The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-12-06
HOW rars arc Made.
At the winter assizes, now being held
4 Exe..,z. f. he s. n. ISsVsfss : "a

At the winter assizes, now being held
at Exas.,z, fer tha CioS1isai e 81 lzsTsils slsa
Cornwall, before Lord Chief Justice
Coleridee, the court was occupied the
whole Of yesterday with the case of
Richard Proudfoot, master mariner; /;
William H. Strickland, mate, and Roht.
Murray, boats vain, indicated on several
counts for having, between May and
August f. 1877, assaulted Charles Ashley
Cooper on the high seas with intent to
murder. Mr.. Collins, Q. c., and Mr.
McKellar were counsel Tor the prosecu-
ton, Mr. Carter for the master and Mr..
Poole for the mate and boatswain. The
prisoners were the captain and officers OF
the bark Maggie Dixon, oil North Shields,
which in May, 1877, sailed from Sunder-
land to Penang, Sumatrs, the boy Cooper
being put on board as g ships appren-
tice. Having been previously chem.
lists assistant, he was rather clumsy at his
work At first. and for this or some other
reason it was stated that the officers of
the ship subjected him to, systematic
aud brutal ill>usage. he was st first
placed in the mates watch, but was
removed TO the boatswain's watch. There
the same ill-ussge was continued the
boy was rope ended snd kicked in the
ribs until his body was covered with
bruises and lacerated sores. At length
the boy fell Ill OF scurvy, but still the
captain kept MIN st work, half starving
him on a diet of boiled rice and barley.
While in a shockingiy wcsk condition
from disease and want OF nourishment
the poor boy was sent si0ft to help reel
topsails, fell overheard and wss drowned.
The principal witness in the csse WIS
FTitze Ropcke, cook and steward on
board the Maggie Dixon he stated that
when the boy Cooper came on b0ard he
was healthy and strong witness deposed
TO having seen the mate (Srickland)
strike him on the OK with the ropes
end witness spoke to the captain, and
the boy Was removed 70 the bostswaiu's
watch the mate told the boatswain that
nc must work the boy up" and the
latisr replied {" You may bet my life
ne shan't have q moments rest, adding
that he knew Of a E" cleverer way than TO
use a ropes end ;" the bostswsin used 10
strike and kick the boy; whilst the boy
was in a weak state he wss ordered to
shovel Goals from the hold into the FORE
resl and vas not allowed any food until
he had completed his task; the boy
once came upon deck and the mate asked
him what he wanted The boy said he
wss faint an wanted drink of water.
The mate thereupon struck him. Wit
Deas gave the boy little water and a
biscuit, but the captain went down and
took it away. Witness saw water thrown
over the lad and he knew they had tarred
his head. The boatswain said that sub
sequently he would throw the lunatic
(meauing the boy) overheard. OnAugu7t
4, Cooper was on the lookout, and the
mate called him down, orjered him to
take of his clothes, and scrubbed him
with broom while another Of the crew
threw water over him. An order was
given to reef topssils, and he boy sent
aloft and fell overheard and was drowned
When they reached Penang, witness snd
others sent letter to the B1a-d @
Trade The c,se was not completed
when the courts adjourned.