The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-10-24
Told By Cook Mcnamara Of Ship
sao q a= Conner.
AT THE HEARING BEFORE COM
MISSIONER BRADBURY.
A Story That is Difficult to Believe.-Case
Something of the defense
and Denial in Toto.

Mcnamara cook Of the ship William II.
Conner. against Capt. Frank 1. Pendle-
ton and Mate Parse, whom he charged
with cruel treatment on the high sea, in
January last.
u. S. District Attorney Bradbury con-
Quoted the case for Mcnamara and Ben
jamin Thompson Esq. appeared for the
respondent.
Mcnamara is short, stout man witt
beard and regular features. He doesn't
look like seafaring man. He is about
As years old His left hand was nearly
blown off by charge from gun six
years ago. Only the thumb and little
finger remain. The latter is deformed.
Capt Pendleton is large, we'll formed
man, with an honest, prepossessing face
and hearty manner. There is nothing
severe or ugly in his appearance or man
ner He is about SIS years old.
Mate Parse is a muscular looking man
about 35 years old. He looks every inch
an able seaman and navigator.
THE PLAINTIFFS STORY.
William N. Mcnamara. cook of the
ship William III Conner, testif1es that at
present he resides in Woburn, Mass. His
former home was in Milbridge. Me. He
shipped the 2sth of September 1894, in
New York to sail to Japan and return.
His story of cruel treatment was as fol-
lows: He said that the first trouble was
when they were in the Straits of Sunda,
about two months after sailing. One
day the crew went aft to the Captain to
complain about the food. They blamed
the cook because they didn't get enough
to eat. Witness told them he was giving
them just what the captain ordered.
They said the meat was salt and they
couldn't eat it, He told them the cap
tain ordered him to keep the meat as
salt as possible and not to soak 1T.
The captain came forward to the galley
and swore at him for telling the sailors
about the salt meat. He swore at wit
ness. as he always had uring the voy-
age.
From that time they commenced to
have trouble. Witness was harassed il
various ways by the captain and the first
officer He was driver about continually
till he hardly dared come out of his
galley and was obliged to stay in there
during the hot weather.
About the 10th of January young
man who was afterward killed by falling
from aloft, came to the galley and
brought some dishes back and placed
them on the white floor that he had just
scrubbed. Witness spoke sharply to him
and the young man took the dishes and
placed them outside. Mate Parse came
along and asked what was the matter
with the cook
Witness said: ''The cooks all right
sir'' and kept right on scrubbing the
floor. The mate rushed up to the galley
door and said "What's that you're saying
to me you Irish -" Then he said
"Do you know who I am on board this
ship"
Witness replied that he did.
The mate said "Now I want you to
shut up.
Witness replied Eyes sir'' and turned
away from the door.
The mate jumped into the galley and
struck witness with something. he
thought it was lead knuckles The blow
was on his head and knocked him I'M
conscious.
The witness said: "When I came to
consciousness was out on the deck and
he and the captain were both kicking
me-
They dragged him into the galley and
the captain held his hands while the mate
kicked him in the stomach.
The captain, when he was afraid the
mate would kill him. pulled the mate
off from him. The mate took off his shoa
and threw it at him.
81 thought the two of 'em was crazy
said the witness. He begged them to
spare him and not to kill him. They
were two big, strong men and he was a
cripple.
The witness said "The captain he
kicked me iii the stomach and held my
hands while the mate kicked me-"
The mate said "Dam yer I'll fix yer''
and took his heel ard brought it down
on the crippled hand and crushed it on
the deck so that it is helpless today and
he's got to leave off going to sea because
he can't use it as before. He used to pick
up things with his thumb and little fin
ger, but now he can't use them.
After the struggle the mate said " The
only way for you to get homo alive is tc
keep out of my way"
The captain said that he must mind
the mate, as he was his first officer.
When they got to Japan witness want
ed to leave the ship. He was afraid tc
come home with them. They wouldn't
| let him sc, at first but he found that he
had right tt and demanded it, He in
tended to go to the U. S. Consul a,
Yokohoma and tell his story and get his
discharge.
They urged him not to go, said that hi
would be foolish to do so and that they
were masons and it wouldn't do any
| good for hf1hiito complain against them
He went ashore, however. He saw
! Consul Smythe at Yokohama and tolt