Daily Los Angeles herald., 1882-03-17


fsred by Her Grew on the Passage from
Antwerp to Wilmington-Arrest of the Mis-
creants.
Readers of the HERALD will re-
member that, about three weeks
ago, an information was made be-
fore United States Commissioner
HI. T. Lee, of this city, by sailor
who had arrived at Wilmington
on the ship Gatherer, from
Antwerp, charging Captain Sparks
and first and second mates Watts
and Curtis, of that vessel with ex.
treme cruelty during the voyage.
Warrants were issued and placed
in the hands of a special deputy
United States Marshal for service,
but he got to Wilmington on Sum-
day, the 5th instant, just in time
to see the Gatherer weigh anchor
and set sail. It appears that Cap
tain Sparks, learning that war.
rants were out for the arrest of
himself and mates, bad the crew
of a ship, belonging to the same
owners, lying alongside, trans.
ferred to his vessel, his own hav-
ing deserted on her arrival at
Wilmington. Curtis, the first
mate, had shipped, meantime, on
the chip P. N. Blanchard, and set
sail for San Francisco, where, not
withstsnding he had shaved off
his whiskefs and otherwise die
guistd himself, be was identified
and arrested by a Deputy United
States Marshal. The story of
CRUELTY AT SEA
On the Gatherer is one of the most
horrible of the many horrible
stories of diabolicai abuse of sea-
men. The Gatherer sailed from
Antwerp in September last, Off
cered by G. N. Sparks, VIM. Watts,
Cornelius Curtis and John Driscoll,
respectively Captain, first, second
and third mates. The vessel, ac-
cording to the sailors stories, was
scarcely of the coast of Holland
when the first and second mates
began their acts Of barbarity,
which consisted in treating the
sailors In most inhuman aud bru.
tai m amer. A sailor named Clarke
was the first victim and received q
hard beating at the hands of Watts
for the misconstruction OF an order.
A few days afterward sailor
named Turner so displeased the
mate and second mate that the two
model officers attacked the unfor-
tunate man in a shameful manner,
maltreatiug him to such an ex-
tent that it was months be-
fore his wounds healed. Then in
rapid succession, so the complaint
states, the remainder of the crew
incurred the anger Of the first and
second mates, and were summarily
dealt with 10 the presence of Cap
tain Sparks, who did not raise his
voice in behalf of the unfortunate
crew.
BEATEN WITH BRASS KNUCKLEs.
A Belgian sailor who can onIy
speak few words of English nearly
lost an eye by beating al the
hands of Watts, who few days
subsequently called sailor named
Burns TO account for some trivial
otfense, and did so in such u harsh
manner that Burns revolted, and
was, by order of Watts, dashed to
the rail of the ship. Having his
victim thus at his mercy, the Off
Ger adorned his hands with pair
of brass kuckles, and with them
beat and lscerated Burns about the
face, and otherwise disfigured him,
The ships boy. a Dane, who wit.
messed the brutal treatment of his
shipmate, was indiscreet enough TO
express his horror .thereat, and was
in turn beaten with the knuckles
about the head, one of the blows
injuring the tympanum of the ear.
and it is said that his hearing is
destroyed forever.
BLINDED BY A BOOT HEEL.
A sailor-boy named Aiding was
knocked down upon the deck,
beaten and trsmpled upon by the
first mate, whom he accuses OF
kicking out his eyes, at all events
the young man is blind. The sail
ors state that the third mate, Dris-
coll, did all in his power TO prevent
the outrages, but that being a
minor officer he was powerless.
The chips boy, named George, and
another mani is aiJ,jumped over
board rather than endure the cruel
ty which was daily Inflicted upon
them.
DRIVEN INSANE.
Tommy UDg Stang, q Chinaman
who Was steward on the vessel,
was sick one day and told the cap
tain he could not work. The cap
tain then took him by the hair aud
dragged him out of his bunk and
beat him with knotted ropes, after
-, h aI he ot a N, nod mn him md loft