The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-28 00:00:00

fused to grease the masts. I don't know how often I
said this. I threatened to cut the men down when I
came up with Oie co iris. I shook it in my hand, and I
bdieve struck a cal. with it. I was not in a great pas-
sion, only a little excited. Ido not recollect saying I
would be the death of some of them. If I did it must
have been with the condition that they molested me. I
said I would look a little sharper after them than I had
done. When they put me in irons they said they were
afraid of their lives. I had asked them why they put me
in irons, and they said that. Ido not recollect whether
at the time something was said about my conduct on
board the George. I dined about two o'clock. Rose
dined with me. We took wine together. Nettles was
at his duty from time to time, up to the time when I was
sent for on deck. There was a log-book. Rosh kepi it.
By Mr. SLADE—The crew had conducted themselves
well up to the time I nave spoken. I had congratulated
myself with having a fine set of young fellows fur my
crew. I had been six weeks out of Goole when I took
command of the ship. I have heard of the trial of Cap-
tain Johnson for the murder of his crew. I was cool
when I came up with the cutlass. When I struck the
steward of the George I struck him with my hand. His
face was cut. I did not order the steward of the ship
in which I was going to Madras to go out on the mar-
tingale stays when the ship was pitching. I was fined
5/. for assaulting him. I caught him drinking rum.
to Manilla, on board the British
goingtoget a fresh crew. The crew would
not Isle,Once,w w
work.hanes obliged
II m was
ade
a complaint against them at Hong-
Kong. I took them there in custody. The' magistrate
dismissed the complaint, and ordered them their whole
wages. I don't remember, when before the magistrates,
that Mr. Edmonds stated that he went to call Rose and
Nettles (his deposition was put in his hand, but he still
denied it). I believe Mr. Edmonds was at one time for
calling them. I had told them to be ashore on the day
of the examination. I had not determined to call them
as witnesses. I had then made up my mind as much to
have them apprehended as I had to call them as wit-
nesses. I did not say to Stratton, " D—n your eyes,
what are you staring at ?" I did not push him until lie
got to the main deck. He told me to keep my hands off
him. This was before he squared at me. The crew
did say they would not grease the mast because it was
Sunday, and it had been greased the day before.
By Mr. STONE—We had gone about 400 miles ere the
dispute took place. We had 10,000 miles to go ere we
got to our port of destination. I saw M'Clasky on deck
when the disturbance took place. When I told the crew
to grease the masts they said theyhad been done the day
before and did not want it. They did grease the masts
just after the beef was taken out of the copper. I never
complained of the mode of my confinement. The crew
never used any harsh expressions to me. They always
brought me provisions at the proper times. They re-
fused me nothing but my liberty and the taking off the
irons. I believe before I charged Rose and Nettles with
the other men, they had made a charge against me with
Mr. Collier, Lloyd's agent.
By Mr. Cocxnunsr—There were only two cases out
of the complaints against me on which I was convicted.
John Mattison examined by Mr. COCKBURN—I was an
apprentice on board of the ship James Campbell. I re-
member the 29th of March. I was below and was called
up. The crew were told to grease the masts. They
did not ; there was no occasion. I have been in Scotland
since I came back. I have not been keeping out of the
way of Mr. Edmonds, or been with the persons getting
up the defence. When the men refused to grease the
masts the captain came forward with his cutlass. He or-
dered the cook to take the meat out of the galley. It was
done, and the captain went alt. I next saw him when I
was greasing the masts. He was walking on the weather
side of the poop. We greased the mainmast and then
the mizen. I then went below to get my dinner. The
meat was there. Sholton had the helm. I was sent
there, but the captain ordered me away when I was at
my dinner. The men were below.
p,l.at fourdidn o'clock,otseetheamll
writing. When the captain came u
hands spoke to him. I saw them put him in irons. I
did not see the second mate or the steward there at that
time, but all the others were. Tnere was a man sta-
tioned at the captain's cabin after he went below. rose
navigated the vessel home, the second mate acted as he
had before, and all the crew worked as they had on the
voyage out.
Crose-exatnined by Mr. ROWE—I have never been
spoken to on this matter by the attorney for the defence.
When I first saw the captain he was standing by the
galley; he was flourishing the cutlass about his head.
Ile said he would cut down the first b— that touched
thea bo
umt eat
half aHy
eh
owuars wvietrhyt
nv ieo lnennttia
.H elr
wase m s remained
ionng deck
about half an hour with the cutlass. I was looking over
the ship's bow, and the cook came forward and said, " I
am so frightened I don't know what I am doing or look-
ing for." I said, "I am the same." The captain had
Bono aft, I saw the captain strike a cask with the cnt-
lass. This did not make me much more comfortable.
I wanted to go to the binnacle, but was afraid to go
aft and the captain there. I beard nothing disrespect-
ful to the captain. I never saw the mate in the
forecastle when the captain was put in irons. The crew
said they should take the ship uack to the nearest port
in Britain. When we came to Plymouth, the chief mate
went ashore directly.
By Mr. SLADE—I never saw anything about the cap-
tain's legs. I saw him walk to the cabin. When the
captain flourished the cutlass over his head, the men
were much frightened, and looked at one another. I was
in actual fear of my life. There was uo occasion to
grease the masts. I greased them on Saturday, and on
Sunday the grease was thick on them. Enough to last
to the next Saturday. The boys always grease the
masts, when there are boys on board. We generally
greased them once a week.
Cross-examined by Mr. Cocitnnnx—When the cook
told me he was afraid, I told him he did not look so much
afraid as I was.

