The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-03 00:00:00

on observed that, in consideration of his being discharged
from the force, his sentence would be more lenient than his
offence deserved. He then fined the prisoner ss. or 10 days'
imprisonment.

MURDEROUS ASSAULTS UPON CAPTAINS OF
Surrs.—Adam, Young, John Ray, and Jas. Augustus
Samuels, American negroes, and lately seamen on board
the American ship Satellite from Calcutta, were brought
before Mr. Yardley charged with committing a savage and
unprovoked assault on Capt. Samuel Annis, the master of

the ship.
On Saturday the prosecutor appeared at this court as a
defendant. He was summoned by 11 of his crew, all men of
colour, for their wages earned at sea, and Mr. Fletcher im-
mediately pleaded on his behalf that the ship Satellite was
an American one, and that the magistrate had no jurisdic-
tion. A certificate from Mr. Campbell, the United States
Consul, stating that the Satellite belonged to the port of
Rochland, in the State of Maine, was put in, and the magis-
trate at once decided that he had no jurisdiction in the
matter, and dismissed the summonses. Capt. Annis left the
court, and was fiercely attacked by the prisoners and others.
He returned into court guarded by a strong posse of police,
with his face battered, his eyes blackened, and blood stream-
ing from his nose and mouth. The excitement was very
great, and although an application was made to hear the
case instanter, Mr. Yardley refused, and said the case must
be heard when the parties cooled down, and adjourned the
hearing.
Mr. Fletcher detailed the particulars of the outrage which
was committed within the precincts of the court on an
American gentleman who had been summoned to the court.
He (Mr. Fletcher) was an eye-witness of the outrage, which
was one of the most barbarous he had ever heard of. lie was
quite sure that when the magistrate had received the evi-
dence he would impose a severe penalty.
Capt. Annis said that directly he left the court on Satur-
day, and was making his way towards the office of Mr.
Fletcher, lie was attacked by the defendants, who began
yelling and booting. He was thrown into the middle of
the road, kicked, and knocked down. He got up and was
knocked down again. A man named Fraser, one of those
who took out summonses, was the first that struck him.
He was repeatedly struck and kicked on the head, back,
and face, and should have been murdered if it had not been
for the police. He lost a good deal of blood.
In answer to questions by Mr. Yardley, the witness said
all his crew were black men, except two. lie heard
Samuels say " you, I'll have your heart's blood." The
ship was under seizure on a bottomry bond, and be could
not pay the wages or get any money.
Robert Wittleton, a police-constable, No. 152 K, an
officer of the court, witnessed the outrage. There was one
black man on orie side and one on the other beating and
kicking the captain, who called out murder. Ile seized
Young, and held him fast by the neck. Young said, " Let
me go, you —." Witness said, " No, you are on English
ground now, and I don't let you go until a magistrate de-
cides upon the case."
Several other witnesses deposed to the violence inflicted
by Young and Samuels, but no one saw Ray strike or kick
the captain. Ile was seen among the crowd of coloured
men following the captain, and close to him when he was
ill-used, but it could not be sworn he actually kicked or
struck the captain.
Mr. Yardley ordered Ray to be discharged.
Mr. Charles Young, in defence, said he could not deny
the assault, and he could only plead in exoneration of the
prisoners, that they were very much excited at the shameful
deductions made by the captain in the accounts rendered
of wages due to the seamen who had navigated the ship to
this port, and could not obtain a farthing.
Mr. Yardley said the captain had not been asked a single
question in cross-examination relating to deductions, and
it was exceedingly unfair to make such statements without
giving the prosecutor an opportunity of contradicting it.
Mr. Young—lt is in my instructions, and the accounts,
partly printed and partly written, prove it. There is 14s.
charged to each man for shipping and unshipping.
Mr. Yardley—Then you should have questioned the
captain abeut those matters.
Mr. Young said although the affray might be considered
brutal among Englishmen who fought with the weapons
which nature gave them, it was customary in America for
men to kick each other, and use knuckle-dusters made of
brass, and other weapons. In America this affair would not
be considered exceptionab!e, for" booting," as it was called,
was a favourite pastime there, and Americans did not use
their bare fists as Englishmen did.
Mr. Yardley said there was no palliation or excuse for this
outrage, which was surrounded with circumstances of great
aggravation. The captain appeared in that court to answer
summonses issued against him, and he told hint he could
