The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-09-13 00:00:00

SUFFERINGS AT SEA.

The Montezuma, from Punta Arenas, arrived at
Falmouth on Saturday, bringing in Captain Dubley
and two men of the yacht Mignonette, from Southamp-
ton for Sydney, New South Wales, which left South-
ampton on May 19, and was struck by a heavy sea
and foundered on July sin27S. 10 W. Those on
board had just time to get into the boat, with no
water or provisions, and were 24 days in an open boat
13ft. long. On July 29, in 24 S. 27 W., the crew
ware picked up by the Montezuma, after having
drifted and sailed 1000 miles in their boat. A
Reuter's telegram from Falmouth states that a boy
who escaped with the crew died from privation, and
his companions were compelled to eat his body to
sustain life.

A later telegram states: The Mignonette was a
cutter-rigged vessel of 33 tans, and was built about
17 years ago at Brightlingsea. She left Southampton
on the 19th of May, and was to be taken to Sydney
for a gentleman named Henry J. Want. She had
experienced bad weather previous to the sth of July,
on which day she was struck with a heavy sea. The
crew had great difficulty in getting in the little punt,
which was only 13ft. long. The survivors state that
they were out of the track of vessels, and that they
did not see one during the whole of the 24 days. To
make a sail three of them joined their shirts, and
placed them on a pole together, and thus for days
they sailed before the wind, the weather at times being
tempestuous, but it was remarkable with what ease
the little craft rode over the waves. The boy, who
was a native of Southampton, was about 17 years of
age, and previous to his death he was very bad
through drinking the salt water. The captain is a
married man, as also is Stephens, the mate, but Brown
is a single man, They state that they cannot pos-
sibly describe their sufferings, and even now, although
they have been on board the German barque nearly
40 days, and were treated exceedingly well, they feel
the effects of the exposure and privation.
The Plymouth Correspondent of the Daily News
gives some additional particulars, from which it
appears that the unfortunate men left Southampton
on the 19th of May, and had a fine voyage up to the
time of their crossing the line on the 17th of June.
From this date their troubles commenced. Dirty
weather set in, and for several days a succession of
heavy gales was experienced. On the 3rd of July a
frightful storm was met with, and a huge sea swept
over the yacht with such force as to lay her
right open. The captain seeing that the yacht
was rapidly foundering ordered the boat to be
got out. This was done, but with the exception
of two small tins of preserved turnips they
were without either food or tiater. The turnips
lasted but four or five days, and their sufferings
from thirst during that time were frightful.
They killed a turtle and drank its blood, and then for
more than a fortnight they were absolutely without
food. So terrible did their position become that at
the end of the eighteenth day they deliberated as to
the advisability of casting lots as to who should be
killed to supply food for the others. This plan was
proposed by the captain, but one of the men objected,
saying it was better they should all die together, and
the proposal was not pressed. But after two days
more of horrible suffering both the captain and the
mate suggested that the boy Parker should be killed,
especially as his sufferings were so intense that he had
become delirious. They also reasoned that he was
only a lad with no responsibilities, while they were
!named men with wives and families dependent upon
them. Brooks declined to be a party to this act, and
at first none of the others would undertake it.
Eventually, however, Captain Dudley and Edwin
Stephens decided to kill Parker, it being
arranged that Dudley should strike the
blow while Stephens held the lad down.
Dudley first offered up a prayer for for-
giveness, and then telling Parker that his time
had come, ran a penknife through his jugular vein,
and the boy died almost immediately. The survivors
caught the gushing blood in their tins and drank it
between them, then stripped the body of its clothes,
cut out the li7er and heart while yet hot from the
body, and devoured them voraciously. For the next
foil; days they continued to live on the flesh which
they tore from Parker's dead body, and they were still
eating their horrible food when, on the twenty-fourth
day from the time they left their yacht, they were
sighted and rescued by the German barque Aloe-
tezuma. They then presented the appearance of
living skeletons, and were so weak and exhausted that
they had to be lifted out of the boat and carried on
board. The mangled remains of Parker were at once
cast into the sea, and the survivors received every
kindness and attention on board the barque. On
arriving at Falmouth on Saturday they were taken to
the Sailors' Home, and later in the day they were
apprehended under a warrant, and charged with the
murder of Parker on the high seas.

_Before the Falmouth borough magistrates on Mon-
day, Thomas Dudley, Edward Stephens, and Edwi:
Brooks, the survivors of the yacht Mignonette, who
after being at sea in an open boat, for 19 days without
food or drink, are stated to have killed a boy named
Richard Parker, and to have eaten part of him, were
charged with the murder of the lad.
Formal evidence was taken to show that the
prisoners had confessed to having committed the act,
and they were remanded in order that the treasury
might be communicated with. The story the men have
told has caused the greatest excitement in Falmouth.
Mr. Tilley who appeared for the prisoners, applied
that they might be admitted to bail, on the
ground that any evidence that had been
adduced had been only a statement volun-
teered by the prisoners themselves. There had
been no attempt at concealment. They made their
deposition without reserve to the Collector of Customs
respecting what had occurred during the twenty days
they were without food in the boat. The poor
fellows from their conduct to the present time,
showed they had not the least wish to shirk the facts
of this melancholy case.
The Mayor asked if they were prepared with bail.
Mr. Tilley said any amount of bail could be given.
The Mayor, after consulting with the other magis-
trates, said they had given the matter their serious
consideration, but the circumstances were of such a
nature, that they could not grant the application.
The prisoners were then removed to the police-
station.