John AL‘Dermot examined by Mr. COLLIER—I was an
apprentice on board the James Campbell. I saw the
captain drawing his open hand across Stratton's face.
He struck him on the face, and called him a d—d son
of a bitch. Stratton was going back and fending off the
captain's blows. I never saw Stretton square up to the
captain. I heard the captain say the men should not
have any meat, and I heard him tell Stratton to grease
the masts. He said it was not his place, as
long as there were boys in the ship. He
told the first mate to send a lad to grease the
masts. He sent one of the boys. All the crew
were ordered up, and the captain told them to grease
the masts. They refused, saying it was not
while there were boys iu the ship, and it
was h
y. The captain then ran aft to the
ctabeiirn Sapnlnadncdeagot a cutlass. He then came forward and or-
dered the meat to be taken out of the galley. I had not
heard the men refuse to take it out. The steward took
the meat out, and the captain ordered the mate to see
that it was all out. He then ordered it to be taken into
his cabin. I afterwards saw the steward bring the meat
out of the cabin, he gave it to me, and I took it to the
forecastle. I saw all the crew there except the cook. I
saw them with a paper. Lacy wrote on it, and Craig ;
no one else. I did not see it handed round. I saw the
captain come up about four o'clock. The crew were on
deck. They gathered round the captain, and put the
irons on him. He went below.
Cross-examined by Mr. POULDEN—When the captain
brought up the cutlass, he "swaggered" it about his
head, and said, "The first br— that touches the beef, I'll
cut him down." The men were frightened. The cap-
tain was in a great rage. He struck a cask with the
cutlass. He was on deck with the cutlass about ten
minutes or a quarter of an hour, flourishing it about. The
men ,aid they were afraid of their lines. I was very
much afraid of mine. Rose and Nettles were not below
when the writing was going on.
By Mr. SLADE—When I was examined at Plymouth,
I was told by the gentleman who examined me, that if
I should be transported and put by the
epnrdisoners. That was the gentleman who
slide did
of the
;htmi
me for the prosecution just now. I told the
and have now. During all the time the cap.
Lain was flourishing the cutlass about he abused.
examinedtruth then,

By Mr. COLLIER—When you examined me at Ply-
mouth you did aay that ifl did not tell the truth I stood
a chance of being indicted for perjury. But you also
said that if I did not mind you would put me by the side
of the other man and transport me for life.
Mr. CoLLIER—I think I ought to call myself to con-
tradict this witness.
Mr. Justice Wunnams—You can't do that.
Re-examination resumed—l heard the captain abuse
the crew before the 29th of March. 1 heard him say to
the mate, " You are a pretty —to get married." I
can't judge for the rest of the crew whether they had
cause to be afraid of the captain. The mate had.
Cross-examined by Mr. PoULDEN—When the dis-
agreement of the captain with the mate took place he had
ordered the mate to furl the topgallant sail. He did not
go, and the captain abused him and knocked him off the
poop. He afterwards did go aloft and furled the sail.
William Thomas —I am a sergeant of police at Ply-
mouth. On the Bth of April I went onboard with Rose,
and Mr. Drew, Mr. Collier, Lloyd's agent's assistant.
The second mate came forward. Mr. Drew said to the
crew, " My men, I hear you have your captain in irons,
lam come to take him on shore." They said yes, we
are willing, for that all we want is justice. Moffatt then
went below to uniron the captain, and about ten minutes
after he came up. I had a conversation with the chief
mate; he said the captain had been aggravating him for
many days, chiefly at meal times, but he had made up
his mind to take no notice of it. He showed me a place
in a cask which he said the captain had done with the
cutlass. He said that the row commenced on the day
in question by the captain saying to the man at the
helm, " What the hell are you looking at?" The man
said, "At the head of the ship." The captain said,
" You are a liar," and ordered him to leave the helm.
That he ordered another man to take the helm, and told
the man to grease the masts, which he refused. The
captain then desired the mate to send another hand to
do it, which he did. The captain said he would make
them know before he bad done with them. But the
crew got afraid of him, and began to murmur, and said
they would not work; that the captain went below, and
came up with a cutlass, and struck the blow on the
cask, which he had shown me; it was a dent. Ho said
he was glad that he had not taken any notice of the
captain's conduct, as he was sure he would go on with
the men. _ _

Drew and
,a,al,rhee
is e atpi :ea icua
pc
taatni
ne
;u up. The Cross-examined by Mr. ROWE—I went on board with
for Lloyd's. I was sent for to Mr. Collier's. Rose was
Rose. Drew is clerk to Mr. Collier, the agent
there. Ile hilt] given information when I came on board,
to you. No man
but an officer should have taken him." The captain
give him
mhiamil
up to
the cutlass said,
made no charge against the men. I was in uniform. Ile
knew me to be a policeman. When ho came ashore he
made no charge against the men, but walked away with
Drew. Rose said he took charge of the ship at the in-
stance o: the men to bring her to England. lie also said
that the men said
they were afraid of the captain on ac-
count of what he bad done in other ships. On the Fri-
flay, the mate, Rose, was in attendance. • I did not hear
any char go made by the captain against him. The rest
of the crew were in custody. On the Tu:sday, Rose and
Nettles attended before the magistrates. They were at