Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-02-20
KILLED AND EATEN.
SuFrERINGs OF A VESSELS GREW.
4 Week at seq tSiM5at Fo6d-Ths Flesh
Cut from the Body Of Murdered Sac
ior 10 Sustain Life-Ths Story a,
Related by the Captain.
special Dispatch to McClure's Times.

DispdtCu " hOOAuic
New YORK Feb. IL, 1878.
Captain Charles Keen, of the schoon-
er Speedwell, arrived in this port to
day, bringing with him the officers and
all. except one of the crew of the Sal
lie NJ. Steelman. He reported that be
found ber nearly water-logged, but
making steerage way, under fore and
maintopsail, northeast Of the Bermuda
Islands. She was flying the American
flag, Union down, as a signal Of distress.
He sent his first mate. II. D. Sawyer,
to ber, aud be took away all on board.
He reported that nothing movable was
left on deck, and that the men we're
hardly able to walk Every article of
food in the Steelman had been consum-
cd eight days previously.
THE CAPTAINS STORY.
Ny vessel belongs at Somers' Point,
N. T., We left Charleston December
II, loaded with phosphate rock ter
ribly bad cargo to carry in rough wealth
er. We were bound to Baltimore and
had provisions for a short voyage. Up
to December 80 We had light, pleasant
winds, but on the night of the 3Oth a
hurricane burst upon us, We were then
about twenty miles off Cape hatteras.
The wind lasted seventy hours When
it gave US chance to clear up our
decks we found our gaffs gone, our sails
split, our boat stove, and everything
washed from the deck that the water
could get purchase on. We made
the best sail We could, but our prog
ress was slow. On January Is vas
startled with the thought that our pro
visions might run short. All hands
were put on short allowance but what
we had left lasted US only five days.
The last mouthful was eaten on Jan
uary 23. The men were feeling very
weak, and to make il worse a north
west gale took US on the very next day,
starting the upper deck and causing
the vessle to spring leak. Three
days after that the men, having been
without food four days and weakened
by laboring at the pumps, three of them
David Barrett, George Seman and Wal
ter Sampson, all colored, gave out.
That left the mate, James L.. SOmers;
the cook, Sylvester Herbert; one sailor,
George Hicks, and mysolf-fOur men
to manage the vessel. We four are
white We we're fast becoming ex-
hausted. On January 80 we had all
been absolutely without food for seven
days. We had plenty of water, be-
cause it ra;ned nearly every day. We
had chewing tobacco, but no spirits of
any kind.
FIGHT on sHIPBOARD.
George Seman was the first of the
colered men to give out. After be
had been without food for four or FIVE
days he became crazy. On the morn
ing of the Both the three co.ered men
we're in the forecastle together. There
were no white men there. | was after
ward told By the other two colered
men that Seman declared he would kill
Walter Sampson to eat him Each of
the three had pistol, as afterwards
discovered Suddenly Seman made
an attack on Sampson. He did not
fire at him with his pistol. He either
drew it or else attempted to strike him.
Sampson, however was to quick for him.
He drew his own pistol and killed Sc
man instantly. He fired three shots.
Seman did not 6re. l heard the shots.
| went into the forecastle and found
Senan dead. The rest Of US we're
afraid Of our lives. Ii the negroes had
not got into the quarrel and killed one
Of themselves, probably they would have
attacked US. We had no pistols. That
afternoon We cuta piece off of the
flesby part of the leg, and broiled it on
the fire. What we did not want We
put in barrel with some salt, because
We did not want to run the risk of hav-
ing another man shot. The rest o! the
body we afterwards buried with proper
ceremoniaIs. l ate piece as large as
my two fingers only. 1t was handed
to me as it was taken off the fire and
covered it on both sides with mustard.
tasted nothing but the mustard, but
that night i felt bad effects from it. /
resolved that would ca. no more Of
don't think any of us was in bis right
mind on January 30. am pretty sure
was not. 1t seemed to me as if nv
blood had stopped flowing. l felt
throughout my whole body just as a
mans foot feels when it is asleep. The
next day the Speedwell rescued us.
The schooner went to the bottom prob
III 4.