The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-12-10
"CRUELTIES AT SEA-"
Card from the Master of the SOnorn-A First
Glass Sensation spoiled.

Card from the Master Of the sonorn-A First
Glass Sensation spoiled.
The New York Tribune has hao placed In its ear
the accompanying large-sized flea. THE TELEGRAPH
yesterday very innocenty published the Tribune's
account. After this, OF course, we shall know
better:-
To the Editor OF the Tribune Sir Perhaps no
man ever experienced more genuine surprise than
Captain Samuel Hutchinson, Jr, master of the ship
Sonora, a, he opened your paper this morning, aud
found that he had been the subject OF an item aud
an editorial headed as above.
The statement which some one has palmed OF
upon your paper is simply ridiculous, and is used to
compel the settlement Of one OF those miserable
cases OF wages and assault and battery, with which
every shipmaster is afflicted, who from time to time
comes into the port OF New York. .
The facts In this case are simply these THE sail
ors mentioned in your article having received their
advance and other mOneV so that they were Indebted
TO the ship, deserted from ner ut flono, Philippine
Islands
Her MASTER as in duty bound, arrested them for
desertion had them placed by the authorities OF the
island in the fort, without close confinement where
they remained till the vessel was ready for sea-
when the master went to the fort to take them
aboard. The men refused to go, repeatedly aud
openly threatening that II they were taken aboard
they would murder the master and officers in con-
sequence Of which the authorities OF the island sent
six of them aboard in irons There being no United
States Consul at Yloilo the ship proceeded to Ma
nilla, where the men were handed over to the
United States Consul, who put them in Jail and kept
them there until they consented to go aboard and
attend to their duties in an orderly manner. Three
days before the ship sailed from Manila three OF
them came aboard, promising repentance and ohe.
VESSEL
others paid Off and discharged by orders OF the
Consul
As to confinement on the ship, we have only TO say
hat the men were ironed In as easy manner as
hey could be and be securely kept that the lives
of the officers whom they had threatened might be
secure.
They were confined in the between decks, which
is space 200 feet long, IS feet wide, 81 feet high,
with nothing in it except few cases of camphor,
which occupied not over onefortieh part OF the he
| tween decks. This roomy place was we'll ventilated,
having scutte opening from 1t into the cabin. The
matches were not closed in the day time except once
| in violent hurricane. Five handred men could
have occupied the place with comfort. As to chahng
of ankles and wrists, and rotton flesh, and lth in
| the hold, Captain. Hutchinson received the first
knowledge ntimaton OF all these things through
| your paper to-day.
The story or the putrid meat at Hioo is disposed
of by the fact that all the meat used aboard the ship
| in port was fresh from the shore every day. and
parts Of the same animal used by master OFF,
GERS and crew. Captain Hutchinson is resident OF
Salem, Massachusetts, has been a shipmaster for
| twenty years. sailing for the best houses in the
States never has been suspected mnch less charged
with abuse OF any sailor, and alleges that the story
In your paper was made up out OF whole cloth for
the purpose OF compelling the settlement Of the suit
for wages.
He has retained us to defend the case and we
shall show the exact truth of every statement we
have made. Respectfully,
GOODRICH & WHERLEN,
No. SO Wall street.
New York, Dec. g. 1869.