New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-09
HORRIBLE CRUELTIES AT SEA.
FIVE MEN CHAINED IN A FILTHY HOLD.

FIVE MEN CHAINED IN A FILTH hoLD'
Emil Syensson and John Maroon, two seamen
OF the ship sonora about TO commence proceedings
against Cant Samuel Hutchinson, of the vessel for
inbuman treatment They each claim 5000 damages
besides their full wages, and have retained as counsel
George II. Smith. criminal prosecution will also DO
instituted for the purpose of Furnishing the captain by
fine and IMPRISONMENT Anidavits, which have been
made by these men, contain recital OF the abuses
to which they subjected by the captain.
The Sonora is American ship OF 1900 tuhS
burden, is owned by William +. Walsh Co,
OF Boston, and makes regular trips from this city TO san
Francisco TO Hong Kong and thence to this port again
She carries -four from San Francisco and brings sugar
camphor and tea from China Her Captain is native OF
Roston and is about 80 years OF age Svensson aud Mar
com are young able bodied men They aege that they
Skinned M Hong Kong the oath Of May last, In company
with Henry Ellis, John Hart and Russian, whose name
they 40 not remember. The ship was ready 10 SAIL ana
the next day 10 started for the Spanish island
Uoio The voyage hither occupied 81 days, owing to an
Unusual calm followed by headwnd, and on ARRIVAL
the men were set work exchanging ballast for bags OF
camnhnr They we're compelled to work at this DOth
ay and night and their food was pnrid meat ana pau
trcntment for some time UNTIL fearing starvation, the
five seamen mentioned made their escape The captain
offered reward for their capture ana they were sopi
caught and put Jail They were next taken before the
Consul when the captain entered charge OF desertOn
They were sent back TO the ship. The sonora
then left for Manila and the five men were taken down
into the hold and chained hands and feet ehaiu was
stretched between two stanchons about loot from the
bottom of the hold aud the prlsonecs were compelled TO
sit or lie upon the floor under the cln with thelr arms
fastened The prisoners were chained IN row. sew
era feet apart and in this position they were kept untl
the end OF the yOyage-ten days The men were able To
cor mn only as high upon their knees but this being
Serv uncomfortable position, they were obliged to
| lie on their backs most Of tho time. They begged
| tbe captan from the first, 10 allow them To
,ro,k hnt he was memorable. Their food consisted
of three biscuits and plenty OF water for each man per
day and ON this diet they became too weak to SIT up
pn be hardship OF beng kept unclaimed in dark hole
was as nothing compared with what they had TO suffer on
other WAYS II IN the midst Of the hottest season.
a tropical sea- and the cargo OF sugar ana cainphOr
heated aud steamed making the black hole" horrible TO
endure with its matches closed and locked every
md moi single aperture for ventilation. Beside this
the men alege that adequate means were provided
them for performing the functions Of nature ana they
were literally compelled TO roll In filth the ship rocked
I'm the waves Their wrists and ankles sweed fearfuly
and their skin. they allege was rotten owing to thelr
filthy condition When they arrived at Manila they were
all sick ana al but tho two who are now III THIS city were
i'm such a condition that they bad to be removed To
HE hospital where they left The men have three
witnesses cOrOborate their Allegations, named lsra6
| Putnam, Oscar Flaggan, and Peter Peterson