The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-24
INVITED 10 prArn IN nID.ocriM
How Young Cooper was TIOEred md Starved
In tho Bart Maggie Dixoa.

IN 700 heFA AANuho
J,-- ~ Lo-slaa TYnes
At Exeter. on Oct 81, before Lord Chief
Justice Colerhlgt'. the trial of Richard Proud
foot, 80. muster mHrner. Of good eduTition
William HsAry strickland. II. mat, nlso Of good
education and Jumcs Murray. &c. bQHiswHin,
nblc TO read. for having grossly ill-trcHtet
Chnrlea Ashley Cooper. mn Spnrcnii'", aRed II.
fox period Of over three mohhe took place.
ury, nj the desire Of the BOard of Trade.
The story now told by the wtnpsars di5rlOecd
dcccnsed who hnd been chrmiat's assistant.
had long had q desire 10 go to sen. and niter
hoard tho hOrk Maggie Dixon be- went OF with
him. md entered the Mnggie Dixon IA nm ap-
pr"utlcu. The Maggie Dixon was Il hnrk Of
473 tons register. and hnd thirteen hands, all
told. Cooper WINS entirely ignorant Of seaman
ehip. had 10 proper clothes. md used on cold
days 10 20 nluft in n long ul-tar cont. He was a
tail. healthy lad when he first can't on board
Al first lie waa put into the matc's witch. but
WIS 80 much ll-treated md rOppscnded that
We steward lpp,ke; q Swedc. complained to
the Captain. who had him moved into bis own
,wat saying ho would not have the lad ~
have been bndly treated by all the prisoners.
Tic got tho ecurvy. Tho Captain ropcsended
him TO let MIN know what the acurvy was."
and ordered him 10 be fed ON rice and barley
only. and said he would strive any " the crew
who fet him. Tho crow npprar however, Ia
have given him food surrptitiuusly. On ono
o,TpaiOn with the scurvy on him, no VIVA told
to shut Goals W the fore penk md the Cqptnin
This took the lad over twenty -four hours and
on tho steward secretly giving him bottle 81
water and biscuit. the Captain. who snw 1t
done. took both AWAY.
On more than onr OCCASION. while Cooper was
black and blue with bruises. he WINS stripped.
sousod with sea water, aud scrubbed with u
whHlobOne broom. and his head WIS tnrred
and creased. He was made To 20 M and down
the rigging for hlty times in succession. and
wins made to cry cuckoo" rnrh time he got to
tho masthead Tho mnto snid a. the boatswnn D..
Do not let the lnnMio havo any ret" Tho
hf.u fals
lad appears 10 have been represented, knocked
across the hack 81 the neck SO that blood came
from his enrs. aud held down over the capstan
aud npggcl with q rattan. In answer TO a ques-
tior ~ the learned judge, one wiinpss said that
tho lad wns covered with lice. which he was
He ut ret grew ike skeleton. and used 10
steal what food he could got. even taking out of
% barrel the sluah used Tor grrusing the mnsts.
In this state he was ordered nlou In n gHl. OF
wind. was driven and Kicked up by ths boat
swain. qnd hn.ily icl ovcrOoard. the last words
he was heMrd 10 utter being =" q God. leave me
nionel' Every oKcition was made 10 pick him
up. but In vain.
pcriOr education. wrote. at the Captains desire.
n letter 10 the daceaseds brother. saving that
Cooprr hai lhll,h cv'.pDnrd thT9ugh his own
carcloseness, and that there Ind boon 10 fOui
play. THIS letter ho gave open to the Captain.
lie now, stated that NJ" contents o. the letier
were false. aud he only said what he did from
fear of the Captain. IA Cooper wns really grossly
nHltr.hied. On arrival ~ Fhdang memorial
WIS drawn up Ivy the steward. signed by him
and seven others Of tho crow and sent to the
BOaru Of Trade. calling their attention 20 tho
matter. The Captain learning this endeavorcd
T. gct tho crew to sign paper 10 the e1Ht that
tho memorial VIA untrue; hut they refused.
On arrival NJ Falmouth tho Captain called on
tho deceus@l's brother. and said that h. know
that the lad was lll-tr ttcd, but II was all done
by the mate and bOaiswain. who got the upper
hnnd
Mr. Collins in summing up tho case 10 the
jury. pointed out the strong cOrrohornton Of
the crows story In the passage in lind's letter.
To the effect that therO had been no foul play.
IL b. d IA ntHn ~ -
when II would never have entered tho mind Of
the recipient OF tue letter that there had boon
Tho defence VIVA TINT the story ~ tho crew
WIS the result OF y conspiracy got up 10y them
their lib.'riy stopped M P,dnng a story dinicult
To- reiute, Ms IL WIS founded on suliratum Of
truth. Tho incts wcrc no doubt true, Tut were
grassy exaggerated Cooper wHs lazy land
lubber. and II wis Ia evidence that he wis dirty
and inprdiuauly grecdy. Tie story of the
starvation arose out " the Cuptnn having
strictly forbidden any mrat being given to the
boy. rs II would have been poison 10 HIM with
the scurvy on him. Treatment nj sen wis well
known To he rough. md such "a could easily bc
exaggerated without tear 81 CONTRADICTION. es-
pe'iaily n those VINO were charged with III
treatment were the officers md all charged In u
nody. 50 lhht tlt.y couli nave no evidence OF u
follow offlcer In their defence.
The jury found all the prisoners guilty hui
added that thcy considered the Captain tho least
cuiDnble.
The Judge. IN pnsAing sentence. aaid that the
case WAS one OF imm"n-" Importance, and n
WIS a subject of Generalization That II had been
taken NJ 10y the Bpird nj Trade and the Treas
ury. NJ doubt the ON 'ers OF ship must b. IN
dutd wittt dr-putic authority. II was necessary
for the safety 81 nll mat II should be- 90 but II
WIS awful 10 find how thd authority could b.
abused nnd terrible to think Of tho poor lad
hunted by his ruperiors in mid Oc"nn. with no
possibility ot escape or refuge. He fully agreed
with What the Jury had appended to their YER
diet Hs IN considered TINT the Captain had been
overhorne by his inferior officers. though he
hal mt last. unable 10 rpeist, behaved with
almost equal cruelty He should sentence him
to twelve months hard labor. A. TO the others
he must make An example OF them. and should
penal sorvtuds.