecting a murder committed in Pitcairn Island in June last by one, H.A. Christian, and asking that instructions may be given to the Commander in Chief on the Australian Station for the conveyance of the prisoner, and the necessary witnesses, from that Island to Fiji, I an commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to request that you will represent to Mr Secretary Chamberlain that this course would involve one of H.M.Ships having to go twice to Pitcairn Island, as the witnesses would have to be taken back, and it is also probable that much difficulty would be experienced in persuading them to leave the island to give evidence, they all being relatives of the murderer and the murdered.

      My Lords would suggest whether it might net be possible to arrange that a Judicial Commission should visit Pitcairn and try the case there, after the island has been brought within the scope of the Pacific Order in Council of 1893. Only one visit by a ship of war would then be required, and it would be far more likely that a satisfactory result would be arrived at.

      It must be observed that the distances to be traversed are great, and even the course suggested by their Lordships would be a troublesome and expensive service, involving special coaling arrangements and preventing the

The Under
            Secretary of State,
                        Colonial Office.

Ship employed on the service from carrying out other duties during a considerable period.

I am,                                   
Sir,                       
Your obedient Servant.     

(signed) H J Vansittart Neale

      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?"

      Sir Henry James Vansittart Neale (1842-1923), Assistant Secretary
to Admiralty 1896-1903.

      Sir Edward Wingfield KCB (1834–1910), was a British barrister and civil
servant who held the position of Permanent Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies from 1897 to 1900.

Document no. 109. May 30, 1898. "Admiralty to Colonial Office suggesting visit of a Judicial Commissioner to Pitcairn". Pages 1668 to 1669.

Pitcairn's Island  Notes  Source  Whalesite