The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-01-05

THE EXTRAORDINARY TALE TOLD ny A roRTu-
UrEaE SAILOR.


uuEsE SAILOR.
A Boston telegram says: A Portuguese
sailor named Joseph Antonio, who arrived
nj the Mariners Home, In this city, day
or two ago, nom New York, In which city
he landed on December 18th on board the
schooner Hope Cover, q Philadelphia YES
sci, from Mexico, tells most cxtrsordi-
nary and sensational story about tIansac'
tons which he witnessed while on the
high seas. A reporter found him nj the
Mariners Home to-day. and after some
preliminary talk the old sailor was grad,
ually drawn out, and his story was iounu
TO be most remarkable one. Briefly toid, IL
Is substantially as follows:
"My name Is Joseph Antonio, and am
Portuguese. belonging In the western
Islands. shipped as steward on board
the schooner Hope Cover, Captain Alien.
from Philadelphia. on September 29tn, AZ
Pensacola. Another seaman ut the same
time was shangbaied on board the Cover
from German bark, and we were botii
assigned TO duty, he going before the mast
and In the commissary. The schooner, L
was told. was returning from Mexican
port, where she had discharged q cargo OF
coal, and had put into Pensacola to await
orders. Almost Immediately after going
aboard orders were received to go TO McXI-
col could never remember the name OF
| the portland take cargo OF ma
bogany for New York. We Immediately
sci sail, and after being out three or four
DAYS the mate ordered one scaman-a
Frenchman named Antoine-to bring up a
bucket of water from the hatch. When
the seaman came OH deck he accidentally
smiled some of the water upon the floor.
and this so exaspcrated the mate that he
struck the seaman several blows on the face,
and causing blood to flow from his nose.
On the following morning friday, when
about 200 miles from Pensacola. the French
man, after receiving his rations, took ms
turn at the watch. This was about 1880
O'Clock. About 8 O'Clock i saw the mate.
who had q lamp in his hand. go down the
forward hatch, and as he did so he
ordered the Frenchman TO follow him.
As soon as they went down the matches,
which up to this time had been lett
open. were closed, and | thought this
very strange affair, especially so when the
Frenchman did not come on deck again. L
knew that some of the crew were in the
hold when the mate and the F'enchman
went down. The captain all this time,
know, was not with them, as saw INN AT
near the man at the wheel. soon after GO
inc below the mate and crew returned, Dut
the Frenchman did not come back and the
matches were not opened. About seven
bells, or at 1880 O'Clock, some one asked
where the Frenchman was, and the remark
was made Significantly: perhaps he is
asleep in the hold forward The matches
were then opened and rope was hauled
up. and. to my horror. suspended at the
end of the rope rs it was drawn up was
the Iifeless body OF the seaman, with Il
moose adjusted about his neck. He was
laid upon the deck. ard after the entire
crew had gathered about, the body was
picked I'D and pitched overheard. When
the vessel put into the Mexican port papers
were furnished to the American consul to
the effect that the seaman had hung him
self while on the trip from Pensacola, but
il does not seem that the consul was told
that when the body was hauled on deck the
hauds were dashed behind the body. |
had no chance to 60 ashore. and when L
landed in New York was paid off and dis
charged, and when leaving the vessel the
captain said to me-: Steward. take care
OF yourself came directly TO Boston,
and have informed the Judge OF the United
States Court"
The Iimes'S correspondent found United
States Commissioner Hallett at his home,
No. 81 Chester square, late tonight. He
said that Antonio had appeared before him
and had testified to the facts substantially
as published above; that the officials had
communicated with the officers in New
York, and that the affair was being investi-
gated by the Commissioner in the latter
city. He was extremely indignant because
the press had got news OF the affair, and
told the reporter that ii he had known
that Antonio was going to tell about it and
talk with newspaper he would have
locked him upas witness. He said that if
on investigation it appeared that there was
any truth in the story. the publication OF
the facts would tend 10 defeat the ends OF
Justice.