Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-09-07

CrasI,iss to seamsn-A French Hey. story

The attention Of the United States District
Attorney at New York has recently been called
to atrocities said to have been committed on
board one Of our largest packet ships trading
between that port and Liverpool. A French
boy, named Joseph Delatre, makes an affidavit
which is on file, in which are described scenes
that put the Pirates Own Book to shame. The
New York World says: --.,. era.
He states that he arrived in New Orleans on
the 18th of March last, and after partaking Of
cup Of coffee and piece Of toast, he was in-
yited to go on board of this ship. Here he was
left by the boarding master. Subsequently
his chest was sent on board, accompanied by
q bottle of brandy and one pound of tobacco
The second mate broke open his chest, and
. took from IL all he had except an old flannel
shirt, pair of overalls, and q jumper. The
ship was towed down to the Belize, where she
irsmsined more than two weeks, during which
time he witnessed scenes calculated 10 make
oven a sailor shudder. The language Of the
officers was exceedingly profane /; Jogging
beating, and blows of all kinds, were every
day occurrences, and the food would have dis
gusted hungry dog.
The ships company was composed Of twenty
i've men, representing many nationalitiss,
Among the number were three fine looking
Portuguese. One day while on the coast, they
being no longer able to stand the ill-treatmsnt
and bsatings 10 which they were subjected, all
three jumped overheard, and tried to gain the
shore by swimming; but after struggling some
time, two Of them sunk TO rise no more, while
the third was picked up by the tow-bost and
put on board the ship. Another man was
badly beaten, and finally kicked from aloft,
and falling overheard, thus ended his suffer-
ings The same outrage was enacted upon the
person of Butch boy. The captain was stand
ing on deck and leaning over the bulwarks
when the boy was thrown into the sea, and he
gave orders not to save him 1t is further
kak h ha1 ,,.hl - II,
in his dying struggles, the sea at this time be-
ing very smooth. Delatre adds that one night
during the voyage he was standing behind one
of the boats, when the second and third mates
began to coax and caress a Mexican boy. who
was not much of q sailor, and as If they
were joking, pushed him against the bulwarks
then one Of them took him by the neck with
one hand and gagged his mouth. and placing
his head over the bulwarks, while the othef
took out his knife and cut the boys head of
and threw the headless body into the sea. ThK
was enacted as joke, and with the grin of 0
hsngmsn on their faces.
On seeing the French boy watching them,
they told him If he dared to mention the cir
cumstance TO any one, they would serve him
in the same way. Nor is this ALL A carpeu-
ter who had been "shanghaed'' in New Or
leans, was so badly beaten that he died in two
days after the vessel arrived in Liverpool At
the cOroner's inquest the jury gave their ver-
NlCb " tuo cucsb tuot buo Car pcnStT Chf0c 10 NE
- death by the hands of the second and third
mates. They fed, and one Of them was walk
ing the streets Of this city u few days ago With
the French boys clothes on, and meeting him.
shook hands with him. The boy started for
an officer, and when he returned the man had
Of course, gone. The two mates figured con-
spieuously in acts Of n similar character on
board Of another Of our packet ships not long
since 1t was said in court, a few days since
that the captain Of the first vessel referred TO
was q very humane man, and just as the vessel
was entering port he gave every seaman a
Bible. This Is not the first time the vessel has
been seized for acts of a like nature In this
case, ont Of twenty-five men who left New
s Orleans in her, only eighteen arrived in Liver
pool.
Incredible as the above stories appear, they
form part of an affidavit now on file in the
United States Court of the Southern District of
New York, and the matter is now undergoing
judicial investigation.