Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-12-01 00:00:00

THE NORTHERN TIMES.---LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1857

Murder." I saw tho Captain's knees on his back, kicking
and thumping him, crying " You brute, I will murder
you, as you broke the lamp." I think the Captain had
shoes; I can't say exactly, but I now remember he had
shoes, as he wore nothing else. The shoes were leather.
Deceased got up, and dragged himself to the forecastle,
groaning. I saw him next day, and he said his back was
hurt very much. His face was pretty well swollen. Saw
the Captain ill-use him on the Bth September, at the wheel.
I was below, and heard a noise, and went up, and saw the
Captain with Roderigo talking to him. I saw him kick
him, and turn him away from the wheel. Roderigo was
not able from that time to go aloft ; but I can't say if he
did. I should say he was not able to go, as he walked
lame from the time he was kicked at the binnacle lamp ;
he was always complaining after that. I saw his flesh,
but never saw him spit blood. I often heard the Captain
say he would either kill Roderigo or me, and make him
jump overboard. On ono occasion the Captain called
Roderio, and the sacoad mate told him he was not able to
work, when the Captain sent the mate for deceased. He
was very sick in his bunk, and was rubbing his leg with
turpentine. He limped along to him, but could not walk
straight. Captain said, if you don't come along, I will take
a tackle and help you along. He was groaning then,
g Ang along. He pulled off his trousers, reed showed the
Captain his leg, which was much swollen, and
black and blue. Saw a Captain beat him with a
rope close to the cabin door after that. Did not
see him kick him after that, but used to abuse him,
call him a d—l brats, and say he would kill him. Ha
was put to make eenet after, though I think he was not
fit, as he used to sit, because ho was lame and could not
stand. SAW the mate Millard ill-use him on one occasion.
I can't say the date. It was about three or four weeks
before he died. It was late in the evening. The second
mate came to the forecastle and told Roderigo to go to the
look-out, but he was not able, and the second mate
grumbled, and the mate came and asked what the matter
was ? The second mate said the " Russian" won't keep
his look-out, and then the mate said you d— why don't
you keep your look-out? Rederigo said he was unable,
because he was sick. They then had a scuffle, and I drew
near the forecastle door, and saw the mate over ltoderi-
goe's body, thumping him with his fists two or three
times. I went into the forecastle, and heard the deceased
cry out "Oh God, oh God." lie cried out too in his
own language, but I did not understand that. He never
worked after that. He was very thin and weak after that,
and could hardly help himself. He used to cough from
nearly the time the captain beat him, but never heard him
cough before. He camplained several times of great
pains in his side, and used to put his hand to it. He told
me after that if he lived to come to Liverpool, if he did
net get justice he would take Captain Christie's life for
the ill-treatment he got from him oa board. He got
worse after the mate beat him, and was not able to leave
his bunk till he died. Saw him the evening before he
died, and he was complaining of great pains. He had the
same rations as others, and got meal and barley some-
times from the captain. The second mate used to give
out the rations, but I did not attend deceased. I have
seen the scurvy, and don't think he had it—at least it
was not like the rest. There were four men who had it.
Their legs were swelled and black, bet Roderigo's leg was
not the same at all—he used to cry out when it was
touched.

Mr. Mansfield—Wh a did h 3 attribute the swelling of
his leg to? He said the captain kicked him there, and
that caused it.

To Mr. Tyndall—The captain was drunk on several
occasions during the voyage.
Mr. Bluek objected, and his Worship ruled in his
favour.
e ,Witness to Mr. Tyndall—Deceased was t a'ten out of
his bank before he died, to be cleaned—it was two or
three days before he died, but I can't state who brought
him there ; his head was shaved I think against his will,
but I don't know who did it. Saw hirn several times
after, and he was very weak and complained. He said he
did not want his head shaved. I sappose he was helped
out, but not by a tackle. Saw him after death, but did
not see blood flaw from any part of his body. Saw bisod
coma from his nose two days before ho died, and he coughed
a great deal too. He breathed very heavily and groane I
before he died—his breath smelt exceedingly bid, but
never noticed it befora he was beaten by the captain. I
spoke to the captain about it.

Cross-examined by Mr. Bluck—Did not see the captain
beat him after the mate—he was the last that I saw be it
him. I shipped from Liverpool as steward, but was put,
to work at Calabar by the super-c irgo ; I was pat forward
to work. I joined her again at Mainly on the Ist of
July, and that was the first I ha] to do with the captain.
I was disrated by the captain in consequence of his ill.
usage to me. He put ma before the mast, but brought
me back again. I was not disrated the time he beat
Roderigo. I made some memorandums to suit myself.
I made the memorandum in this (a pocket-book) at the
time. I told the crew I would keep a log against Capt.
Christie, for his conduct towards me. Always took a
note in this book. Capt. Pickering did not use me badly,
nor disrate me, but the trading master did. The captain
(Christie) was kneeling on the Russian's bank when ha
beat him about the binnacle lamp. I swear be had shoes
on—l said I thought he had shoes on. They were half
dress shoes.

