The morning call., 1893-03-04
ABOARD THE CAKES
Cruelty and Brutality of a
Ships Mate.
A FALL FROM THE MooNsAIL.
The Terrible Tale Told to the United
States Court Commissioner by
Three Sailors.

When the clipper ship T. +. Oakes came
into the stream yesterday morning she
brought with her as artistic tale of cruelty
and brutality as is often heard in our mari
time courts.
The ship sailed from New York on the
Goth of last July with a crew of twenty-five
men, Cantain L. W. Read and First Mate
John Mckay.
1t was this mate Mckay who contributed
most Of the incidents to the story of the
voyage.
From the first day out his brutality began
to manifest itself in cuffs and blows and
outrageous conduct toward the men under
him.
Daily the ferocity of the mate increased
as the vessel got farther away from port.
On the Goth day of August, one month
out, Mckay had occasion TO order one of the
crew. Martin ToIfison. to go on ths main
royal ward to furl sail. The work was not
done to suit him. He few into a passion,
and drawing his knife iunged viciOusly at
the man. Tolfson jumped back about Two
feet. and the weapon gTaZed his cheek and
neck, just cutting the skin.
The crew witnessed the occurrence and
sulienly commented on the outrageous bru-
tally that prompted it. Sullen curses we re
heard on all sides coupled with the mate s
name, but there was no help for il. Re-
mOnstraGce or personal opposition meant
torture and irons
A few days after the assault on Tolfison
L. +. Sheehan, able seaman, was ordered
alOit on some irksOme duty. The mate
stood on deck below shouting out directions
In an excited voice and cursing the clumsi-
ness OF the man aloft. Finally his furious
temper got the better of him, and he sprang
into The shrouds and up to where Sheehau
was at work.
Get down. you-"-what he said after
was carried away by the wnd-he rOaTed,
AMI pummeling the defenseiess man showed
him into the ratltnes and followed him
down to the deck. Kicking and stamping
HIM on the head with his boot heels all the
way.
This second instance of unwarranted
cruelty increased the feeling among the
crew and 1t was heightened almost to mu-
tiny when on the 18th of October the mates
tyrannous conduct led to the death of young
apprentice named Ch aries Cook.
Cook, II seems, was the son of a wealthy
New Yorker and had made this. his first
voyage, simply for the experience. A
brother of his is j. I. Cook, the prominent
lawyer whose Office is on the corner of
Chambers street and Broadway, New York.
The family is said to be closely related to
Carroll Cook of this city.
This young fellow was very popular and
well liked by the men and disliked by the
mate.
On the day in question Mckay ordered
him to go up and furl the mOou sail, the high
est sail on ship, and duty for which an
experienced seaman only is fitted.
The boy went aloft and did as be was re-
CURED. But Mckay was in q bad temper
that day and found something to object to
in the way the sail was furled. He ordered
COOK up second time, and again the
young fellow climbed to the dizzy height
and went through the tiresome operation
once more. As he stepped on deck COM
DlHtelN fauuar with fba ar6nnus tUnrty
Mckay met him with a volieY OF curses and
compelled him to get into the shrouds and
do again what had already taxed him be-
yond power of endurance.
Uneomplainingly the boy started up a
third time and managed to overcome his
fatigue sufficiently to furl the heavy sail,
out Tins last trlD was too much for him. AS
he started down again his strength failed,
and letting go the ropes he fell to the deck
below, distance of some $50 feet.
The crew had seen the whole thing and
rushed forward TO pick up the crushed and
mangled body OF the young apprentice.
They buried him at sea the same day and
within few hours after his fatal fall.
The case is altogether as clear an instance
Of homicide Of the stories of the crew are to
be beieyed) as conld be imagined
The mates barbarous conduct did not
end here, however.
On The 18th of January he made an un-
provoked assault upon the negro cook, hit
ting him over the head with paint keg and
laying bare the mans scalp. This act,
coupled with innumerable other instances
Of iendish cruelty, led Captain Read to
take action, and a day later he ordered
Mckay to leave off duty and go 10 his
cabin for the remainder of the voyage
Immediately upon casting anchor in the
stream this morning Captain Read notified
the police. aud Mckay wss taken ashore
and locked up at the North Harbor station.
Afterward United States Marshal Long
took him into custody.
All the members of the crew are unani-
nous in condemning the mate and many
have scars and bruises upon their persons TO
show In substantiation of the story.
Mckay was taken before Commissioner
Sawyer after three of the crew had sworn
to complaints against him and the Com
missioner held him in $1,000 bail
The accused is big raWny-looking man
with quiet manner.
To CALL reporter, who spoke TO him on
the matter, he said that there was no more
cruelty on board the Oakes than was usual
with a ship at sea.
When questioned about young Cooks
death he became somewhat confused and
made random answers as TO the duties of
an apprentie at sea.
Il the ships company are telling the
truth the man is one of the most thoroughly
brutal individuals Of brutal class.
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