The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-12-09
CRUELTY AT SEA,
Inhuman Conduct of n Sea Captnin-FIye Mon
Nhnlned In a EllthY Hnlh. 49,

Chained in "A Filthy Hold. "A'"
Emil Svensson and John Marcom two seamen of
the ship Sonora, about TO commence proceedings
in New York against Captain Samuel Hutchinson OF
the same vessel for nhuman treatment. They each
claim 5000 damages De besides y their full wages and
nal prosecution will also be instituted for the pur
pose Of furnishing the captain by fine and imprison-
ment. Ahdavts, which nave been made by
these men, contain recital CT the aOuses TO
which they were subjected by the captain.
burden, is owned by william Il. Walsh & Co., OF
Boston, and makes regular trips from this city to San
Francisco to Hong Kong and the thence to this port
brings sugar, camphor, and tea from China Her
captain Is native Of Boston, and is about fifty years
of age. Svensson and Maroon are young abe-boded
men. They allege that they shipped at Hong Kong
the Path Of May last, in company with Henry Ellis
John Hart, and q Russian, whose name they do not
remember. The ship was ready to sail and the next
day II started for the Spanish island Hoilo The vow
age thlther occupied 2l days, owing to an unusual
calm followed by aheadwnd, and on arrival, the men
were set to work exchanging ballast Tor bags of
Gamphor They were compelled to work at this both
day ana night, and their food was putrid meat and
bad Coffee and that in very small quantities. They
bore this treatment for some time, until fearing
starvation, the five seamen mentioned made their
escape. he captain offered reward for their can
tnre, and they were soon caught and nut in iail,
They were next taken before the Consul when the
captain entered Ia charge OF desertion. They were
sent PACK 10 the ship. The Sonora then left for Me-
mia, ana the five men were taken down into the hold
ana chained hands and feet. chain was stretched
between TWO stanchions, about foot from the bot
tom ol the mold, and the prisoners were compelled
W slb or lie upon the floor under the chain,
WIN thelr arms fastened to it. The prisoners
@ We're chained in row, several feet apart, and in
h thls position they, were kept until the end OF
lhe VOyage-ten days The men able to
get up only as high as upon their knees, but this
belng very uncomfortable position, they were OBJ
liged to lie on their backs most OF the time. They
begged the captain, from the first to allow them to
work, but he was inexorables 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. But the hardship Of being kept enchained in
dark hole was as nothing compared with what they
had to suffer on other ways. 1t in the midst Of
OF the hottest season. in a tropical sea, and the
cargo OF sugar and camphor heated and steamed
making the "black hole" horrible to endure, with
its matches closed and locked every night
and not single aperture for ventilation. Beside
this, the men alege that adequate means were
provided them for performing the functions OF ma
ture, and they literally compelled to roll in filth as
the ship rocked in the waves Their wrists and
ankles swelled fearfully, and their skim they alege
was rotten, owing to their filthy condition. When
they arrived at Manila they were all sick and all
but the two who now in this city were in such
bad condition that they had to be removed to the
hospital where they were left. The men have three
witnesses to corroborate their allegations, named
Israel Irtman, Oscar Flaggan, and Peter Peterson
~. y. Tribune Of tO-day