The Express.
London, England, 1866-02-16 00:00:00

THE ALLEGED STARVATION OF THE CREW
OF THE WESTERN STAR.

INQUEST.—(THIS DAY.)
This morning Mr. James Bird, coroner for Weet
wows, rearmed, at the Plough Tavern,
sa inquiry relative to the death, from alleged hardship and
eelsastion, of James Vernon Monger, aged 19 yeses, *se of
the crew of the We4ern Star.
Mr. E Home Colunaa appeared on the part of the Board
of Trade ; and Mr. J. H. Lydell, 01 the firm of Sweating
sad Lydell, represented the family of the diseased.
The ship Western Star arrived in the St. Ketharine's
Docks on last Sunday week from the C.arystesa Elver, Dear
geehice, ia the West Indies. AU the crew were in a
deplorable state of exhaustion and suffering, and two of
them, a German earned Shroudtr, and the youth Mum
thee within • few hours after buag removed on /lora
Monger stated to his father, when dying, that
the ship bad been short of provisions on the voyage
bus and that all hands had suffered is ousequeue.
Xi.. Monger, a tradesman in beeriness at Notting-hill,
waited or Mr. Paget, at the Thames Policossorui, about
she matter, and made a statement that his son died from
his sufferings os board the Western Star, and the magio
State &deleted that the whole of the facts should be inves-
tigated before the coroner. The present inquest wee held
to consequence.
Captors Elijah Hutchings said that he wee master of the
Western Star, and that he had not his witoesses present.
One or two of them were ill. and could cot be examined.
WU lam BoweU, Sailors' Home, Wall-street, said that he
wee • seaman on board the brig Wasters Star from Septem-
ber until the 4th of this month. He west out in her to
to Cannata** river, Berhice Ones the nearest onertorn-house
to it. The voyage out °coupled seven weeks, and she
arrived out in October. AU the crew were than healthy.
The previsions were satisfactory on the voyage oak. the
ship left Berbioe for England. on Christmas Eve. He did
not know whether fresh positions were taken in at Bu-
lges. All the crew had hiss seised with fever a moot►k
before leaving. They were attended by a factory doctor,
who was of no peas amount. He attended nigglers and
that sort only.
Coroner—And whites too, I nipples
Witnees—No, sir, for there us noes there. He told me
I was stadag, and he told Shronder, who died since, the
MM. Ido not know what kind of fever it was. I only
knew lam suffering from it still. One of the crew was
ill of the fever when we left the Caryateen. James
Monger took sick shortly after and eentinned so nearly
the whole voyage. I did not see say attention
paid him. All the crew, Monger iecludecl, got Us same
food. He sometimes could not eat what he got. This
arms from hie illness. The provisions cionsisted el salt
beef and rice, and salt beef and par. The rice was short
le quantity, and it was the only thing we could eat. There
was no flour on hued. We ootild only eat what was soft.
The pea-soup was very poor hides& It was usual on
board ship to get flour. Neither flour nor pork was
served out in the Western Star. No lemon juice was
served out, them was none. While I was sick is myhtiok
moms of the crew went aft and complained to the septets
of the want of provisions. We did not get our fell allow-
ance of bread. We spoke • vessel on our way. We put
late Hyde throe days before we reached London. When we
had been there 20 hours I complained to the captain that
the proviaions were not what we signed for, end bean in pert
we ought to get better. On that day we had a few beans and
salt beef, though we had been in port that length at time. He
said we should get nothing else till we reached London. He
went on shore and got some fresh provisions for himself,
but nose for um. We had peas and salt beef, as canal, the
next day. The last day we were on board, Saturday. we got
elites fresh meat and vegetables. It was the usual quantity
of fresh beef. We arrived on Sunday morning in dock.
By the fary—tdonger was insensible at Hyde. No darts
was sent for. He was very ill throughout the presage
the crew were suffering more or lam When the fresh food
was brught to the deceased be could not touch it. The
voyage home was shorter than usual. Anything could have
bees got from the vessel that was spoken with. She bore
down aed asked did we require assistance, but the captain
esoured " No.'
By the Coroner—The ship had bad her foremast out away
end that might have been seen from the strange vessel.
The offer of " any assistance " might have bad reference to
the state of the ship. But it would mean " provisions " as
well. The ship could have put into Barbados', or to other
ports for provisions. It was • common thing is get provi-
sions from another ship, even when it was necessary to
'Seal for such assistance.
Ifr.Ooloman—flow many were ill on board when the

vend spoke you ?
Witness—All of as were ill. I think only three were
below deck ; the zest had to stay up.
A juror asked whether it would not be "negligence' on
the part of the captain when he bad not provisions
enough on bond sot to gal any from the strange vessel.
The Cormier said that that would be a very nice question.
!n law.
Captain ThiSobinge asked the witness whether Shrouder
was not in his bunk when the ship left Berbice, and was
not made to get up by the crew.
Witness—He was hoisted up.
An altercation, which was stopped by the Corooer, than
ensued between the captain sod the witness, the latter
stating that the loos of pork and flour 'was ruinous I. the
crew, end that the captain could have get a whole cargo
of those articles if be liked. The captain said that be had
to sat the same salt beef and other food himself as the rest
of the crew. _ .

Three other seamen baviog been examined, testifying to
their want of food and ill health, the mate was called by
the captain. The mate said they were not on abort al-
owasee at any time, and that the deceased had all the
attention the captain could give him.
According to lb* medical evidence the c►nse of death was
exhaustion through want of proper nourishment. This
and medical attendaaoe at Ryde would in all probability
have saved his life. . . . .

—.—
The jury returned a verdict "That the deceased died
from the mortal effects of exhaustion from weet of proper
nourishment," sod the jury added to theirverdict, "That the
captain of tile Western Star did not show the deceased pro-
per atteatioa, sad that he was guilty of gross neglect."