New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-27

2
hin. {. came from hs wounds whsn | sag the cap-
tan forward FIST as cawU Out o. Tie cAoin -"
a fcrOu sisbbiug TIE cook the Court admitted ule
estrr ny o. TIE sabbng. but not s. 90 the prs'n
Who I'D III the captain then talking IN the Oah
OF the long boat expustuiaiinS wid the men; after
t.y threw the captain overheard tuey then crled out
Now for the cook they thre y the cook overheard,
aLd the crew, including these four men, commenced
washing the deck Ned said 10 me, " You are cap
tain IL the ship now; YOU must Toxic her into ~.
Thomas" these four prisoners demanded Of me 10
come into the cabin. the whole fJUr came into tn
cabin and demanded the log-boo&, and | brought II
cut i was only the four who ordered me into The
cabin but the Others OF the crew were there Alto;
these four demanded the og-book; they said " We
want the log-book;' De Costa cannot talk or UNDER
stand ESsh; brought the l0g-6ook cut, and they
ordered NE to put down IN the book that the cook
ana captain had died, and 10 note, htte further
back On different days, that the captain aud cook
were SICK: fearing my lite made the entries rs
directed the log-book was here produced aud
identified; the handwriting in this gboOk Is mine;
after this occurred, | shaped our course to ~.
Thomas; we reached ST. Thomas in seventeen days;
the blows struck the captain were heavy blows; DID
not see the captain after he thrown overbOardi
there was good gaIantsail breeze on at the time;
there was vessel in sight: the English language
was used on board the vessel in giving orders, and
tried TO explain IS we'll Il could TO De Costa in
English; when couldn't the other men Interpreted.
Cr,ss-e xamned by Mr.. Nssh-l did not see the
captain having anything in his hands during thstme
when went down 10 work out the reckoning the
captain or second mate had command; testified be-
fore The United States Commissioner in relation 10 this
matter after came in; the captain told me that ne
was by birth q Norwegian | am a Dane by birth;
believe Morris Is an Englshman, Irishman or Scotch
nan: the second mate was American, | believe; the
COOK a led himself American; Kirby, one OF the
crew, believe, is English; | was shipped for the
voyage in New TX, ana was engaged by the cap
tain himself after we won't a. MOnroya,
coirg 10 six or other ports; werc going on
irsdlus voyage to get palm oil We were consigned l
believe, 10 a man an hOnrOyia; the captain told ne
the voyage would be about tive ar SIX months; We
Lad n general cargo: We had no lumber; there were
thirteen water casks do not know when the brig
WIS built; never saw her before Capt. Lawson had
her; had never been 10 the Coast OF Africa on any
voyage and believe none of the men had, except
John Ned.
Mr. Nash asked that the prisoners might be asked
through the Interpreter whether the captain STRUCK
either Of them WITH an ak.
The Court said it was not admissible.
The witness went with the vessel to 81. Thomas,
where | gave information tn the American Consul Of
the mutny, and he gave me assistance IN arrestlpg
the men; the prisoners did not give any reason for
wanting he vessel taken 10 ~. Thomas so far a.
know there were more than these prisoners who
disobeyed the captain never knew OF any difficulty
with them before.
Direct examination resumed-Before we reached 81.
Thomas the prisoners asked me that keep secret the
murder and 60 with the log. book to the Consul aud
assert the fact the captain and cook having died as
was stated in the logbook they came ait to speak to
about II several UulcS' the chpthin WIS killed.
about twenty minutes after the cook.
To a JurOr-Nhcn | went forward 10 pacify the
men, there WAS some excitement, but not 80 much a.
they showed afterward aft when saw him forward,
| did not know the captain wa hurt at all.
CRUELTY TO SAILORS.
PREsTsTNFNT BY THE GRAND JURY.
The Grand Jury came into Court at about II clock
and handed the following paper to the Judge:
!>oWicrH DjStriT Grand Jnry Room Of Ner- York,
ss.-May 20, iS57.-The Grand jury for the United
Sates Circuit Court would respectfully call the aen-
ton Of the Court 10 the number and frequency of the
complaints by seamen of cruelty and abuse BY ship
officers.
Not only has the number of cases of this description
which have come before this Grand jury been large,
but it j. striking 10 observe the hgh-handed GOODNESS
with which these barharitlcs pracced The sailor
il beaten not only with the ropes end but with the
behaving pin the marinspike and haudspike, and even
with weapons deliberately provided beforehand. Me-
tallc knuckles seem 10 be iaVorte instrument OF
cruelty. Ii need hardly be added that great injury,
disbursement and sometimes death, result.
Humanity Ms well as sound commercial policy, have
long cried against this evil yet it sadly prevails and
increases.
The Grand Jury feel constrained in view of these
facts 10 urge the most unSparng application OF the
law, for the protection of the sailor, and the punish
mert II cruel masters and officers upon the high
c. CROLIUS Foreman
HENRY W. HICKS Secretary.
FREDERICK Bull, A.sstshs Secretary.
The Grand jury then stated that they through
with all the business before them, but that the Dis
trct Attorney bad sghifed an intention of presenting
some more bills.
Mr. McKeon remarked that the bills referred TO
we've in pending before Commissioners, "a to
he dir osition of which he had not determined He
was willing that the Jury should be discharged. They
were accordingly discharged for the term.
The Court then adjourned to Wednesday.