The Sun.
London, England, 1850-11-05 00:00:00

THE. ALLEGED WRECKERS.

LOWESTOFT, 1110NDAY AFTER] 300 N.—This being
the day appointed for the heerf.ng of the charges
against-the boatmen of this coas'e for impeding the
rescue of the Leman, Captain Peety, from Archangel
for London, from off the Newcc rnbe Sands, and ne-
saulting the crew of the Low estoft, steamer which
had put off to her assistance, tl le Assembly-room of
the Queen's Head, where the magistrates pursued the
investigation, was densely crowded by merchants,
mariners, and others of this port. The following are
the main facts of the case. Eighteen defendants
were charged :
On the morning of the 18th of October, the Leman
struck on the Newcombe Sand, and three men came
off from the beach and tendered their services ia
getting the vessel off. The Lowest oft steam-tug then
came off, and eventually she was engeged by the
master, Mr. Petty, to assist in getting the brig off
for fifty pounds. By this period owner boats had come
off, and their services being positively refused, they
became indignant at the course punned by the harbour
authorities in sending out the tug.. The defendants,
it would appear, waited upon the deputy harbour
master, and desired the tug to be withdrawn. Such
being refused, however, murderous threats were held
out to the captain. They said that they (the tug)
were taking the bread out cf their :mouth, that some-
body had better be sent out to read the Riot Act,
for that they (the wreckers) in tended to muster.
Other bottle., (in all six) came near the brig, and on
the tug endeavouring to tow the 'erig off, they un-
hooked the towing hawsers by their boat hooks, and
after resorting to every stratagem, they commence
pelting the captain, Mr. Cooper, and others of the
crew of the tug with stones. They succeeded in
thwarting the exertions of those in the tug. The
master was hit on the side with este ne, which rendered
him insensible ; he was taken as'aore apparently fur
dead, and now continues ill. The deck of the steamer
was strewed with stones, which the men had brought
offpurposely forthe attack, and it being seen that they
were determined, if possible, to keep her away, she
returned to the harbour, leaving the brig on the
sands. The fellows again pressed their service?, but
were as positively declined, wheat the Coast-guard
officers arrived, and order being somewhat restored,
another tug, the Pursuit, came off and got the vessel
off into the roadstead.
The Chairman (the Ray. Mr. Love), after consult-
ing with the bench, expressed his regret at the occur-
rence. Had the injuries to the captain of the steamer
terminated fatally, they might have all been placed in
a very serious position. The Beneh were inclined to
believe that they might have been acting under an
erroneous impression, and on consideration of that
circumstance they reduced the penalties on each of
the defendants to 101., or two months imprisonment.
Mr. Ballantine then said that all the company re-
quired was to show the men were acting illegally,
and as that object had been attained, he would be
content with their putting in their recognizance to
keep the peace.
The Bench acquiesced, and the defendants being.
called in and pleading guilty, they were bound over
in the way recommended.