Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1857-01-17
An Outrage against Humanity.

We do not know when we have listened to a
detail az any Incidents which excited more in
dignaHt feeling than The following, which VIZ
proceed 10 give the public. There Gun belbut
one impression upoR the Perusal Of the facts !:
The steamer New Lucy" on her way from
New Orleans TO 81. Lonis, u few days since,
landed about aquarter of a mile above Tunica,
and Capt. Donnelly put ashore thirty-fve Irish
rulirrants, whom hr had taken on board at
New Orleans 10 convey III The former citv. The
statement made by these unfortunate people is
as follows:
Captain Donnclly had agreed with them in
New Orleans TO take them To 81. Louis. Some
of them paid their passag &c; some had no money,
but had letters and bills of credit from respec-
table friends in ST. Louis, with which the cap
tain, as they allege, said he was satisfied. The
point where he put these people ashore was u
woodward, situated in a swamp, where there
was no possibility of their obtaining shelter a.
gainst the elements, or food 10 appease their
hunger. Had he, upon changing his mind, left
them ut a point where the most common ne
c~essaFies or the rudest shelter could have been
obtained, the set would have been relieved of
It's great inhumanity.
He was not ignorant of the impracticability
of their avoiding suffering at the point where
they were driven into the rough swamp, for a
gentleman hailed him and told him it was utter
~ impracticable for them TO obtain aid; there
were neither inhabitants, cabins, nor food in
the neighborhood.
But the inhumanity Of this act of Capt. DOM
nelly is increased by the fact that the greater
part Of these unfortunate people were women
and children, some Of them being separated
from parents and relations, who had sufficient
money to pay their passage-the parents
being carried of on the boat aud the children
thrust ashore. Among the women left, were
some who were old and crippled. One old
woman was carried off on the boat, and her
child, a young girl about thirteen years old,
was put of. The separation Of these families
produced q scene truly distressing TO all per-
sons of human sensibilities.
The only excuse foe this outrage upon his
fellow men was, that the passage was not paid.
When denounced for his dastardly and unman-
~ conduct, By Mr.. N. E. Robinson, who hap
pened to be near the point where these people
were landed he held up a half dollar between
his thumb and finger, and then sneaked below.
As soon as possible, information Of the con-
dition Of these men, women and children, was
conveyed TO the nearest inhabitants, and they
generously and promptly made up purse of
money for them, hailed the steamer Oceana,
Capt. Taylor, who ~magnanimously promised to
take them on board and carry them 10 ST.
Louis, ifhis boat could get up the river to that
point
The names Of the gentlemen who generous
~ contributed to the relief Of these poor emf
grants ars Us follows, and they are given US as
vouchers for the facts related above:
Measra. IN. E. Robinson, g. A. Curry, Pat
lex DoheFty, w. r.. Cox, u. j. Seeders, &. L.
White, wv. n. Wimbish, 8. C. DoheEty, wv. H.
Dawson, "a. Row, H, N. Jackson, B. r. Hattie.
We cannot il two strong terms, express our
Indignation At this outrage upon humanity
The deaertisn Of the poor, the stranger, the