Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-05-01
NTAsSACHUSEiFTs CIVILEZA-
TEON.
AtrOcIOus and Brutal Treat
ment Of sailors.

From the New York Herald.l
In the Marine Court this week civil
lawsuit will be Instituted in behalf of
several seamen, whose story Of almost
incredible atrocities on shipb) b)ard We re-
cord below.
The Richard r 3binson IS an American
pqcket. She sailed from Queenstown on
the 10th or 22l OF March. Capt. Robin
son, who is from B 1stOn, is OF medium
height, and aged about thirty years. The
chief mate, Hoffman, who belongs in
Williamsburg, il a bsardles5 young man,
6gsd about tweuty-three. The crew OF
twenty-0ne men were taken on fresh in
Liverpool in January last.
The ship having taken her cargo in
Liverpool, wss hauled off into the river
on the 29.h, and on the q Of February
she sailed for New York. The Captain
hsvipg laid in several cases Of liquor, he
and the first mste drank themselves to
intoXi cation, but remained comparative
ly quiet until they got out to sea. They
then appeared on deck and interfered
with the meme work, 50 that the crew
were compelled to resist them. The two
chief officers continued to drink until
they became maddened. They were
armed with revolvers and knives, and the
sailors having nothing but their fheath
knives, were pOwerless. The ship went
on TO Cusca, and then, owing to bad
management, was land-locked.n Ex-
Treating herself after tweniy-four hours
delay, she put of again, but in compli-
anes with an order OF the inebristed
captain, the engineer and carpenter cut
away the" bob stay with their axes to
make an excuse for going back to Holy
head for repsirs. In passing the break
water near Holyhesd, two Of the crew
named respectively Anderson and Sulli-
van, having been beaten so terribly by
| the Captain and Second Mate, lesped
overheard TO escape being killed. Oae
Of these men reached the shore and re-
| ported at the police ststion, but the Cap
/ tain hearing that he was to be arrested,
/ Immediately ordered the ship to sea
again. Toe Captain, determined not to
! proceed without his wife, stopped at
/ Queenstown and remained there two
weeks until his wife joined him, and the
| ship resumed her voyage. The Captain
! still remained night and day in the same
stste Of mad intoxieatiOn, and his con-
duct toward the crew increased in bru-
tslity. He compelled the seamen to
fight each other, according to prize ring
rules, uutil one gave up, when he would
assault both of the combatRnts with
clubs, etc.
Frederick johnson, one Of the sesmen,
ssys "The Captain used to call US af'
aud cut of one side of our hair, tar onI
faces and hair, and then make US sing
| souss which they dictated to US. They
stood behind us with needle, stuck iu
the end OF a stick, and when we would
not sing they prieked US. The Captain
frequently struck me on the head with
his ists, on which were brass knuckles
He beat me- several times day almost
every day during the voyage from Liv.
erpoOl to Queenstown. My hesd wa:
cut in several places, my eyes were
black@aed, my body bruised all over
The Captain used to take hold OF thG
hair OF my head and pull my fsce dow
i almost level with his feet aud then kick
me in the face and body he kicked me
many times. The brass knuckles wenl
ON all the fingers Of one hand. Each
ring had sharp poiEt about one-fourtt
OF an inch lODg.n
Robert Mcdonald corroborates tht
foregoing testimony, and says: TIT
chief mate struck me on the back will
an ironbOund block Weighing abou
thirty pounds, and beat me one nigh
with his fists in the face"
Other seamen corroborate this testi
! mony.
Another of the Captain and mate
means of pleasantly Willing away tn