The New York herald., 1877-09-23
CRUELTILS AT SEA.

A scHooNER's CREW PUT IN IRONS AND KEIT ON
vEsTIoArIoN.
An investigation was commenced yesterday morning
before United States Shipping Commissioner Duncan
into charges cruelty preferred by the OF the
schooner W. B. Herrick against their captain. The
testimony given yesterday showed that tho men had
been shameiuly treated, generally overworked and
badly fed with no apparent excuse Tho captain him
self admitted that tue had been very peaceable
and orderly, and appeared anxious to throw some Of
the blame upon the mate. Commissioner Duncan says
that he has before met with ca.e Of such long
continued short iccdinE
CAPTAINS CRUELTY.
Tho Ave men who were examined are Jamcs Sin,
John Mayer, Andrew Lind James Stanley and Hans
Halvorden. They formed part OF the crew Of the
schooner W. b. Herrick, Captain l.. W. Baker. which
left Baltimore bound for Trieste AUSTRIA in the latter
part OF December last James SIN related the history
of their sunerings being corrected aud prompted by
his comrades whenever his memory at fault They
lett Baltimore, he said, about the end OF December.
On January their vessel frozen Spring Gar
den. The day very cold but the men worc turned
out to work early and told was the cap
tam orders tnat they should coffee that
ing, although II had been tho custom to give II to them
regularly before that There was lire the cabin,
and the men began TO be stintcd In ther allowance OF
iood. Thcy were sent a'ot TO scrapc down the
masts, ana worked until they could stand II
no longer, and for tear ol being frozen they
came down. They asked the captain 10 give them
some work on deck that would keep them mo wing
round asking TO do the other wnen tho weather
became warmer. The captain became very angry ana
ordered the men In irons, and par. of them were kept
IN little lazarctte under the cabin, which was
high enough Tor them TO stand up In. After being
kept there several hours they were removed to the
lazarette, as their limbs too stin move,
on account of the cramped position they had
been kcp. They were taken out Of irons
only al their meals, being ironed even IN their
hunks. rho captain went ashore and complained 10
United States Commissioner Rogers. and the men
taken AID kept jail Tor three days. On hear
Ing their case and learning that the men wcro willing
TO work the Commissioner discharged them, and they
returned board the schooner. After they had
sailed the captain told them that he would deduct IRON
their pay wages OF the three days they had Ucen
kept on snorc ana his expenses IN gong TO the shore
ana returning
The captain said that he would feed the men gov
ernment rations-that Is tue scale OF food allowance
that each captain Is bound by law TO ocd
According 10 thus list each man Is u nave every day
one pound oil bread, one-cehth OF an ounce OF tea,
one-haiI an ounce OF coffee. two ounces
oil sugar and three quarts OF water; ON
sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays
each man Is allowed ono and a half pounds Of beet;
ON Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays one-half
pounds o pork, onehaf pound OF hour and one-tn,rd
pint oil peas. THIS list was not supplied Twice n week
tue men got "a small piece o, bce twice week they
had codlisn, twice week beans anu once week they
had only Kind OF 'sousen--that coup made Of
bread, potatoes and fat They iorty. four days
gong to Trieste and remained there about the same
time During thsr stay at Trieste thoy only had resn
meat three times aud fresh soup three times being
compelled TO work from hali-past tour IN the
morning I'll hal.past sovon night Their
return passage was mado by way of Bor-
deaux, where they renamed seven weeks Here they
were made TO work hard and Kept similar snort
lowancc. They complained " The captain aud he re-
pied that ho could AFFORD TO give them meat Their
voyage IRON Bordeaux 10 this port made IN sixty
Two days, on seventeen ol which they had meat
whatever but only bread boiled iu grease. some
times this cooked IN salt water 30 that The
men could not eat H. AT one time sin was At the
wheel but did not steer straight. Hc best he
could hc said but the captain was angry, and grab.
bug MIN by the throat, ordcred him away from tue
wheel and sent HIM aolt into the topnast rigging,
keeping him there al day.
Captain Baker was allowed TO cross-cxamlnc the
men, but only succeeded In making them re-atirn