not decide the case. The legal adviser of the prisoners and
their shipmates made no resistance at all to the decision.
It might be a hardship on the seamen not to get their
wages, but the captain had no power to pay them with-
out the order of the persons who had seized the ship.
The defendants must act in obedience with the English laws
while they were in this country. It was a grave offence in any
civilised country for a man seeking justice in a properly con-
stituted court to be insulted and ill used. A man leaving our
courts of j ustice must be protected, whatever his rank might
be. The prisoners had not only committed a most brutal
outrage, but had also been guilty of a contempt of court.
He was very sorry to hear the remarks which had fallen
from Mr. Young about American brutality as compared with
English brutality. We bad no business to exalt ourselves
at the expense of other nations. The Americans were as
civilised as the English. It was all nonsense to say there
was any palliation in the case. A most gross improper,
brutal, and savage assault had been committed on Capt.
Annis. He fined the prisoners £5 each, and in default of
payment two months' imprisonment.
Mr. Yardley also issued warrants against two other men
named Fraser and Sydam, who were concerned in the out-
rage, and said if any other men committed an assault on
the captain, he would send them before a jury for trial, and
if found guilty they would be sentenced to a long term of
imprisonment.
ANOTHER AND SIMILAR AFFAlR.—lifichael Ryan,
an Irishman, aged 21, Emmanuel Pcana, 2.5, La terence
Cornelius, 21, and Richard Crosby, 21, the three last
foreigners and men of colour, were brought before Mr.
Yardley, charged with assaulting Capt. Henry M`Neil, the
master of the British ship Henrietta.
The prosecutor in this case was summoned to this court
on Saturday by these seamen for wages, and it appeared
that the ship had been on a whaling voyage, and sailed
from London on the 10th of May, 1856, that the original
master, Capt. Holmes, committed suicide, that the ship put
into St. Helena, where 15 men deserted, and were sen-
tenced to three months' imprisonment and hard labour, and
that 15 others were shipped as 'substitutes. After various
adventures the ship put into Ternate, a Dutch settlement,
where the captain was compelled to enter into a eecond
agreement to pay the men monthly wages.
Mr. Yardley decided that as the seamen had entered into
a written contract to go out upon the " lay" or share in the
profits of the adventure, the custom in South Sea whaling
voyages, the second agreement entered into at Tcruate was
null and void, and dismissed the summons.
Mr. Cox, solicitor for the captain, promised that, although
the whale fishing had not been very successful, the ci evv
would be liberally dealt with by the owner at the pay table.
Mr. Joseph Smith, solicitor, said he appeared for the
seamen on the application for their wages, but did not an-
pear for them now, and would not countenance attacks oe
suitors as they were leaving the court.
Capt. M'Neil said that directly he left the court on Satur-
day afternoon be was followed by the prisoners and othets)
who abused him in a most gross manner. Ryan struck hit'
first on the face with his fist. The man Peana seized blip
by the neck and compressed it, and left marks upon his
throat, and Cornelius and Crosby tucked up their shirt
sleeves and heat him. The police came up and interfered,
and took the prisoners into custody.
I n answer to questions by Mr. Yardley, Capt.llPNeil said
whole of the crew will be paid their shares of the profits
of the adventure. Some fish bad been caught. The voyage
on the whole had been unfortunate. I have not been
addicted to habits of intemperance, or afflicted with delirifilg
tremens. There was no inquiry into my conduct before at*:
local marine board, and no intention of proceeding again"
me.
Mr. Yardley—Certain insinuations having been throve
out against the captain, I have given him an opportunity
of contradicting them upon oath.
Capt. /11`Neil—I beg leave to say that the men will be
paid all that is due to them in a day or two.
Mr. William M'Neil, brother of the last-named witness'
confirmed his statement, and said he seized Ryan and 141'
him down until a policeman arrived.
Mr. Yardley—This is a very serious offence, but not nuit9
g
so bad as the last case I heard. Really it is new that partial
going out of this court are to be assaulted by unsuccessfe
suitors, and it must be put a stop to. It is a most abomill;
able proceeding, and I hope never to hear of such a °lie:
again. I fine Ryan £3, or three weeks' ituprisonnieo"
Peana 405., or 14 days' imprisonment; and the others `.A".
each, or eight days' imprisonment.
The crew of the American ship were actuated by ellell_
hostile feelings against their captain that Inspector Alliso'ft
of the K division, and a strong force of police bad to We'
im to a place of safety.

