Brutal assault
On 17 December 1891, Samuel Gent was tried at the Perth Supreme Court for wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm. Gent, second mate on the ship Strathearn, was accused of violent assaulting African crew-member Joseph Davis. The captain, first mate and steward had also allegedly joined in beating and kicking Davis. Davis claimed that when he tried to crawl away, Gent threatened to shoot him with a revolver. Perhaps as a result of the racial prejudices of the period, Gent was found not guilty.
This trial report is from The West AustralianDownload from Trove
