The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-02-10
Rirbmunn 4ispatrt.
FRIDAY MORNING. 49,. FEB. 10. iss
Horrible Craeisy ~ sca.-six seamen Naur.


Horrible Craelty ~ sca..Six Seamen N1ur.
dered.
In Liverpool on tho 18th uItimo, Edmund
Lane aud Gordon Hires, the first and second
mates OF the American lark Anna, Of New
York. were arraigued for the willful murder
of sir seamen, on the voyage TO that port
All the victims were helpless free nesroe,
who brutal ofiicers seem, from the evidence. tc
have slaughtered like sheep The evidence o,
John Thomas, one Of the seamen, was given
In as follows:
We sailed from New York In June last. with
a crew consisting of Capt. Turtle. Edinu a nd
Lane. chief mate; 0ordon Hires. second ma ,e;
Abraham Rock, myself, John Turtle, VIM
Poneroy, q man known on board az Frank
Wm. fagins, 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 York; but Turtle, the seaman Frank,
Johnson, Pagins, Armstrong and Pomeroy are
since dead. On The Sd July was on the top
gallant forecastle when Lane, the mate, gave
an order to Armstrong. He did not attend to
il 90 quickly as the mate wished, and Lane,
taking up mailei. struck him with it over
the eve. Armstrong fell on the main deck
with his head forward, and then leaned
over the chain. went to his assistance, put
nv hand on his head and pulled 1t hack and
+. l saw that his left eye was rMnniaG~ out
He did not speak, but remained on deck about
An hour afterwards. The second mate sent
him down on the martingale, under the bow
spirit TO clean the earring He took hold OF
the earring but could not clean il. lie was
washed off the martingale, and towed along in
the water by The earring, which his arm was
coi,ed round. Abraham Rock went to his as
sistsnce. The chief mate was on the jib boom,
and as Rock was about to haul Armstrong ON
board, he said, Don't haul that Niger in; cut
the earring and let him go" About two mi
nutes afterwards. Armstrong let go his hold
and was lost. We were eighty days on our
passage from Lagono. in South America to
Cowes. About thirty days after> billing from
Lagona, the second mate, Gordon Hires, ac-
cused John Turtle Of stealing rum from his
cabin Hires ordered him TO reeve Il rome
through the ring Of the anchor and secure it to
the cathead. Turtle obeyed the order. Hires
caught him by the head, hauled him down On
the deck, and stamped upon and kicked him on
the head with his sea boots, which were very
hard l saw Turtles head and eyes bleeding
Hires went aft, went to breakfast, and Turtle
went dow in the forecastle. After break fas t..
Hires said 70 me, lis Jack Turtle turned ou !''
replied, mo" He said, "Tell him If he don't
come ont and get on to the pump I'll murder
him. 1 went down, and found Turtle in
his bnnk, apparently much bruised. When
told him to get mp, he said he could not
l SAID, IT you don't get up the mate will
come and 5eatyou." Turtle replied, g l can t
get up ii they kill me.'' Soon afterwards.
Hires pulled him out Of the bunk by the ears,
threw him down in the forcastle, stamped
upon him heavily. Hires got off Turtle, and
said To him, snow get out and go to the pump
Turtle made no reply, and Hires then picked
him up and hove him on the main deck. The
ship was on the port tack, lying over on the
starboard side. Turtle caught hold of 4 rope
yarn on the main hatch; Hires kicked him
under the left ear. took out his knife and cut
the rope yarn, and let Turtle fall into the lee
scuppers, where the water was about two feet
on deck. 1 said, II am not going to suffer
this man TO lie here and die in this way" and
then took Turtle on TO the forecastle, where
laid him down. He did not speak; he was help.
