The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-12
ALLEGED CRUELTY AT SEA.

GERMAN CAPTAIN ACCUSED OF BRUTALITY ILL.,
TREATING TWO OF HIS cREw-HE DENIES THE
CHARGES.
story of cruelty almost incredible in its details
narrated by two sailors at the Tombs Police Court
yesterday. They brought there by an officer to
whom they had surrendered themselves for relief
The elder 81 the two. who is but twenty years of age
gave the name OF John Stewart. He is native of
Scotland, and has followed the for eight years
His companion mere boy OF seventeen,
named william smith. native Of Head
ford, county Cork. Ireland. They arrived
here together on Friday last in the German brig
Anna, Captain Raner. from Rio Grande del Norte,
lying the Pierrepont Stores. Brooklyn. Stew
art says he shipped at Rio Grande do Sui ON the sth
OF August for the voyage to New York, and that
he to be paid at the rate Of 60 los. per month
The crew made up of two negroes, Stewart
and the boy Smith There cook on board.
and they had to take turns preparing the miserable
food they got. They given coffee and bread
morning and evening and beans in the mid
die Of the day. small portion Of meat once
in two or three days the only additional allow
They had fair weather tar Cape Hatteras.
but they had hard work all the time When they
reached the cape the weather became intensely cold
and the two negroes succumbed to the frost and be-
came bedridden. After that Stewart and the boy
Smith compelled to work night and day. not
withstanding three of Stewards toes frostbien
and his body covered with Sores caused by improper
food and saturation in the salt water. Smith was
also crippled in of his hands from the effects of
the cold weather.
STORY THAT NEEDS INVESTIGATION
Smiths story tells of greater cruelty than
does Stewards. He says that he made an agreement
with the captain in the cabin of the vessel for
voyage to New York. with the understanding that he
was to be paid and allowed to go ashore when lie
reached there. He signed no paper of any kind
before he lett port There was some paper drawn up
in the Consul office at Rio Grande del Norte but he
did not sign it. 1t was written in German. After he
had been at sea some twenty days he asked 10 sign
a paper written in German, but refused to do it.
The captain took him by the hair of the head and
told him he must do Afraid Of his life he put his
name to the paper without knowing its contents.
On the first day out from Rio Grande del Norte he
fell from aloft and cut himself the eye. besides
bruisDg his body badly. Stewart found him lying
insensible on the deck about nall hour after he
fell and carried him to one of the hunks, where he
manned over night. The next morning. al
up and go to the wheel. Half blinded by the cut on
his eye and weak from the injuries he had sustained
by the fall he lacked bodily strength to steer the
sci. The mate, with blow from the capstan bar,
ordered him away from the wheel and put him to
WORK at the pumps, Everything he did was met
with dispeasure by the mate. who cufted him about
and struck him with Delaying pin.
ropes end or poker. or whatever was at hand
at the time. .He took delight in seeing going
half starved about the deck said smith, ..and
humored his dislike for me III many ways. What's
that I? he would say, holding poker in my face
call it Bill Smith that's my name). do you hear
and if l didn't do as he told me and call it by my
name he would strike me with it, That's only
instance of the way he was going on all the time.
Stewart and Smith say that when they arrived here
on Friday last they LETT the vessel and demanded
their money, which the captain refused to give them
The former claims about S40 and the latter $40.
Yesterday morning they went to the German Con-
suls Office, where, they say they were ordered out,
being informed that the captain had been there
before them and described them deserters from his
vessel. They not arrested, however. At the
German Consulae's reporter was informed that the
had signed papers tor two years and had broken
contract and would be arrested and returned
the vessel if the captain so desired
Judge kilbreth sent Stewart to the hospital and dis
charged Smith, who said he was able to take care Of
himself.
THE CAPTAINS STATEMENT.
reporter went in search of Captain Raner last
evening and found him board his vessel the brig
stance OF Stewards and Smiths Judge Kill
breth was told him and he denied the cruel treat
ment He said that John Stewart shipped last
August and the boy William Smith fifty days ago.
Both signed papers When they arrived in port last
Friday he offered them both what money they
quired to buy clothes, boots, nc. Smith complained
that he sick and the latter offered to place him in
hospital Stewart and Smith both refused, according
the full amount OF wages due them and
said they wanted their discharge On Sat
urday they left the vessel without giving
further notice. Captain Raner then went to
the German Consul and made his statement. In
gard to the boy Smith falling from aloft and cutting
his head and being Obliged to take the wheel the toll
lowing day, the captain sald:"He was found on the
deck with his head cut, and he told us that he
fell from aloft; but" added the captain. nobody
had seen him fall. The cut by means serious,
and he placed at the wheel to relieve the man
that there. whom 1t was necessary TO send 70 the
pumps, as the vessel was leaking badly" Captain
Raner also stated that or two runners had been
10 see him since Stewart and Smith LETT the ship in
order to procure settlement