The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-02-06
CHARGE OF MURDER ON TIE HIGH SEAS.
The Alleged Murders OF Negroes ON Board
the Bark Anna.
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT.

Before Hon. Judge Smalley.
FEB. 6-7he United States Gordon Hires-The rr.-
in this s indicted for the murder Of coored
seaman, named Tuttle, board the American bark
Anna. It will be recolected that some time ago six
colorcd men, out Of eight Of the colored Of the
American bark Anna died the passage from Iaguna to
England The ted considerable interest
the time and fully investigated at southampton.
The circumstances reported in the English papers
and copied into the HERALD. The mates sent home
for trial
Mr. M. " B. Wilcoxson appears for the United States
government, and Messrs. Jas Brady Bebee and jag.
Ridgeway for the accused
John Thomas the first witness examined he stat
ed that he resided in this city, and born here ship
ped in the American bark Anna in June 1869; sailed
from this port about the 18th 10th Of June the
consisted Of four officers, eight and the steward
identifies the prisoner Cord Hires he second Of
q seaman on board; ws shipped for Mobile, IAguna,
In South America thence TO Europe; sailed from Mo-
bile 70 from New York 70 Mobile Mobile We To-: one
from Lguna but We could not get there and went into
COwss on the passage from LgSns sDou. thirty days
small anchor, the ring Of tho anchor; the SCI
cond mate gave order to John Tuttle 70
ret III. anchor do no. 'a anca Ts.s
heard the order not but know that Tutte did not
lie, saying "Tn give you stealing rum; after he struck
him he went up on the topgalant forecase pulled him
down. held him up BY the seat Of his pants and then he
prisoner) struck him with his feet in the back Of me
neck; this was on the topgalant forecastle
By the CourtHe struck him in the way have stated,
with his boots three minutes; he had pair Of heavy
boots on futile did nothing except struggle 70 ges
up the second mate then all Of u orders TO 60 as
70 get breakfast started after them with all the rest.
be was then pleading all about the head, mouth and
forehead whilst being beaten he did not say anything
that know a be was quite well before the beating exs
cept the salt water scres after Tuttie sent AFT was
fOrecaetle. IN
but did not eat breakfast after got my breakfast
was called deck when the second mate standing
on the port side OF the poop between the reast md
mainmast; when came out on deck the second mate
sadl Te that old Niger TO and on the pump'
forecastle and told John Tu,tie that he had better
get out and not have tbe mate come in ana
~ n ~, a'' se snen so me sna. ne Gcan no.
when out Of the orecastle met the second mAsa
coming In be then went 10 Iuttle, caught him by the
head and hauled him out on the orecase floor he used
exclamation while doing Il; the second mate said thsk
II Tutte did not come out he would murder him; when
be pulled him the floor he stamped upon him with
nrs, foot and then the other futile lying on ha
side at the time and when he would endeavor get up
he would give him kick, and when down stamp on hs
the second mate had on at the time pair
Of heavy sea boots he kicking him tnero
some -four or nvc minutes Tuttle was greanins:
ing; Hires did not strike Tuttle except with his feet
sometimes on his neck and sometimes on his arms when
the prisoner tock futile out Of the bunk he caught him
by the ears and threw him the deck futile falling on
his side; smetmes futile partly up, trying rise;
ne was never square down on the deck az futile was
trying TO rise the second mate caught hold Of him and
tunbed him the ell OF the door deck after he
tumbled HIM out the water rolling the deck,
and the water swept him from the orecas.le door 10 the
corner OF the main hatch there was rope yarn on the
main hatch Tuttle caught hold Of IT, whilst he had hold
OF II the second mate ran back TO the forecaste;
the second mate held on 70 the forecastie, raised
up his foot and kicked Tutte tho side OF the heads
Tutte was then sitting down holding 10 the rope yarns
Tutte rolled his eyes when kicked after kicking him tho
second mate stepped back into the orecaste opened his
knife stepped the main deck and cut this rope yarn
Wi IN a tha rpu<s
yarn, the the hatch and washed Tut
tie down, and struck bis body and shoulder Slowed
him around and sent him down feet FIRST
Richard b Roseman, steward on board the Anna gave
similar testimony
The defence Ia that the story OF the witnesses fabr,-
cation that the colored died disease and that
none Of the survivors can alege that they ever
struck treated with cruelty.
The for the closed and the trial wan
adjourned 70 Wednesday morning -