The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-06-21
Our Baltimore Correspondence.

BALTIMORE, June 20 lou.
THAI of Capt. Gardrner--Hmrid Narrativs-
Towr Mestimg-Inswancs Dipidends-Nmthr~
Age~crss- Iheatrieals, &c.
The trial of Captain VIM. X. Gardiner, and Of
his mate, William HUMPHREYS, of the brig Frances
Jane, for manslaughter, in killing their cook,
black man, named Thomas, is still progressing be-
fore the United States District Court and attracts
great attention from its horrid and endish details
The following testimony, given by Charles Perry,
one Of the crew, Is suhstantated by all the others
on board, and will give your readers some idea OF
the merits of the case -
Charles Perry sworn-I am an American; shipped
asr the death Of Thomas Estates the number Of crew.
the sailing OF the brig the aogging cook on tho
nrst day out for insoonce to the captain Tho cook
received dozen, and was then asked by the captain
he would do his work; he said, II II try sir he re-
piled two or three times to thi, effect, and finally
added that he had been slave thirty years and
his master had served him that way" the
captain then said you hear what this Niger says;
don't he deserve more ~ and put the same question
TO the pilots; nobody answered; the captain told
the mate to give him another dozen AID he see MIN
out; they were given aud as the men went for
ward the captain called them back aud asked them II
they had got anything to say about Brown SAID ne
had nothing to say he came aboard to do his duty
WELL" SAID tho captain. that's all we want"
Rogers said something to the effect and the cap
tain remarked TO him, 90 you're the spokesman up.
On the morning of Sunday called to breakfast
at bafpast I. and soon afterwsris called TO WASH
decks down; heard the cook balooing the mate was
b,aiing him by the after hatch with piece OF rope;
he bad bold Of the two ends, and was h,ggpg him
with the bite of 1t. The captain so ID by looking on
Heard the captain say Eat II, Cd d-n you, eat
it" Heard him again use "A similar expressieni the
mate beating him. and hesvng water on him; think
when first saw him that morning he had some sort
of shirt on, with pantaloons and boots but after
wards he had shirt think they were close on to
two hours beating the man; they were over an hour
any way; when came up saw pan OF potato peel
ngs, and beet in it, bat don't know what else there
was in it; they were forcing him to eat it; heard
81
beating him, Don't kill me. Mr. mate let me de =
When he couldn't cry out more the mate took hold
of him and dragged him little ways to tho gangsay
the couldn't walk; there the second mate hove
soue water on him; saw him drink salt water; pass
ed some water myself to the mate; We were washing
decks and he asked me to pass him some; the cook
was pretty dirty then, some part OF him-dirt from
himself the salt water passed the COOK TO drink
in quart pot Belonging TO ne: can't say whether
the cook threw up not from drinking the salt water
there was sort Of bloody roth about his mouth
while at the gapgway, they sent Charles Rogers Tor
rope to give him tow overheard; they were putting
it around him, but took it of again; then the mate
kicked him there once OF twice and finally dragged
him into the galley; he left there and then vent
to the wheel; short time after saw all hands for
ward; had the cook out of the galley Mr. Brown came
to relieve the wheel that might go forward to
the cook they were then rubbing him with turpen.
tine; every and then the aptain and mate would
feel his pulse they said he wasn't dead the captain
asked whose fault IA tits his own fault Amt
he choked himself to death didn't he" They got
some brandy there after while, aud opened his mouth
to get the brandy down; there was froh and potato
peelings In it. and piece of beef found in his
|
his throat. He at length laid on the water casks
and Mt 10 or IL o'clock that night was sewed up aud
| thrown overheard; his eyes were swelled out and
| bunged up, and good deal dis6gured he was a
healthy heard him complain Of No disease but of
| being whipped on the day before saw the cook in
the galley Sunday morning before he beat, aud
suppose he cooked the breakfast he appeared TO be
sober knew Of no liquor board In possession Of the
| crew at that time.
One of the crew, also, has suit against the mate
| for breaking his arm during the voyage. The most
singular part Of the matter, however, is that with
this unbroken testimony before them, the grand
jury only found bill for manslaughter
A town meeting is called here for Saturday af-
ternoon, TO sustain the Compromise bill now be-
fore the Senate The call is signed by our most
| influential citizens, without distinction of party
The Fireman's Insurance Company of this city,
| have declared a semi-annual dividend Of 81 cents,
besides passing a considerable surplus to the capt.
tai Of the company. The stock is about thirty per
cent above par. The insurance companies Of this
city generally pay large dividends, as our firsmen
allow but few heavy conhagraons, TO damage their
profits. All the most combustible property, such
as candle manufactures, steam mills, Sc. are ge-
| morally insured in Northern offices, the agents Of
which, in this city, are so anxious TO issue policies,
that they jump at every thing that offers. The
consequence is, that their losses have generally
exceeded their profits, and most of their agencies
| have hsen withdrawn, and one, the New J~rssy
Protection Company, left several losses unsettled,
| besides repudaiing existing policies.