Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-11-26
ruRsr OF Tnx CHALLENGES CASES.
Smith, the Dlsraied Third Mate. Tells
Q narrowing Tale Of His Treat.
ment at the hands OF the
ships omeers.

~N1t al AoN 1aos1s - ~
ships omeers.
NEW TACOMA, Friday, Nov. d
This afternoon the case of the Terri
tory of Washington vs. Geo. Conway,
first mate of the ship Challenger, in
dictsd for tricinR up c. E. Smith, the
disrased third mate, on the voyage from
Philadelphia 70 Puget Sound, came on
for trial, and after four hours work the
following list Of jurors were chosen to
try tf case: John L. Bigney, Jr., y.
DaQpsst. J. 3. Parsons, ]. r. Stuart, B.
Avery, w. J. Bradley, WIN. Mahon, ].
w. SpraQus, ]. Peachsr, John Gale, y.
w. Mounts.
After the jury had taken the usual
oath, they we're allowed TO separate, and
Court adjourned.
SATURDAY, Nov. Is.
Court was called at 9 a. N.
First witness placed on the stand was
the prosecuting witness, &. K Sunth,
Who testified az follows:
Have followed the sea for fifteen
years. The last voyage / made was
from Phila aelphia to Puget Sound on
the ship Challenger. On or about the
middle of June / was taken BY the first
and second mates, and tied by the
wrists with an amber line. was then
placed ON block, and rope from over
a beam in the hold was fastened to the
line that bound my wrists, and my arms
we're drawn above my head. The block
on which was placed was about foot
thick. This block was then removed,
and hung suspended In the air by my
wrists for four or five minutes, when the
line stretched SO that my toes could
touch the deck. The agony and pain
we're 30 great that / gave vent to my
feelings. The first mate sent one Of the
boys for a marlin spike. which he took
and placed against my mouth, saying:
"You son of a b-,if you sing out
again I'll shove this down your throat"
Before was taken into the hold and
triced up, had bsen ON the foretOp- gal
lantiyard; was called down by the iirst
mate, Herbert. This occurred on the
outer side of the Horn, but after crOss
ing the line. While on the yard was
told the mate wanted to see me, and l
went to him. He asked me If could
read and write English. told him l
could read English as well as l could
nv own Language. He then told me to
give up the log had been keeping. i
told HIM l had not been keeping a log.
He called me d - d liar, and again
demanded the log. told him to go aud
search nv chest and DUNK if he wanted
to. He replied: Give me that log, or
I'll kill you" / told him had thrown
it overheard. He then took me to the
forecastle, where he searched my things,
but found no log. He seized a stick of
wood three or four feet long, and struck
me across the small of the back twice,
and again demanded the log, saying,
Give is up, or I'll beat you till you do"
Seeing that my life depended ON it, /
told him Lawrence Danielson had q
portion Of it, and August Olander the
remainder. He then took me and triced
me up, az stated before. When l was
taken into the hold, before being triced
up, was again struck with a club. The
second mate went and got the portion
of the log that Olander had. Danielson
denied having any of it. l was suffering
SO that l said, "Yes. he has it." The
mate then strnck Danielson on the head
with Delaying pin, and went to his
chest and got the remainder of my pri-
vate log.
Mr.. Haines, attorney for the defend
Ant, objected to the admission of evil
dence touching the conduct Of the
officers of the ship during the entire
voyage.
Mr.. Hanford urged the admission of
such evidence, AZ going to show malice
ON the part of the officers.
After a three hours discussion on this
point, the Court held that such evidence
was admissible.
After recess Smith again took the
st and, and testified as follows:
In the logbook in question kept u
record from day to day of the beatinas
and woundings of the sailors, including
myself, 90 far ~ they came under my
personal observation, and 80 far as they
related to my watch. 1t contained,
among other things, an account Of four
distinct severe beatings / had received
before the tricinQ. ItalsO contained an
account of the terrible punishment in
hicted upon a sick Russian sailor, who
was dragged on deck from his bunk by
the first and second mates, and there
besten and kicked by them. remem-
Der seven other entries in the log of
bsatings inflicted ON different members
of the crew. A month after leaving
Philadelphia / saw August Anderson
licked by the first mate; saw him strike
Anderson on the back while he was
standing by the main brace.
! saw the Captain llok the cabin boy,
four weeks after leaving Philadelphia,
with q rattan; heard she boys Screams;
saw the Captain strike him with q rat
tan. The boy had no clothes ON his
back at the time.
Again, Robert GLAND was working
forward on the deck; heard the mate
Rrowl at him; heard him say, II prom
ised you licking before night" could
not hear all that was said; saw the mate
strike GLAND ON the side of the head,
aud saw the blood squirt from the wound
made. GLAND attempted to jump over
board and drown himself, but pre-
vented hin from doing 20.
/ was dis,nated three weeks after
leaving Philadelphia. One day the
mate came on deok and told me to keep
the men moving, and not allow them to
sit down. The mate went below. When
he came ON deck he found old man An
derson sitting ON the hatch. de took
him by The back of ths neck, and jerked
him around quite lively for time. He
then came to me and said: "You id
son Of a b., told you not to let these
men sit down." This was in the MORN
ing. That afternoon Was called aft
by the Captain, who said. II don't know
what kind of man you are, Smith, but
you don't seem 70 hurry mp the men, SO
III send you forward" From that time
on was considered, and treated, a. a
common sxilor.
On tho nth Of July had talk with
the captain about the men being
beaten.
Before that, in June. the day after
vas triced up / had talk with the cap
tain. He asked me il vas keeping 4
log. told him ! Was. He aalEed me
Why I kept il for all. told him the