less, and his head was all in 4 gore of blood -
About two minutes after wards Hires asked me,
Is Jack, is that old niger dead yet p l said,
" NJ, sir, but hes pretty bad off, This was
about II O'Clock at noon. attended on Turtle
until 10 O'Clock the same night. He did not
speak the whole time, and was unable to take
At next morning / found him
dead on the floor. Before he was nl-used ht
pretty weli-he had only sore feet
No one ill-used him at that time besides Hires.
and l am quite sure he died from The ILL usage
Abraham Rock was witness to part Of it, and
the others who witnessed it are dead Two
days afterwards, Hires said, "Sew the old ne.
gro up and throw him overheard" In sewing
him up took bold OF his head. and found the
bone Of his forehead broken in the cen ire. The
edge OF the bone projected through the skin, and
his head was very much bruised. Turtle was
81 and 90 years of age. Abou, eleven
O'Clock on the same morning that Turtle died
l heard a scuifle and Hires swearing in the
sail room. / went out and saw that Hires
had johnson down on the tool chest. choking
him with both hands. / saw blood coming
from his mouth. Afterwards he said to me
Jack, l feel very bad, aud am dying Tht
mate has choked me to DEATH" AT O'Clock
the same day Johnson died, and was thrown
overheard the day following, with Turtle
johnson was about IS years old
About seven days before We arrived at Cowes
r. r. A1z> ls1<3n Il
tore his death, saw Lane, the chiet mate, beai
him. Between seven and eight oclock Of the
evening of the next day, Frank was at the
wheel, and Lane who was standing behind
your course, I'll murder you." Directly after
wards ae struck him on the back of the head
with Il Delaying pin. Lane then called Rock
to relievs the wheel, and sent Frank, bleeding
to the pump. Lane beat him for an hour, OH
and on, striking him every three or four min
utes. Frank called out sMurder - Twice he
exclaimed. "Oh God :" and he called once for
the captain. Frank bled very much, and APP
peared 20 lose his senses; he hollered all night
and died about l2 O'Clock the next night
The day after Frank died he was thrown over
board, and in ah'nr three hours Afterwards
We saw the Star Point.
The eviuence vi tnis witness testified to the
deaths OF four colored seamen. The witness.
es in attendance 10 prove the deaths of the
other Two unfortunate men were Abraham
Rock, a man of color, and Roswell, the stew.
lrd.
A Mr.. Stokes appeared for the accused. He
said he represented the American government,
and he had to present protest, under the
treaty of Washington, against the jurisdic-
ion OF the magistrates, together with a letter
rom the American minister, authorizing him
20 appear and protest against the jurisdiction.
1t was i matter which the American govern.
nept only could entertain
Sir H. p. Gordon, after consulting with the
3ench-We are Of opinion that we are bound
o discharge the men.
The prisoners We're then discharged; upon
. hich the crowd in The Court raised storm
If Misses, hootings, Groans, cries OF "Hang
EN- " and every other horrible mark OF disap-
probation. It was with difficulty that the ac-
used were protected from the fury of the in
lignant mob.
The Bench gave orders to MIR. Superinten.
lent Campbell that the men should be convey
d. under the protection of the police, TO Cowes;
hat the witnesses must also return on board
Ind intimated to the latter that they would be
protected while the ship remained in British
waters, or ii they had any complain, it must
'e made to the police of Cowes. The superin-
endent Of police had in his possession the
naIlet and Delaying pin, and also q steal in
trument called "knuckie-duster," |" alleged to
AVE been used In tOrtufing the cOlOred sea.
men. The captain is young and very intel
igen t-looking man. The chief mate, Lane.
las true American physiognOmy-a thin face
With long light own beard, without whiskers
II moastache. Hires, the second mate. 10
hubby, not yet 81 years old, aud has . dark
ompiexion and hair. smile passed over
ach Of their countenxnces when their attor-
ey had established the nOn- jurisdiction Of
he court.
ExctrENENr IN BRRRYvILLH, VA.-Con.
iderable excitement was created In Berry Vile
a., on last Monday evening, upon the receipt
( the news that Gov. Letcher had ccmmuted
- hn h~6