The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-12-03
The Murder Board the sIOop-oN-
War Brook YIN = eVOIttng Cruelty.

The murder on Board the SlOop-OH-
War BroOkly n-Se voting Cruelty.
We have been placed in possession of
letter addressed to the sister of George Rit-
ter, the young man from this city who was
cruelty beaten to death on board the United
States sloop-of-war Brooklyn, while lying
in New York Bay, off Stated Island. That
such devlsh acts of cruelty should be per-
petrated on board American ships of war,
in the presence of naval officers, is burn
ing shame to our county, and disgrace
to the flag we are wont so proudly to boast
of.
The letter is signed by twelve of the men
who were eyewitness to the revolving
spectacle, and from it we make our ex-
tracts.
After breaking to a sister the death of her
brother, in as gentle words as q sailors
warm heart can do, the statement is, that
on the 18th of November the deceased was
ordered in confinement by Lieut.. Mitchell,
the officer of the deck a marine, and the
| ships corporal, Charles Cooper, seized Rit-
ter and dragged him to the main hatch,
when Cooper took him by the legs and
dragged him down the hold of the ship, his
head striking each step of the ladder as be
was drawn down After this, Sergeant
Ray, of the Marine Guard struck Ritter in
the face with his clenched fist several times,
and then kicked him in the face saying
You ---- -, if ever catch you
on the beach I'll murder YOU"
Ray afterward grabbed him by the hair,
beat his head against the deck three times,
and then ordered Cooper to bring him a
gag The order was obeyed, and Cooper
refused to give Ray the gag, saying he
would gag him. Cooper then laid Ritter S
head on the deck, face upward, and taking
the gag in both hands, tried to force it into
his mouth. Not succeeding in doing so, he
raised his clenched fist and struck Ritter
several times in the mouth.
He then raised his head, and putting bis
knee to the back of his neck, forced his jaws
upward with the gag. The gag is about
four inches in circumference and foot in
lengthy. The gag was then tied tightly
around Ritters head, after which he was
thrown against the bulkhead, where he lay
for twenty minutes, having every appear
ance of corpse. Acting Sergeant Powell
subsequently came in and gave orders to the
sentinels not to permit any one to interfere
with Ritter, or remove the gag from his
mouth About fifteen minutes 3afterward
Cooper came in and was told that Ritter
was suffocating.
He picked him up and looked at him, and
then threw him back against the bulkhead
Saying, I" D-n him, let him lay" A sea
man shortly after this touched Ritter and
found him cold, which fact was reported to
Sergeant Walsh. The gag was then cut
from his mouth, and the dead body was then
taken ont of the double irons and the sur
geon notified.
The witnesses to the transaction were put
ia double irons, and not allowed to appear
at the coroner's inquest, or communicate
with any person whatever. Cooper, one OF
I. the principal murderers, was allowed to &c
4 on shore by Capt Farragut, and would have
escaped had not the boats crew called to
the citizens on Staten Island to arrest him.
as he was murderer.
Some of the citizens desired to detain the
boats crew as witnesses, but the officer in
charge gave his word Of honor, as an officer
and gentleman, that he would return &c
the shore with Capt Farragut and the same
boats crew. The boat was hoisted up as
soon as it reached the ship, and the latter
immediately proceeded TO sea. s-o
a The authorities of any city at which this
ship may arrive should cause the arrest Of
the parties implicated in this atrocious muir.
der, and the Secretary of the Navy Will we
trust, so act, in the premises as become;
an officer who cherishes any regard for hi:
honor and the cause of humanity 1tika
dolphin Meas, NoV. 20.