The Portland daily press., 1876-03-30
The Cruelty Case.

In Mondays issue we published an account
OF reported cruelty to sailor on the British
bark Excellent Yesterday an explanation
from the captain was published, but is was not
satisfactory to him, SO we give his letter
place:
PORTLAND, 28th, 1876.
Mr.. EDrToR:-Seeng a paragraph in your
paper of yesterdays date under the head of
Cruelty to Seaman / wish to reply to it
and state the facts of the case. In the first
place the French sailor speaks and understands
Engllsn as we'll as any one. Secondly, L deny
that he has been misused on board my vessel,
and instead of several days ago, it was on the
18th OF February that he injured his hip by
falling off the galley top, the distance of about
six feet. keIt him in my cabin for about
two weeks after he fell, until such time as he
could walk about, during which time L attend
ed to him personally with medicines, rubbing
his injured hip three and four times day I'M
til, for reasons which are unfit for public ltion,
was compelled to put him forward and al
lowed him to steer so as he would not have to
run about the decks, and that is all the work
he has done since. His hand was cut cy him.
self falling when trying to stow himself away
among the lumber out of the cold, as he had no
clothes except what he stood in to keep him
self warm, the chief officer having lent him an
oil coat and souwester to keep him dry. In
justice to DR.. LeProhon I must say that he
came to see me and L stated the facts of the
case to him (Which are all entered in my Off
cial b0ok) with which he was quite satisfied.
Allow me also to state that obtained the per-
init for his admission to the Hospital and took
him there myself, and expect to pay the ex-
penses. On my arrival here com muicated all
the facts to "Her Britannia Majesty's Consul"
Hoping you will give this place in your
columns, remain,
GEoRGEsSHAw,
Commander of the bark Excellent.
The above letter was shown to DR. LeProhon
the French Consul, who visited the sailor, and
he states that it contains several state
ments which are untrue. He also says that
the original item published in the PRESS Mon
day morning is correct with the exception of
the statement that the sailor could not speak
English. Dr. LeProhon says he speaks broken
English. The following letter explains itself:
PORTLAND. March 10Th, 1876.
NJ R. demonstrating read the statement
made by Capt. Shaw in relation to the French
sailor W HON visited at the request of the City
Marshal, | will briefly say, that the statement
made at the police office, of the injuries sus-
tanned on board the British bark Excellent, by
the sailor-so far as to the time of his fall upon
deck, resulting in a severe pain and lameness
during the whole of a boisterous voyage-is eX-
actly similar to the statement, made to me, by
Capt. Shaw himself in presence of Mr.. Starr.
The captain admitted that he made the sailor
work at the wheel Immediately after his fall.
The attention of the captain was called to the
certainty that the sailor was badly injured,
could scarcely walk, and that my eyes could
not deceive me IN the matter The captain at
once offered to become responsible for my SER
vices, but advised him to send the sailor to
the Marine Hospital where his expenses would
be moderate and which was more comfortable
for patient of his class.
E. P. LEPRoHoN, NJ. D.