The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-12-17

4
showing how to use the broom, hit
him in the back. When overcome
| with pain Peterson laid down the
broom, walking the deck, his tor
mentor took sling and belabored him
with that.
One morning, when Peterson and
| theSseaman, Henke, received orders
from Spree to fasten topsail, Spree
was dissatisfied with the proceedings;
strong winds prevailing. Spree went
| up, hit Peterson in the eye, causing it
| to bleed and swell, and then with his
sea-boots kicked him in the back.
One day Peterson quit work on ac-
count of not feeling well. Spree went
to his apartment, pulled him out,
dashed him to the ground and kicked
him. Then he had him dragged out on
deck, where Spree, Biet and Muller
belabored him with clenched fists and
| kicked him. Seaman Pahlke could
not stand the rudeness any longer,
and so told the captain, whereupon
he answered, "The - has not near
enough; he must have more"
The interference of the crew seems
| to have had some effect on the raw
| customers, for the brutal acts were
less frequent. Instead of that, how
| ever, the captain chased the now very
sick man around the vessel for one
4 and one-half to two hours daily, SIM
| ply to give him exercise, no matter
how bad the weather. Like a slave
| driver, Spree would strike at the con-
| tinually running poor fellow.
Seaman Eberhardt testified that
Peterson had, shortly before his
j death, shown him his back under
| heartrending meanings.
Peterson, being sick in body and
1. III he kAI
and was positively unable to perform
any work.
The chicken-house was selected for
him as an infirmary. When Peter
sons condition grew worse, Spree had
him lodged in the donkey-room. Still
| the promenade around the vessel he
had to continue, and for this purpose
he would be fetched out of the chick
en-house or donkey-room, only
dressed in his undergarments.
Spree and Biet now took, in place of
the cable, saltwater, which they
poured over the poor, sick man. Foul
language was not used sparingly at
such times.
For the 14th of March, these tyran-
nical superiors had contrived par
ticular Joke, which has been the i'm
mediate cause of Peterson's death.
In spite of Peterson's weakness,
Spree and Muller had ordered him up
to the masthead, giving him bucket
of water and a rag in his hand, direct
ing him to paint the mast. When,
remarking that he could not paint
with water, Spree sung out to him
that this paint was good enough for
him, and to make haste. They tore
him down, Spree sending him to the
wheel, although Peterson was unable
n
tain noticed that Peterson did not
manage the wheel properly, he hit
him with rope. Peterson ran, as
best he could, to escape from his tor
mentors, Biet following him and deal
ing him several blows. When the
watch was called, to which Peterson
belonged, the captain demanded him
to appear, grasping his arm and drag
ging him on deck, at the same time
hitting him with a rope, Spree and
Muller joining and dealing him more
blows with their clenched fists. The
captain then directed to have rope
tied around him, with only an under
shirt on, and have him hoisted up on
the mast. He was let down after
three-quarters of an hour had elapsed,
only, however, to receive thrashing
from Biet, Spree and Muller. Then
he would be hoisted up again.
The poor man lamented greatly and
begged for a drink of water. The
cabin boy was about to furnish the
water, taking extreme pity, when
Spree stepped forward, saying: "The
fellow should wait until it rained and
then open his mouth Peterson
begged in vain to be released and in
pangs of death and with greatest diff
Guilty he succeeded to free himself.
All he wished was to be able to creep
to his berth. Spree, who had been
standing under the bridge listening to
the afflicted, jumped upon him and
kicked him. Then he ordered to have
a rope brought to him, and with the
assistance of boy, who was to obey,
again hoisted the man up two faith
oms above the deck. The rope was
tied around the body in loose moose,
gradually pressing the chest more and
more. The man ceased to scream; he
only groaned and ratified in the throat.
After while Spree jerked him down
and the man fell as if lifeless to the
deck. Spree shrieked, however, care
you dead now?" Then Spree caught
him up again, and while saying care
you dead now," hurled him onto the
hatch. The poor fellow had actually
succumbed.
About midnight, seaman de Harde
stepped to the hatch finding the life
less body, and the crew at once
blamed Spree for the deed. The next
morning they were called to the dark
room TO hold an autopsy, and they
noticed that the entire back of the
body was black. The steward took
the word for his comrades and in the
presence of all announced Spree as the
man who killed Peterson. The crew
was much excited, b -bf could do moth
iDO until they reached Gravesnpd
from where they notified the English
police, through the quarantine officer,
that they had murderer on board.
The Paul Isenberg, reaching South
west India docked in the afternoon of
May 26th. Police Inspector Alellich
came on board and arrested Spree on
the testimony of the crew. Having
had hearing in London, Spree was,
on the 30th June, escorted by English