The Sun.
London, England, 1851-12-04 00:00:00

THE SUN,

SERIOUS CHARGE.
GLOUCESTER, WEDNESDAY.—The magistrates of
this city have been occupied*to•day in investigating
a charge brought against the captain and first and
second mates of the ship Infanta, just arrive at
Sharpness Point for this port, with deals from Quebeo.
From the statements of the complainant George
Catlin, who is an Irishman, and of his witnesses, it
would appear that on the 13th of August Catlin sailed
in the Infanta from Liverpool for Quebec, but the
vessel got aground off the Isle of Man, and just as
she was got off again a French seaman on board,
named LaPorte, was ordered to take a turn with a
hawser, and because he was unable to do so in conse-
quence of the speed at which the ship was sailing, the
mate George Hawes, threatened to throw him over-
board, and the Captain (Hayland) struck him a se-
vere blow over the face with an iron belaying-pin, in-
flicting a very severe wound near one of his eyes, and
nearly depriving him of sight. He also repeated the
attack in the evening. On the outward voyage Cat-
lin prepared a written statement of the particulars of
the assault for Laporte to present to the magistrates
at Quebec ; but at that port the Frenchman
and the whol of the crew (excepting four) deserted,
and Catlin heard no more of the charge. He
(Catlin) went ashore, and was seized as a de-
serter, and kept in gaol until the sbip sailed for Eng-
land. On the 17th ult. the Infanta, being then a
week's sail from England, Catlin lost his pocket-book
containing the written statement of the assault on
Laporte ; and one of the sailors, named Douglas, said
he had seen one of the mates take the pocket-book
from Catlin's pocket. This man however, although
he was in Gloucester yesterday, could not now be
found. The captain, it should be stated, was the
only defendant present during the inquiry, and he
admitted that, hearing of the intended charge, be had
sent the second mate, John Awre, away on Saturday,
and that the first mate, Hawes, had in conformity with
his advice left the city.
Catlin, in his evidence, went on to state that on the
morning of the 18th October, when he was lying in
his berth, having a bad hand, the two mates, eaoh
bearing a rope with a noose at one end, entered, and
slipping the rope over his wrists, dragged him out
on the deck. They then passed the ropes over the
grillons, dragged him up by the right arm (he hav-
ing slipped the rope off the other with his teeth),
and made it fast, suspending him in this manner
with his feet about a yard from the deck. They
then tied his other arm up in a like manner, and
pulling down his drawers, and turning his shirt
over his head, each of the mates administered
13 lashes on his naked back with a cat-'o-nine-
tails, in the knots of which instrument had been in-.
serted, according to the statement of one of the sailors,
a number of " pump nails." Hawes, when he
finished his portion of the torture, added a fourteenth
lash, exclaiming with an oath, " Take that you -."
They then let him down, and Catlin fell on the deck
in a fainting state. On afterwards getting up, Hawes
gave him a " rope's ending," and kicked him several
times, exclaiming, " Now you - go for a
witness." Hawes also said, " I have got a paper
with your name to it as a witness for Laporte,"
thus virtually admitting that he had taken the
pocket- book from Catlin's pocket. When he applied
to the captain for some ointment for his back, the
captain told him that he should have the
cat for breakfast every morning; that be was not half
so badly cut as he would be before he got home ; and
that he was to make haste and get well that he might
have another edition before he got into harbour.
Catlin added that he received other ill-treatment from
the mate.

Catlin, when before the magistrate, was still in a
crippled state, and scarcely able to walk. The lace-
rations on his back and on his wrists were still appa-
rent, and he stated that the muscles of his arms and
back are strained, from being hung up by the arms.
The log-books of the vessel were produced, but there
was no entry in them of the punishment inflicted on
Catlin.
At the conclusion of the evidence taken for the
complainant, the magistrates said the case was of so
serious a nature that they should not dispose of it
summarily, but should forward the depositions to the
High Court of Admiralty for their instructions as to
what further steps should be taken. In the meantime,
the captain was ordered to find bail for his appearance
before them again next week.