New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-06-08
MURDER AT SEA.
THE AFFRAY ON THE BRIG J. l. BoWEN-IhE
MEN NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. srohlho'

THE ARRAY ON THE BRIG J. l. BoWEN-IhE
MEN MISUNDERSTANDING STORIES
The brig John l.. Bowen, on which occurred
at sea- June O. the ARRAY which resulted In the deah
the captain and the manning Of the frst ana Seoon.
mates came TO anchor in the Narrows la'e vi i V'
night As soon az her arrival announced AT foice
Headquarters in stapleton, Staten Island, Ae'lnE
aeant Blake and four assistants. armed WIN ""i
for the arrest OF the coOred men, and acting uu
ipstrpct,ons from Can't HolbroOk 'of the Richmond
Countv Police nut out to make the capture HAVING
reached the vessels sde the officers peered CAUTIOUSLY
over the buwarks, and seeing no one they were az i
inclined to believe that the ship was deserted h"h
climbed on deck noiseessy as possible inc parry
divided the Sergeant and Officers Mills, Ronan' ana
Lesher going forward while officer Frear was let ae 10
watch The former descended into the forecaste wnere
the four prisoners, Manuel and Michael Antoine,
Thomas Roach, and James Thomas, were iouhu
and secured. The prisoners submitted peace,
ably and expressed willingness 10 slahu lril
for the ocnses charged claiming that the captain haa
killed in selfdefense. The other TWO members VI
the crew. johnson and Peters, were also aAen 10 DC
held I'm the House OF Detention witnesses. The prs-
oners we're lodged in the Police Headquarters at staple
tom on the complaint of jeremiah Sleeper OF Rockahd'
Mass. first OF the brig, charging them with muthy
and murder They conveyed to this city yesterday
morning and taken to the United States Court building
on Chambers-st., before Commissioner Davenport WHO
committed them for hearing today.
There nothing remarkable in the appearance OF the
prisoners Manuel Antoine is a stalwart negro, age 80,
born at st. Jago Cape de Verde Islands Thomas Koach
is dark mulatto of medium hight, 20 years DID, with
face deeply marked with smallpox. He was born In
Jamaica James Thomas very black, and OF less than
ordinary stature. He born in Port-auPrnce, but
resided for some time in this city, and has wife living
at No. II Maron-st. Michael Antoine is small, Wiry
Portuguese mulato OF a. He was born In st. Antoine,
Cape de Verde Islands.
The statement OF the first mate, j. H. Sleeper, is that
on Thursday last at 4SO in the process OF slowing
the anchors the rope was lot coled 10 suit hil ho
ordered it altered but done in the same manner
again. Words then arose between him and the men,
when the captain came forward and told him with An
OATH mot TO take any lip from the niggers. The mate
promised to see his own orders executed. Inc men
then rose and drawing the bars from the cap
stan, advanced upon him. He saw one OF the
men named Jem coming at him with the
capstanbar raised 10 strike, and after throwing piece
of board the sailor which failed to hit its mark at
once found himself engaged in scuie He states that
he was knocked down twice and struck several times on
the head and shoulder. He airms that ne dd not see
the captain struck, but first him after the fight, ~
ing senseess deck when he called to Johnson ana
Peters who had taken hand in the row, to take him
below. The captain died that evening about O'CLOCK,
but he did not inform the OF the fact until two days
afterward The mate claims that no abuse was offered
~ the men, and that blows had been struck before he
threw the board Jeu When the mate OF the Europa
went aboard the John L. Bowen neither the first nor sec
ond mate capable Of doing duty.
Lanes Thomas-whO admits having inflicted the blow
that resulted the death Of the captain but claims that
he was driven to il sefdefense-makes the following
statement which is concurred in by the rest Of the
prisoners At about last Thursday afternoon the
vessel being well out 70 see, the port watch composer Oh
himself Thomas) Mike Antoine and johnson. were on
deck The anchor was stl hanging over the bow, and
at an order from the the went To work 10 get
Il board. They first tried To haul the anchor on BOARD
by hand but finding It too heavy, Thomas took turn
the and in hosting the anchor the tackle
became entanged AT TINS the mate cursed lnoIIas
and tod hm ne clar DC tbe tackle and While
engaged the mate screamed out, You Dack-neafteu
you." Thomas replied. "Maty, that's rough word to
use to a man" meanwhile working at the tackle. just
mot to take any back talk from those fellows" The
captain then came to the fore part OF me iore
"DOnt take any answers from those black -"
The captain then stopped down and, taking up
i nb 40 o Thomas repied that he did not but
had told the mate that the name which he had called
a HIM Nth the billet of wood Thomas avoided the
the captain, Don't strike me with that wood or you'll
against YOU but don't you try to hit me again" The
captain, using the same epithets as before SAID You
the billet with force which would have crushed his
skull had it hit him. Thomas escaped by jump
ing to one side, and, seeing that the captain
had again raised the club to repeat the at
tempt struck the captain oyer the head with eapstan
that lighting ought stop, and to where he saw
Mike Antoine aud Roach struggling with the hrst and
second mates While trying TO separate the first mate
and Antoine the former slipped on the deck and fe Sc
riousy inurng his arm. The mate then said, Thomas
claims Come now, there has been fighting enough;
TO work and have of it," The men at once re-
sumed their work The mates took charge OF the cap
tain. aud neither Thomas nor any OF tire crew,
except the officers, knew OF the extent OF the cap
tain's injuries until the morning on which they
were spoken by the Europa, when they were first in
formed his death. The prisoners VIII have hearing
before Commissioner Davenport to-day. Under the
direction OF their counsel Robert Waite they have be-
come very retcent only saying that they acted IN self
defense The accounts Of this attray are collecting
that il impossible get at the truth concerning it
Ill the examination takes place.