Did he not make a practice of wearing slip-
pers on the passag3 ? Witness : No ; you may call
them slippers; The shoes had heels—l swear that. I
don't know whether the deceased was a poor sailor or not,
as lam not a judge. I don't think it was scurvy he had.
I don't know if he had ulcers, but when ho came on
board he was perfectly well. The other men's legs were
swollfrn and black, but deceas-td's was not the same, for on
his were bruises. I quarrelled with deceased now and
then, but never struck him at all ; never knocked Em
down. I kno v Henry Renshaw.
Do you like him ? Witness : Yes, I like any
man living. I never saw him beat Roderigo, nor any
one els 3 beat him. If any one touched him, he would cry
out, as there were pains all over his body. There was a
little smell from men who had the scurvy. When I joined,
the captain was beastly drunk, and had the horrors after
that. The deceased was not very dirty, or very clean, in
his habits. Never saw any one except the captain and
mate beat him. I commenced to keep a log when I
joi❑ed, because he began to beat rue when 1 came on
board.

Was it for putting poison or physic in the c)floo,
that you were disrated ? Witness: No, but Captain
Christie said so, bocause he was in the horrors of drink,
and he sail I had poisoned him ; for he drunk a dozen of
Port wine, and a dozen of ale, in four diys, and was in the
horrors, and did not know what he was doing.
Did you put anything in the [coffee, sir ? 'Wit-
ness : Nothing but sugar. I have not spoken to the
other witnesses about this affair, nor do 1 know what
evidence they have given.
To the Court : Toe good; of Roderigo were not sold, as
usual, but kept in the cabin.

Francis Batten examined : I was second mate. This (a
log book) is the official log bo ,k of the barque E!izibeth.
The signature at each page is mine. I was in liquor when
I signed this log in Mr. Tobin's offico, and it ittig%t have
been my death warrant I signed, for I did not know what
I signed. The entries were not read to me. I don't know
the captain's writing. I have seen the captain put his
name to some papers, but I don't know what. There was
some writing in the book when I signed it, but I can't say
what it was. Captain Christie asked me to sign the book.
and looked over nay shoulder to see it. There were several
clerks in the office at the time. I was intoxicated, and got
sa in several public-houses before I went there to sign it.
Mr. Tyndall said he would put in the lag book.
Mr. Bluck : I object, as the captain's handwriting is not
proved.__

Mr, PitinsflAd : I shall admit it ; and, if wrong, let me
be' corrected on the trial.

Mr. Tyndall then read two entries in the log, to the
eff,ct that the deceased could not ba kept clean, and that he
used to be in weL clothes, and could not be got any good
of. That he had scurvy, and died on the Ist November,
not having any effects.
The witness then went on to say : I sailed, in January
last, in the Cumberland, and was made a boatswain ;
and was afterwards made second mate of the
Elizabeth, at Bracker Island. The prisoners were captain
and mate of the ship when I joined her. Roderigo was a
sailor, and appeared to ba a healthy, strong man; but be
appeared to be dirty. He was from 25 to 28 years old,
and was robust in health. He was not qualified to do duty
as an able seaman, though he shipped as one; he could
steer, but very badly. Deceased was in the first
officer's watch, but was transferred to mine after
some four or five weeks. I recollect the captain ill-
treat him several times—first some three or four weeks
after we were nut, but I can't say that exactly. The first
ill-usage I saw was at the wheel. The Captain told him
he was not steering correct, and said, ".D—d your eyes,
why don't you keep the ship straight, or I will make you
straight," and he struck him with his fist in the face and
kicked him in the legs. He had laced-up shoes with
common sized soles on them. Saw him different times
hit him a smack of a rope's end to correct him in his
steering. The witness then went on to corroborate the
evidence of the other witnesses, about the affair of the
binnacle lamp. He said the Captain ordered the deceased
out of the cabin. and I told him he was sick, and he
ordered me to bring him out, and if I refused I would not
be doing the duty of an officer of the ship.
Mr. Tyndall : Was he able to do duty at that time ?
He was not, sir.
He then went on to corroborate the evidence about the
mate kicking the deceased at the forecastle door, one night,
when deceased was not able to keep his watch or his look
out. The witness swore that the mate certainly gave him
six or sem kicks en the body, and it might b. 12 or 13