Yesterday the full Board of Admiralty landed at 0:
King's-stairs, Portsmouth Dockyard, at half-past elevee
o'clock, when the men belonging to the dockyard Wehro
1 mustered before their lordships. They went out of i'o
yard for the remainder of the day. Their lordships' stay
the yard was very short.
A POAC HE Et SHOT BY A GAMEKEEPER. r
Thursday morning, between one and two o'clock, threes 4/4
and
four men got within the boundaries of Witton Park, the
of Kr. Joseph Fielden, about a mile from Blackburn, ali;1
were busy setting nets, when they were pounced upon
..,1
three gamekeepers. The men immediately made off, an
one of the gamekeepers, named John Lane, fired and sovc,
one of the men, named Peter Lister, wounding him verd's
severely in the hips and back part of the thighs. Lister was
taken to a beershop and attended by a surgeon, who ties
extracted from his person a number of shot. lie still 0
there in a precarious condition. The gamekeeper, J°lle,
Lane, has been taken into custody, and will be brought D
fore the magistrates.

BI ItTHS.
CIIARLTON—On the Ist inst., Mrs. J. S. Charlton, 1‘1311(4-
park, Streatham, of a son.
HALLEY—On the 2d inst., at 7, Harley-street, Cavendish-
square, the wife of Dr. Alex. Halley, of a daughter. s,
Mont—On the 25th July, at Leckie, Stirlingshire,
Graham Mo ir, of a son and heir. 101 /1
PYE—On the Ist inst., at Wimbledon, the wife of Fie
J. Pye, Esq., of a son.
MARRIAGES. T.TACV
GIBSON—HIGGS—On the 31st ult., at St. John's, A-nol9
ney, Mr. W. S. Gibson, of Islington, to Mary Ann, "ace?
daughter of James Higgs, Esq., of Gresham-tell
Dalston, and Stock Exchange.
FO:K.—TOWNSEND—On the 31st nit. at St. Ge°-,reeo
Hanover-square, George Fox, Esq., of Grectr,s,"....er
Grosvenor-square, to Annie Townsend, of Cornwo 105-
race, Regent's-park, daughter of the late John I.°'
end, Esq., of Leamington, Warwick.

DEATHS. le,
ASHWORTH—On the Ist inst , at 5, St. Georgeri,:i tlle
Lieut.-General Sir Frederick Ashworth, Colonel
44th Regt., aged 75. 146/4
DAVIS—On the Ist inst. , Mr. Samuel Davis, of the
Kent-road, aged 92. " for
PEASE—On the 31st July, at his house, Northge'
lington, Edward Pease, aged 91. f DOD'
FINCH—On the 31st ult., Anne, wife of Mr. James -
sett., Loughborough-road, Brixton. Laura
OSBORN—On the 30th ult., at Chicicsands Priory, ifyir
Elizabeth, second daughter of Sir George and Lae
beth Osborn, a
the 27th ult., at Fleming-road, -,""
ton, slr. Edwin Weedon.
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LONDON : Printed and Published by MURDO
~,
e' PP'
of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The S Ou'un onoti
112, Strand, in the Precinct of the SaveY• to tbe
of Middlesex, Tuesday, August 3,1858.