The Sun.
London, England, 1860-04-04 00:00:00

A TRAGEDY ON THE HIGH SEAS.

On Wednesday morning, about 6 o'clock, three
men, while in the bay off Staten Island, discovered
an oyster sloop with her sails torn to shreds and
hanging over her side, which, with the gene-
ral appearance of the craft, induced them to be-
lieve that she had been abandoned. Accord-
ingly, they boarded the sloop, which proved to
be the E. A. Johnson, of Islip, Long Island.
Her bowsprit was gone, and she was aban-
doned. The deck was full of clotted blood and
PI it,
apparently
On entering the cabin large pools of blood
were found on both sides of the stove, and in the
companion way. The starboard quarter on the out-
side had much b
w
fienrge
foundeprints.r a
Her
of India boat was
glooriole. on the
cabin
pair
rubber boots, several shirts, bedding,
and a number of other articles, which could have
c
been easily taken away if the vessel had been
honestly abandoned. The sloop was fast drifting
ashore when the steam-tug Ceres, Captain Storens,
took her in tow and brought her to the city. As
soon as the sloop was brought into the Fulton-
market slip, information was immediately given to
the coroner and Captain Weed of the Second Pre-
cinct, who boarded her. The deck of the vessel
presented the appearance of a slaughterhouse.
Everything was covered with blood from stem to
stern ; matted hair was found upon the deck, and
full and complete evidence of a terrible massacre
was plain. An examination was next made of the
cabin, and the sight here, if possible, was worse
than upon the deck. Floor, tables, chairs, and
washstand were besmeared with gore, and every-
thing was disarranged, giving evidence of a furious
struggle. A hammer, weighing about three pounds,
was found upon the floor, covered, like all else, with
blood. Considerable hair was also found upon it,
and it is probable that the assassin or assassins used
it for the purpose of consummating their villainous
deeds. Dr. Bouton, after making a further exami-
nation of the cabin, discovered a coffee pot, and
this, like the3hammer, was besmeared with blood
and covered with hair. It looks as though the
crew, being attacked in the cabin, made a desperate
resistance, and that during the struggle all avail-
able means of attack and defence were used. After
the examination of the cabin had been concluded
the deck was again visited, and a doco inspection
of it still more satisfied everybody that a barbarous
murder had been committed. From the cabin door
there was an unbroken line of blood to the guards ;
but there was the appearance of a struggle, as the
pool was very large ; then, again, marks of
bloody hands were seen upon the guard, and a
hatchet mark. Blood ran down the outer side also.
Forward, at the mast, there was more evidence
of a terrible struggle. A large pool of blood, yet
fresh, lay around, extending to the bow; and here,
again, human hair was found. The mast and sails
were slightly besmeared, and on the guards, near
by, were more imprints of bloody hands. Taken
altogether the scene was a sickening one. The
name of the captain of the ill-fated sloop was Geo.
Burr. He was a man about 34 years of age, and has
a family living at Islip, Long Island. He sailed
from the foot of Spring•street, on the 15th inst.,
having on board three deck hands, two of whom
were named Smith Watts and Oliver Watts; the
name of the third party was not ascertained. The
sloop was bound for Virginia for a load of oysters,
and it is believed that th captain had upwards of
500 dols. in money with him, with which to pur-
chase the cargo. He called at Keyport, leaving there
on Sunday afternoon, and this was the last seen of
the sloop until 3 o'clock on Wednesday morning,
when she was run into by the schooner John B.
Martha, Capt. Nickerson, off Staten Island. Capt.
Nickerson says there was one man aboard her then,
who ?an towards the bow, as the vessel was about
to strike. The sloop struck the schooner about mid-
ships, nearly sinking her. No words passed between
the vessels, and the sloop dropped astern, but when
foundocgsrioa.envwseoanofdbdr:dyih
enteihh.
ssibec(of3hooaoiritn,Telegraph,hase
schooner
eca
oriN ‘dla..
ear
round
as
to the
at
abandoned;.
dl
Ire, esh
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Capt. Nickerson
oss:
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men
itc.
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eet
frightened from tlhiemFeastt andk North RiversL by the
n
on board the sloop at night, thooonrgewanind
These villaihs had probably gone
the cabin, after firstthe
killing man ondeck, and
themmurderedall,
afterwards throwing their bodies
surie-pfurgiseedo