Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-11-27
HOW TARS ARE MADE.
Inhuman Treatment Of Ships Appren-
a.. tice by Master and Mate.
London Daily News.

AT the winter .assizes, now being held
at Exeter, for the counties of Devon
and Cornwall, before Lord Chief Justice
Coleridge, the court was occupied the
whole of yesterday with the case of
Richard Proudfoot, master mariner;
William H. Strickland, mate, and Rob
ert Murray, boatswain, indicted on
several counts for having, between the
1st of May and the 18th of August, 1877,
assaulted Charles Ashley Cooper on the
high seas with intent to murder. Mr.
Collins, Q. c., and Mr.. Mcclellan were
counsel for the prosecution, Mr.. Carter
for the master, and M. Poole for the
mate and boatswain. The prisoners
were the captain and officers Of the
bark Maggie Diuon, of North Shields,
which, In May, 1877, sailed from Sun
derland for Penang, Sumatra, the boy
being put on board as 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 offic-
ers of the ship subjected him to syste-
matte and brutal ill-usage. He was at
first placed in the mates watch. but was
removed to the boatswain's watch.
There the same ill-usage was continued;
the boy was "rope-ended" and kicked
in the ribs until his body was covered
with bruises and lacerated sores. At
length the boy fell i'll of scurvy, but still
the captain kept him at work, half
starving him on a diet of boiled rice and
barley. While in shockingly weak
condition from disease and want of
nourishment the poor boy was sent
aloft to help reef top-sails, fell overheard
and was drowned. The principal wit
ness in the case was Fritze Ropcke, cook
and steward on board the Maggie Di1on
He stated that when the boy Cooper
came on board he was healthy and
strong; witness deposed to having seen
the mate (StricklandD repeatedly strike
him on the neck with ropes end; wit
ness spoke to the captain, and the boy
was removed to the boatswain's watch;
the mate told the boatswain that he
must "work the boy up" and the latter
replied, "You may bet my life he shan't
have a moments rest" adding that he
knew of :'cleverer way than to use a
ropes end ;" the boatswain used to strike
tIA NUN VIC DOy Willie Vic DOy Was Ill
a weak state he was ordered to shovel
Goals from the hold into the forepeak,
and was 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
was faint and wanted drink Of water
The mate thereupon struck him. Wit
ness 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 knew that they
tarred his head. The boatswain said
that subsequently he would throw the
lunatic (meaning the lboy) overheard.
On the 18th Of August Cooper was on the
lookout, and the mate ca He'd him down.
ordered him to take down his clothes
and scrubbed him with broom, while
another Of the crew threw water over
him. An order was given to reef top
sails, and the boy went aloft and fell
overheard and was drowned. When
they reached Penang, witness and
others sent letter to the board of
trade. The case was not completed
when the court adjourned.