Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-04-30
Barbarity on shipboard.

From the .tta Cuiito,nio, .iprH ).
One Of the most horrible sights ever pre-
sentrd to the eye Of man, was exhibited on
the 3lst ult., in the persons of two mutt
lated and nearly starved sailors from the
American bark .Sarah Pd'h. This vessel
comes freighted with 900 tons of coal, un.
der the charge of Ephraim Peudleton, mas
ter. She arrived yesterday, i'll los days
from Cardiff, Wales.
Ii appears, rs near rs WE can learn the
circumstances, that about twenty days ago,
while the vessel was at sea, two seam"n
named John Thompson and William john
son, being nearly starved, committed a pet
ty theft of some biscuits. Being detected,
they were ordered by the captain to be fog
ged and ironed. The ~f1ogging was OF the most
Brutal description possible to conceive; for
the naked backs and sides of the men were
not only cut up with lashes, but salt brine
was thrown upon the Wounds and allowed
to dry Oh; and this operation was repeated
"A number Of times. To add 10 the horror,
the men were ironed To the floor Of the
hold and barely sufficient food gwen t. sup
port the almost extinct spark Vt life. The
presen, appearance of the men, with their
backs striped black and blue and in many
places cut through to the bones, their shrun-
ken arms and sunken eyes, and general Ca
daverCus and ghostly loOkingfaces, are fright
ful. No person can behold them without
feeling the blood boil in his veins with in
dignation at the barbarity that could bring
them to such a condition.
PendletOn not satisfied with having thus
outraged humanity had the audicity ~vester-
dav 10 come up i'll a clustering manner be-
fore a l.. ). Commissioner, and make a COM
plant against the men for petty larceny.
Deputy Marshal Williams under that com
plant proceeded to the vessel, arrested the
men and brought them to the Marshals Of
flee and il was only there that their condi-
ton was discovered. Judge Hoffman, |. ).
District Attorney. Della Tore. and others,
rs soon ~ they beheid the trIghttul boxing
objects, at once ordered the arrest of pendlc.
ton. and Marshal solomon M once proceeded
to find him. 4 large number Of other per
sons also saw the men, and could not restrain
their detestati0n. Had Pendleton been pre-
sent he might have been in danger. Among
others present was the second mate vi III"
vessel. who. i'll common with all the crew,
deprerate the foul deed. We asked him wha,
brought the men 10 TINS lie replied la
coniralIy, starvation and abuse" lie him
self had been compelled to throw brine on
the sufferers bleeding wounds.
The worst of the story. however. ha, not
been told. There il now on board the yes
sci a %lunatic, who is said to nave been driven
t. that condition by the same kind of treat
mcnt. 1t i, further said that one man va,
beaten To death on the passage and then
thrown overheard.
Since writing the above Pendleton has
been arrested. There have been issued
against him two charges-on" for infilr-
ting cruel and unusual punishment upon
Thompson and Johnston, and one for cau--
ing the death of Williams, the man who
was thrown overload.
The examination of tn" casc before IN"
L. :. Commissioner resulted in rhe COM
INITIAL of Pcudletun for cruelty inflicted on
William Johnston, John Thompson. Charlie,
Brown. Charles Jackson, and Peter Nelson.
and for the murder Of another of hi, crew,
named " illiam>.