The New York herald., 1869-03-12
THE FEVER SHIP.
An Invesaigati0n Csmnsenced-startiing Dis-
ciosures-Mlseries Of the Deep.

account was gwen regarding inc horroIs anu ioss VI
life witnessed on board the emigrant ship James
Foster Jr, during voyage from Liverpool TO TINS
port A moiety however, was not disclosed, as may
be gathered from elected during an fnvestiga-
tion which was commenced before Justice Taylor at
Staten Island yesterday. 1t appears that q system
OF unrenned cruelty practsed by the chief 0fl-
cers Of the ship, commencing shortly after the vessel
weighed anchor and kept up during almost the en-
tire length Of the dreary voyage passengers and
crew alike sharing the wrath OF those whose duty 1t
was to protect both.
From T. II. Bryan IT was learned that he shipped
as third mate December IA. and that the ship lay
IN the Mersey until the 10Th OF that month. The
captain and mate, he states, were constantly
grumbling because he refused TO III treat the crew.
few days subsequently the captain, disiking his
enient treatment Of the crew, put him forward as
sailor giving his position to man named Murphy.
Bryan states that the captain, boatswain and car
penter would, on the slightest provocation seize
Delaying pin, hammer or any other heavy weapon.
and use1the same freely on the men. while the chief
mate would abuse them in the most shocking Ian
guage. IL sailor appeared on deck wearing
Jacket-no matter how intensely cold the weather
the garment would be instantly torn from his
shoulders. During the early part OF the
voyage the captain was seldom seen on deck,
the chief mate having control OF the ship.
On Christmas night the latter was drunk and treated
the men in q most barbarous manner. few days
before landing the ship fell short OF provisions, 80
that the allowance OF water during twentyour hours
for each person only one pint, while the main
subsistence Was salt meat, which occasloned the
most agonzing THIRST. A young man named George
water, but was met by the bOatswain, VINO kicked
and beat him In such manner that he was unable
to go on deck for four days afterwards. Murphy
who was acting mate during the time Grant was
below, missed him. and on learning where he was
bunk TO the deck keeping him there until the men
had done pumping. shortly after this
fortunate men when totally disabled by savage
treatment were ultimately allowed TO crawl In there
ana die. Before Grant died ths carpenter @ came TO
kicked him In the temple and struck him in the face,
after which Grant never spoke and died IN lew
hours and was buried next day. This, Bryan states,
fair sample OF the deaths occurring board,
with the exception OF four caused by sheer weak
ness. The want Of water was so seriously felt
among the men that they frequently had to use
brine, mixed with fresh water, III making coffee.
tain swore, in presence OF the crew and passengers
that he would not let one OF the crew live TO see
doctor: When one Of the crew named Walsh
was sick he was taken out Of the hos
pitalj and scrubbed with Ice water, from
the effects Of which he died shortly after.
in DIT OF despair, and no attempt was made TO pick
him up. The four men who fell from the yardarin
unable TO retain their hold aloft through sheer
exhaustion. The following Is par. OF the testi-
mOny:-
John Oakley southard being duly sworn, says he is
a native Of New York State from Williamsburg,
l.. I shipped on board the James Foster Jr In Liy
erpoo on the l4th December last the captains name
was Armstrong; when we commenced making sail
the boaswain struck me In the mouth with his list;
on the same day he struck me on the arms and back
part OF the neck with the Delaying pin; il we did
not move around as quick they thought we ought,
they wiz, the bOatswa1n, first mate and second
mate would strike sa, rs with rope, Delaying PIN or
am mostly injured IN my back and arm; my worst
hurts given while on the yards, by the boat
SWAN and third mate, who stamped on me with his
heel. The captain knew OF the injuries we were
daily receiving, but made no attempt to stop It, but
told them TO do 1t. have sailed in other ships and
gave satisfaction and was used well / did my
duty as long as was able, but from hard usage,
the deck from weakness. Tne third mate, Joseph
Murphy, tried TO drive me TO work, and when he
found It impossible for me to work was led TO the
forecastle; was taken afterwards TO the doctor in
the snIps hospital The doctor did not attempt to
relieve me- but accused me OF shamniing weakness.
There were sixteen eighteen seamen died; some
were Knocked or the yards-some by the officers
through their instrumentallty others by the jerking
OF the yards; some dled for want VI suicent food,
James wilson. being duly sworn, says-I am
native OF Limerick, IN Ireland; engaged on board
the James Foster in Liverpool the 14th OF Decem-
ber; on the 26tn OF January the boafswan, whose
name believe is Scott. was on deck; he accused y
/ seaman, who was known BY the hands as Liver
pool, OF boring hole In the water casK with glm
let to get some water, and the boatswain Knocked
him down and jumped on him with both feet; the
| man was taken 10 the hospital on the morning OF
| the 27th. and then the carpenter kicked him with
injuries he received; was present when the boat
swain injured him on deck and was In the hospital
at the time the carpenter kicked MIN, having gone
there through a sore my arm lit was salt water
sorel; the man previous 10 those injuries was IN
William McKcnna, being duly sworn, deposes and
says-I am native Of Manchester, England, OF the
ages OF eighteen years; l engaged on board the
December last, and sailed from Liverpool on the
10th; the captains name was Armstrong; the first
mates name was Armstrong. a brother or the cap
tain; aver we got out OF channel the boatswan
struck me with Delaying pin; he Knocked me
| down and kicked me, backed both my eyes so that
I gaa nd oil ma m vvnrk
though was almost blind; almost every hour when
| 1t was his watch on deck and my work was going
| ON he would beat me and kick me. and even when
| lying on the deck he would kick me and beat
me with Delaying pins and the carpenter struck
win Seang 9 pin tSe Gu1 my & S
| witnessed II and told them to do IL; know d no
reason for IT, AZ obeyed all their commands and did
my duty well as was able; the first caught
me by the nalr OF the head and dashed me to the
| deck; one OF the hands was killed night or two
know which one OF them IL was, rs was uuabls 10
| get out Of my bunk through injuries; we tried to
get the captain TO hear our complaints, but he would
work you sons OF - or u you don't die.h NY
principal hurts were given BY the b@oatswain; boat 'he
something TO warm us, but he would not do anything
for US and told us we were well enough or saying
| two died in gll-passengers and seamen--and OF tle
| seamen who died the doctor would say Don't
| spend time over them In prayers, but throw them
In the face Of the above testimony the remark or
one OF the Commissioners OF Emigration, made res
terday, that he wanled no more testimony from
passengers, he had already ..enough TO hang hun
dred men, y appears barely exiravagant. Theollow-
ing viii show the fearful mortality on board the
"fever shlp:i-
DIED on THE PASSAGE.
Arthur O'Connor Ireland; George Grant, Ireland;
william Mills, Ireland; Hugh McC0le, Ireland; -
WILSON, England; William Walsh, England; Robert
Woodward, virginia; - Perchman, Pennsylvania.
IN HOSPITAL AT QUARANTINE.
John Cooney, 7. II. Bryan. William Godfrey, James
Mooney James Wilson, James Whity, w. McHen
Joseph Enner, Thomas 1ure, James Johnson. Will
liam Thomb, John Southard dying, John Short
Thomas Pilson dying, Charles ohlser, Alfred ROBIN
son.
READING THE DEATH WARRANTS or TwITcAell AND eAToN.
From the Phlladephla Ledger, Marsh III