Mexico weekly ledger., 1878-02-21

the crew of the Sallie Steelman. The
story of the exhaustion of provisions,
the shooting of the maniac colored
sailor, and his subsequent butchery to
furnish food for the famishcd crew, is
fully corroborated by several of the
9eamen brought to this city this after
noon by the Speedwell. The crew of
the wrecked vessel were Capt. S. G.
Highly; Mates, Somes, Steward, Syi-
vester, r. Herbert and David Bar
rett; white seaman, and three col
ored seamen, George Hicks, Walter
Sampson, and George Seaman. AT
ter their provisions gave out, their
sufferings were terrible, beyond de-
scription, but it seems the butchered
sailor, who was reported to have been
driven mad by starvation, was sub
ject to fits of insanity, and had acted
violently on other occasions. De-
privations brought on renewed insani-
ty during the week in which the vessel
was tossed about unprovisioned. AT
ter being over q month at sea, and as
day after day passed without the FAM
ished men being able to obtain any
thing but coffee to appease their hum
ger, he became at times raving, and
would jump from his bunk at night and
tramp through the vessel, acting SO
strangely that his fellows feared to so
near him. Jan. 30, after being out
forty-tiree days, Seaman sprang from
his bunk early in the morning, and
ran up on deck, where he again talked
wildly, and threatened to shoot the
Captain. The latter having gradually
got out of his way, Seaman returned
to the forecastle, where he yelled to
Sampson, who was asleep in his bunk,
to come up on deck. While Sampson
was hastily dressing himself, the mani
&C sailor called to him again, threaten
Jig to shoot him if he did not instant
ly obey. Sampson began to retreat
slowly toward the doo-, keeping his
eye upon the insane man to guard
against being attacked unexpectedly.
When he reached the deck he saw
Seaman, so he says, place his hand in
his pistol-pocket, and then, fearing
, for his life, he drew pistol and fired
at Seaman, striking him on the head,
behind the ear. After being shot
Seaman rushed to the deck, but fell
dead in his tracks when he had gone
but few steps. The crew, it seems,
let the body lay for four hours, dur
ing which time the proposition that
, the dead mans flesh be eaten was dis
: cussed. Then Sampson was given an
: AK by the mate, and, approaching the
2 corpse, severed the head from the
: body. The head was wrapped in cam
, vass and thrown overheard. Barrett
, then stripped off as much of the flesh
= from the legs and trunk as he could,
, and, when he finally ceased the butch
r cry, the flesh was placed in a barrel
and salted down, and the mutilated
. carcass was wrapped in canvass and
, thrown overheard. Some of the flesh
. was Immediately thrown into pot,
. parboiled, and then fried in o pan.
, Most of the crew turned sick at ths
. thought of such unnatural food, but
their hunger at length prevailed over
!, their conscience and revulsion oftaste,
and they partook of two meals. Their
: experience of the cannibalistic repast
, was varied, Barrett, who butchered
the corpse, and who ate about . pound
and a half of the flesh, declaring it
} tasted as ''good as any beetsteak he
. ever eat.'' The necessity for such
| food ended on the following day,
when, after forty-five days OF awful
suffering, the crew of the dismantle<l
and fast-sinkirg vessel slightcl the
Speedweil, and soon were safe OH
board the vessel and bound for New
{ York. Although nothing was broach-
|, ed upon the subject to day, no doubt
the conduct Of the crew will be sub
ject of investigation by the United
|, States Shipping Commission OF this
. port. Capt. Highly was recommended
to personally call the attention Of the
: government officials to the matter
but whether he has done so or not
, could not be ascertained.