New-York tribune., 1885-02-23
DYING WHILE TRICED UP.
SHOCKING BRUTALITY ON BOARD SHIP.


WHAT CAUSED THE DEATH OF SAILOR JANSEN
THE EVIDENCE OF WITNESSES.
The American ship /. +. Chapman sailed from
San Francisco on August 20, 1884, bouud to Liver
pool. She was commanded by Captain John
Albert Thompson, with Albert Gould Thompson,
Of the captain, chief mate, William
Rauscher, second mate and Ferdinand
KOelpin, boatswain. Twenty-four other
persons composed the crew. Among them
was man named A. Jansen, Russian Finn. From
the day this first came on board ship, the tes-
timony of the sailors goes to show, no was made
the direct subject Of abuse. The details of the de-
positions, taken at Birkenhead, of seamen George
Brown. Arthur Evans, Henry Brandt. Charles
Bosnger Joseph GraysOn and Peter New
ms, all shipmates of Jansen, are full
of tales of the most revolving and
barbarous punishment In a condensed form it is
here gwen.
When the ship was but two days out, witness
Brown testiies, the chief officer, for some cause
struck jansen causing blood to low from his face.
Then the second officer knocked him down and the
bOatswa ain kicked him.
On October 7, two men werc shaken from the
topsall yards and killed The day after this occur
renee Jansen had suffered 50 much abuse that even
the second mate complained that he was not able
to 60 aloft and ordered him to keep LOOKOUT on
the forecaste. This was at midnight Of October s.
The ordinary tour Of duty on lookout is two hours; +;
but the second mate ordered Jansen to be Kept on
the topgalant forecaStle, the Thermometer being
very low for four hours. About a. III. the man
was found lying deck. and when he re-
fused to Iisc the second mate gave orders
to have him lashcd to the topsail sheets forward.
This was done by passing a rope around MS BODY,
which was made fast TO the chain sheets, MS feet
being 80 far above the deck that only the ends ol
his toes touched In this position all the witnesses
say, the second mate left the man and went below
at am The man on lookout could see Jansen
AS Lee was lashed to the chests, but dared not ap-
proach him. Henry Brandt Of the sailors,
more daring than the rest, said in his testimony
that he touched the body and found that Jansen
va, stiff and cold as he hung up He also said one
of hi, eve. was backened. and his body black and
blue. from the bea,ings he had received Oh the
voyage.
Arthur Evans testified that he called the
| aucnt;on of the boatswain to the man s
condition. aud that officer in order to md
| ont whether or not Jansen was "SAaInmihg'
"struck him IN the face with L5 list" Then he
wen, aft shortly after one of the men aroused the
| boa at<wain and told him that Jansen was dead Inc
reply was: II can't help the mans dying Inc
second officer being also informed went i9r"aII
! ana ordered The body 10 be taken down. ms was
done aud IL was carried 10 the toiccaNt!c WnGIc II
! was placed on Jausrn's chest Captain lhomp-
| son the mate second mate ahd bout'Wah Wer" III,
present. The nan never SPOKE aIler pelhg ic.'"9o''
| from his horrible position and died soon alter
| This In substance, was the testimony OF the men
| Captain 1hompson swore that when jap
seo came aboard at san Francisco he
| did not appear healthy. lie complained once to
! INN az sores on hi legs lie WIS never struck by
thc canran ahd that officer testified that he saw
no mark, on hI- body. When the matter oi tll'
| 1 3. ,.,,,It 80
lash man up so that his feet scarcely TOUCHED til,
deck especially when his "g was So bad Chlei
| Oncer Thompson -wore positively that ne nd'i
| never struck Jansen. He sad Jansen looked
! nal, when re came on board, as II he had no nIood
! In him ~ all He did not see Jansen tLIced up
although hc was taken down III the mates Watch
rhe testimony Of Boatswain Kocp pin was, inter
csting. He said When Jansen came on board
did NOT think him healthy man: lie was lazy.
lie went 10 u locker forward. anu pulled MN out
| of II and told hlm the second mate wanted him.
! When | dragged him out he fell and struck some;
| thing. assisted III lashing HIM 10 the top'aiI
sheets. He was there two hours when man 'o'u
| Inc he was dead
an English subject born and brought mp IN Eng,
land lie saws that The only time he over attempted
| to strkc Jansen was when he considered the mate
! iu danger hut a blow aimed AT Jansen ol MIN
| failed nf its mark his hand striking a laddcr IN
! determination Rauscher said: Jansen w1Slh ne
habit of falling asleep on lookout. lie iell a,'ep
on the Sth of October AZ midnight, ana t9lu llui
| | vas tined of such work. caused him 10 DE ued
r. tbc tonsai sheets and at O'Clock was told the
man was dead / would not believe It, and held a
lookrng- glass over his mouth to make sure OF MS
| DEATH - ,.....,,ou
On the vessels arrival AT Liverpool on December
| 10 Dctccfivc Constable Hugh Mcdonald caused
| tbc arrest of Rauschcr aud koepin and they were
81 bcforc committing magistrate at Blrken-
head. G KocIpin said to the detective when he was
told he was under arrest What do you want me
forP did not cause the death Of the man. only hlt
t,o altog.ther AK times. The prisoners were then
intrn brfore Sir l. T. Ingham, Of Bow-st. and by
| him gwen In charge of Detective Walter lnplr
mmr,,ant 10 the cxtraditon treaty. for transpora-
! Hon to this country. They are now III Ludlow
! Street Jail -. 49,, i.,,,,r,,
| Ii is said that the examination OF me prl'on"Is
! /. i. Chapman, now on her way TO this port