New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-02-06
HORRIBLE MURDER BY AMERICANS ON THE
HIGH SEAS.
From The London Daily E:,0s

HIGH SEAS.
From The London DALI -Espes
On Saturday Jan. H. Edmund Lane and Gordon
Hires the first and second mates of the American bark
Anna, now lying at Cowes, we've brought up On re-
msnd before full bench of county magistrates for tue
Isle Of Wight, charged with the wfu Murder OF six
aeamen of the above-named vessel, viz John Iutle,
William Pomeroy, a man known rs Frank, William
johnson, David Pagins, and James Armstrong. Tho
proce edngs had been taken consequent on a. iEtcrDa-
ton by John Thomas and Abraham Rock, seamen on
board the Anna. The unfortunate men who, II was
alleged, had met with their deaths il consequence OF
most horrifying cruelties, were men of color.
John Thomas one Of the colored seamsn, deposed as
follows: am All American, and an able seaman on
board the Anna of New-York. We sailed from New
York in June last, with . crew consisting OF Capt.
Turtle; Edmund Lane, chief mate; Gordon Hires,
second mate; Abraham Rock, myself, John Turtle,
VIM. Pomeroy, man known on BOARD as FRANK; W N.
Johnson David Pagins, and James Armstrong. There
was also on board Richard ROseman, the cook he Is
a white man, but also an American. These men were
all on board when we sailed from New-Y York. but
Turtle, the seaman Frank, johnson, P>ns, Arm
strong, and Pomeroy are since dead. On the 81 Of
July was on the topgallant orecas,le when Lane,
the chief mate, gave order TO Armstrong, lie did
not attend to il as quickly the mate wished, and
Lane, taking up maIet, struck him with over the
eye Armstrong fell on the main deck with his head
forward, and then leaned the chain. l went to
His assistance put my hand on his head and pulled t
back and saw that his left eye running out. He
did not speak but remained on deck about an hour az
terward. The second mate sant him down on the mar
tingale, under the bowspr TO cean the earring He
took bold of the earring but could not clean IT. M
was washed off the martingsle, and towed along in
the water by the earring, which hs arm was colsd
round. Abraham Rock wert 70 his assistance. The
chief mate was the iltrD0om, and as Rock wac
about TO haul Armstrong on board, he said, Don't
haul the niger in; cut the earring and let him go
About two minutes afterward, Armstrong LEI 60 his
hold and Was lOst. We were ~ days on our passage
from Legona, in South America TO Cowes. Abou5D
DAYS after sailing from Legona the second mate, Cor
den Hires, accused John Turtle Of stealing rum from
bic cabin Hires ordered him 20 rope through
the ring Of he anchor and secure 20 the cahead.
Turtle obeyed the order. Hires caught him by the
head, hauled him down the deck, and stamped upon
and kicked him on the head with his boots which
were very hard. saw Turtles head and eyes bleed
ing. Hires went aft, went 20 breakfast, and Turtle
went down in the orecastle After breakfast, Hires
said to me, Is Jack Tarte turned out y IrePied,
"No" He said "Tell him If he don't come out and
get on TO the pump IN murder him" went down
and found Turtle in his bunk apparently much bruised
When l told BIN TO get up, he said he could not. l
said, eff you don't get up the mate will come and
beat you Turtle aepisd, g can't get mp
if they kill me-" Soon afterward, Hires
pulled him ont of the bunk by the ears, threw
bim down in the forecastle, and stamped upon him
heavily. Hires got off Turtle and said TO him, Now
get ont and go 10 the pump. Iartie made no reply,
and Hires then picked him up and hove him on to tie
main deck The ship was or the port ack, lying over
on the starboard side. Tultle caught hold OF rope
left ear took ont his knife and cut the rope yarn aud
let Turtle fall into the lee scuppers where the waller
about two feet on deck. said, g am not going
To let this lie and die here In this way, and took
Turtle to the fOrecastle, where aid him down. He
did not speak he was helpless; and his mead was. all
in gore of blood About two minutes atIerward
Hires asked me, "Jack is that old niger dead yet"
said, Z" No, sir, but he's pretty bad Off" This was
about twelve O'Clock at noon. attended on TOrte
until ten O'Clock the same night He did not speak
the whole time, and was unable TO take anything. AT
four o'clock the next morning / found hi.r dead on
the floor. Before he ill-used he seemed pretty
well-he fad OF " gore feet No one i'll used hY 40
tlat time besides Hires, and quite SUI n u.
died from the ill-usage Abraham Rock was sa' =
10 part OF it, and the others who wtnfS" So
are dead. Two days afterward Hires So In
the old Niger NJ and throw him oyeroYts onnd tae
sewing him up took hold Of his head az Tbs edOe
bone OF Lis forehead broken in the cent? his bes5
OF the bone projected through tho skis ana n eaS
wss very much bruised. Turtle was re san,e c,orn
GO wears of age. About II O'Clock All Hires swear
ing that Turtle ded learu , an and tina; Hires
ing in the sahoom. went or OIL hest choking him
Lad johnson down on ts &C. c1rnug from biz mouth
with both hands saw ooo1 sseS. feel yery BAD
Aftetwsrd he Ssia ,e mate has ehoked 70 deatn.'
aila am oylns he same day Johnson died, ana DO
ss drown overboaId tae asy ISi'0wI ms, Win ., hoe
Johpsoh viewed at Cowes the man Frank also de0.
before ,sree days before his death saw Lane. tao
We 81 MAZE aI beat him. Between and O'Clock 10
. sIn' evening of the next day Frank was AT ue
Nee. ns and Lane, who was standing behind hon,
'sd q II ven 20 quarter Of point OF your corse
. ri murder YOU" Directly afterward he struck Aui
or the hack OF MS mead Win Delaying PIN. TIC
fen on the spokes Of the wheel and there Lane
tinued 70 bea, him with the Delaying pin. Lsnf then
called Rock toreeve the wheel and sent Er INK bleed
ing 10 the pump. Lane beat him FOR an hodr, IN ana
on, striking him every three or four minutes. Fmnk
called out "Muiderw twice; he exclaimed, "Oh
GodW several times snd he called once ior toe cap
tiu Frank bled very much, and appeared 10 los ms
senses be halloed all night, and died about II GoeA
the next night. The DAY after Frank Died, he wSs
thrown overheard and in about three hours after HAa
we saw the Start Point. =.
The evidence ct tbis witness referred 70 the dssle
OF four colorei seaniep. The Witnesses IN a'lendan
to prove tie deaths of The osbertwo unfortunate W
were Abraham Rock, man Of color, aud Kosew'~
the steward. Av
Mr. Stokes said he represented the American r ,re
ernrcent, and he had 10 present protest uhoe tSe
treaty OF Washington, agsnst the Jurisdiction esn
Mapistrates Together with letter from the AnsEosest
Minister, authorizing him 70 appear ana 70 The
agsnst the jurisdiction. IL was . nnlttcr W.T. WA
American Goyernrsent only could .,ntertan' mia
the wish aud intention tia, an nayry ssS s and
by the Goniul into The eircumFiapces OF ae limit
n il .ocn move that these oe ases bad beep msst
.oG then, on be6sli Of ths CeAsu, he "hoaa