The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1869-03-19
THE HORRORS OF AN EMIGRANT
SHIP.
Fiendish Atrocities by Officers.

From the New York World March IL.
The emigrant ship John Foster, Jr., Of
the Marshall Black Ball line, arrived at
quarantine on Tuesday, from Liverpool,
which port she lett on the 18th OF Dccem-
ber last. On her arrival she was reported
to have ship fever on board, by which l2
OF the crew and four passengers died on the
voyage, but subsequent developments led
to the suspicion that want and brutality
had been the main causes OF those deaths,
in consequence of which William Cruthers,
the carpenter, and the boatswain were ar
rested by the Edgewood police authorities.
The John Foster, Jr., had On her decks
l40 passengers. all of whom presented
trrme want. Fourteen persons are now
lying at the Scamen's retreat, at Edgewa.
| ter, two Of when are not expected to re-
cover. The third mate is also there under
| arrest, but too unweil to be removed
The following statement OF several OF
| the crew, made to our reporter at the hos
pita, will convey an idea of the sutferings
Of the crew on their voyage:
William Thornton said Not long after
the vessel left Liverpool | heard the cap
tain direct the boatswaiu to beat young
| Liverpool boy, engaged on board as sea
man tie boy had previously been dis
abled, by the condition of his hand, from
| doing work there was no doubt that the
| poor boy was insane the officers did not
Or pretended not to believe this they said
that he was only feigning insanity that he
might escape doing his work the captain
consequently one day ordered the toatswa!n
20 tear from the poor youth back the
clothing which had been given him the day
| before; his orders were obeyed, aud while
they were teing executed the boy was
kicked and beaten 81 severely that he died
that night; he had previously been Kept
upon short rations his deprivations were
such that l actually saw him one day ca Ing
| the refuse out OF the Ash bucket In the
hospital; frequently, when some OF the
men were oricred TO shorten sail, and dill
not pull as vigorously as the captain tho t
they should, as punishment he would
order one of the deck hands to knock sucl
to the deck With belaying-pin; thes. Or
ders were always obeyed wi h cruel prtci
sion; almost all of the men who died, died
in consequence of bearings, Or exposure, or
starvation; l recolect that ou the 22d day
of February last, | was at the wheel ; two
terribly sick men had been ordered out of
the hospital; they were named respective
ly Mccall and Woodward Mccall at the
time was passing blood. He had bocn Ill
upon bed in the hospital, and was still TOO
i'll to leave it, and there was very serious
doubts of his recovery. Under these cir
cumstanoes the poor fellow was driven out
Of the hospita! merely to suit whlm OF
the captain. As soon as he aud Wood
ward had got out, tie captain ord lred
them both to go aloft tor some purpose.
Mccall went and came down again cryin,
and saying that he could not go up again.
The captain, whose name Is Armstrong,
then yelled ont, You son Of j b-h, come
to the Poop" The captain led the way,
and Mccall followed. he second mat,
was on the poop at the time, and the cap
tain ordered him to see that Mccall obeyed
what he told him to do-go a!oft. The
second mate was inclined to be lenent, and
told the captain that the man was In no
condition to do the work. CAPT. Arm
stroug repeated the order, saying, at the
same time, II am ansgeraUe for that
man 5 life, and not you. If he goes over
board, II get over it for ten dollars.
The result was that tho man did not &c
aloft, but the captain, to crafty his spite,
commenced beating him. In few min
utes he set the man walking around the
poop. Though the man could hardly
stand, he commenced to walk. He fe.
uOWu CsSiJ wv 10, "hA ~oOh io9
was greeted with loud laughter hy the
captain; After be had enjoyed hin>e
J enough over this pitia5 sight, the captain
ordered the man alott again. The mar
. pleaded his incapacity, and for reply was
thrown ay the brutal captain from The
poop TO the deck below, the captain ex
| claiming There shall no more go into
t the hospital All of the men will die OF
: the deck, or they will die nowhere il
. kill you all, if necessary, and employ th'
/ passengers to do your work" Met d
? died, in consequence of his injuries, or. tn
: following day. When Woodward Gas or
dered aloft, as have said, he replied tina
9 he could not do it. The FIRST mate the,
0 said to him: God damn you, say yo,
n won'tr" He then commenced to kick tn
r said man, and such severe blows did he sd
minister that in foug hours the poor fsllos