New-York tribune., 1869-03-12
THE SHIP FEVER on THE JAMES FORS-
TER, JR.

THE SHIP LEAVES MISUNDERSTANDING OF
TIE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. BEFORE
THE COMMISSIONERS OF EMIGRATION
SHOCKING CRUELTY.
The ship James Forster, which left Liverpool
on the llth Of December and arrived at Quarantine on
the morning Of the sth nst permitted blythe Health
Officer acting under orders Of the Board Of Health TO
up TO the city at 1920 m, yesterday The remain
der Of the passengers the number OF &C. were landed
at Castle Garden at $780, The vessel in charge OF
the Harbor Police the captain and first mate who are
brothers having left the ship in small boat the pre-
vous evening and effected their escape from dreaded
censure. The ship shows evidence OF hard usage ns
might have been expected from remarkably stormy
passage Of II weeks. Although she has been cleaned
and fumigaed while at Quarantine under the orders OF
the Health officer yet there remains most disagreeabe
OdOr between decks, where the emlgrahJs slept. On
landing at Castle Garden the passengers received
by Commissioners OGOrmau. President OF the IRISH Emf
grant Society Bsuger President or the German society,
ana Kapp n Committee OF the Board Of Commissioners
Of Emigration, TO inquire into the facts IN connection
with their treatment dnring the voyage TINS proposed
examination OF passengers accordance with the law
Of this State passed last year on the application OF the
Commissioners Of Emigration ,s
The Committee, after this examination directed ne s
perntendent TO summon the captain ana owners Oh te @
passengers under the aforesaid law would take ace aI
Castle Garden this morning at II o'clock From the state
this Committee yesterday IL would appear that tho
passengers ana sailors were subjected TO harsh ana
their health or comfort This state Of things IN great
results from the continued practice OF masters
OF American vessels sailing from English ports eyadDg
the laws BY the law they are required to carry a Ger
tunnage OF their vessel Before the Emigration Officer
whose duty IL 10 make this inspection comes on board
the Captain has number OF dummies representing
abebOded seaDcn whose appearance aud acquaintance
with their duties is satisfactory TO the officer After the
inspection, and the olcer mas LETT the SHIP these DUN
mics sent shore and therplaces arc filled by
ign0rant9f me duties OF seaman ana VINO snip IN lgn0r
ance OF what is to required OF them They are generally
persons who desire 10 make tho voyage passengers but
have not enough money to pay Their fare They arc
picked up by the sailor runners ana informed that for Al
g. equivalent 10 hall OF the passage money they
winch VIII not require them 70 go aioit or perform any
duty belonging 10 ordinary seaman, other than help
ing TO keep watch. The victim is then brought 10 the
shipping oce where nc signs what no supPoscs 10 be an
agreement to serve passenger cook but which real
soon as the vessel casts on irom the steaug he real
lies the mistake which lie has made IN being ordered
refuses to do, believing tLat duty to bo
something which he did not agreee to do
and blow from Delaying pin or closed hand which
il persisted in until to escape further punishment the
make his way up the rigging Of the vessel.
John Carey, being duly swOrn says that he pas
senger by the ship James Forster, jr from Liverpool
and that ho struck on te 2jh December sC by the
"rue4teT he was struck Win belayngpni he was IN
the carpenter aud toiG by him 10 60 TO work witness
told him he too hungry TO 90, fd ne tnen struck INN
. 81, - iS on ist Frdv MINI beconse ia
would get up second time ana 10 work on deck
witness has the carpenter strike seyer OF the pas
senger cooks, one OF whom; named John Stokes, died
during the voyage; witness also had 70 complain that tho
food not half what was to have been given TO tho
according t0 contract,
The stateihtGts q: Inc other passengers who
present during the investigation corrOvratiyc Of tue
foregoing deposition
The passengers landed Castle Garden from the James
Forster ir, are geneiy mechanics Aud farm aboreis
from Sweden, EfBlHhd, ireland, Germany and Russia.
They arc III excellent health, and attribute their pTIya.
aud sueTugs n great the length
voyage aud tie tcmpcstuOus weather. Tho break
ING out OF tho fever they attribute 20 the poisoned amOs
pherc between decks resulting from the stability 10 prop
ery ventilaC the ship ana the badly prepared condition
Of the food they were compelled 10 eat They arc
strong In their dcuuncatOus OF the carpen
ter OF whom they complain that Ia serving out the food
instead Of handing out the measure with the rice and
-four to the passenger for whom II intended, he
would sling out Of ms hand TO the deck forcing the
contents spilled ont the deck, which was sometimes
filthy and always wet In serving tue he would
act the manner liDging the pieces intended for
the passengers into a pile Of NTH.
With regard % those OF the passengers who are at
present n the hospitals a Wards Island Mr.. Cassery,
the Superintendent NJ Castle Garden has given nsruc-
tiOns 10 tie officers OF the Wards Island Institution
transmit 10 him statements from the inyadH 10 DO used
u tho further investigation before the Commissioner
tomorrow Up 10 late last evening no deaths had Oc-
CURED among the passengers sent 10 Wards Island,
although the ships ID himself patient there.
Official notices, in accordance with the law last
eug served the gnces ana charteIeTs OF the
3D. aud the captain aud officers OF tho ship. IniOr
maIOn has also been sent to the United States District
Attorneys, Courtney and Tracey notifying them that tho
statement OF several Of the passengers tends 10 mpcAe
the officers OF the ship in the deaths OF tho sailors.