Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1878-03-02
TERRIBLE STORY.

Since the wreck of the whaler Essex
no sea-story has been told OF murder,
starvation and cannabalsm that can
equal the one related by the survivors
of the schooner Sallie NJ. Steadman,
from Charleston, S. G., bound tor Balti-
m ore with a cargo of phosphate rock.
Leaving Charleston December II the
Steadman met with very ugly weather.
When she was about twenty miles east
of Cape Hatteras she was struck by a
terrific gale from the northwest, lasting
seventy hours. During this storm the
Steadman had all her boats stove in, her
sails split and lost her gaf: Then fol-
lowed series of squalls and compare
lively calm weather. On the 23rd of
January the schooners provisions gave
out, and the crew OF seven men bad
nothing whatever with which to sup.
port life. On the 24th the schooner
sprung q leak, and simultaneously three
OF the crew gave out. The four remain
ing of the crew, including the captain,
were compelled to work at the pumps
to keep the vessel afoat On the 30th
a quarrel occurred between two Of the
colored sailors, in which one Of them,
George Seaman, a muatto, was shot
dead. AS soon as the dead man was
cold he was cut up and eaten by the sur
vivors, and what flesh was left was salt
ed down in a beef barrel for future use.
On the 3lst the survivors of the crew
were rescued by the schooner Speed
well, now lying in the North River of
the Montgomery Street Ferry, Jersey
City. The story of the killing aud eat
ing of Seaman was told yesterday by the
chief actor in the tragedy. ...
Walter Sampson, small and exceed
ingly black negro, about twenty-one
years Of age, with a stupid, good ma
tured face, was found on board of the
Speedwell "Yes," said he, 81 shot
Seaman. lie was crazy. He said be
would Kill me, and put his hand in bis
jumper pocket to draw pistol. took
ou; my pistol and shot him dead. | hit
him somewhere in the neck about here"
putting his hand to the back of his neck,
ave had been seven days without any
thing to eat, and l think most OF us
were crazy, but Seaman was crazy most
Of the time, anyhow. Alter be was
dead / cut his head off and sewed It up
in sack and threw it overheard" nI
"Nho cut up the body?" a,-rr
81 didn't, said Sampson sullenly.
81 did" said short, thick set white
man, with scanty red whiskers; 81 did :;
the Capt said | had better cut him up.
"He was cold when | cot him up; his
head was gone; took all the flesh of
his legs, his calves and thighs, and all /
could get from his back and breast.
First though / was so weak, | just cut
enough TO eat / broiled it, and after
had eaten it l found strength enough TO
finish the job. After bad got off all
could, We pot the fragments into a bag
with about four pounds of ballast, and
heaved it overheard. Then we all had
supper of the flesh. After that We
salted the rest down in barrel. There
was about fifty pounds Of it. guess it
didn't make me sick. Iwas'bungry,
didn't care. | must have eaten about
two pounds of it. / was the cook.
parboiIed some Of che flesh, and some of
il / boiled. We cooked the flesh with
pepper and salt before eating il. We
only ate two meals of the meat, for the
next day the Speedwell took US off" 4
Captain Higbie says that the Speed
well rescued bis crew about $50 miles
of the Bermudas. Owing to !
the exhaustion OF the three eolored men
double work devolved upon the rest of |
the crew. The pumps had to be kept |
going at the rate of 400 strokes an hour
and even then the vessel was only Just
kept above water There was plenty |
Of fresh water aud tobacco, and upon
this the crew bad managed to exist.
Some of the men took the slaves from
-four barrels and chewed them. On the
.. ,fr..r,. - b. .,.