The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-10-29
TORTURE OF BOLDIN.
He Is Given Damages Against
Mclean and Jensen.
STORY OF DEFENSE IMPROBABLE
Judge Hanforsf vigorously sums Up
the Evidence and Gives the
Sailor >f.5o0 Damages.


brutal treatment and injuries received
AT the hands OF Jensen and Mclean. has
won his case. Judge Hanford yesterday
made a decision awarding him as dam
ages s.50o, and all costs. including the
expenses OF keeping the defendants since
they have been n the custody OF tifs mar
shal. and made some severe structures
on the defendants.
In his decision Judge Hsnford says:
The Torture of Boldin.
THE lIbelant. who is a North Carolina
negro. came 10 Pert Townsend from Val
parasso. as a member Of the crew OF the
Chilean ship ASacar1a- on account or IN
jury TO his wrists and hands he is IN =
most deplorable condition The actual
physical condition Of those members. ana
the uncontradcted testimony OF the pay
sic.ans who have examined and treated
him. proves that he has been subjected
20 torture. by having both wrists SO
tightly bound by handouts or cords as TO
arrest circulation for such length Of time
as 70 produce what the doctors term
strangulation: the skin and flesh OF both
palms have been hlistered. causing de-
cay. and the skin OF his knuckleS has, by
a severe brulsing or chafing. been de-
stroyed; just above each wrist joint there
are deep scars completely encircling the
wrists; the cords are so affected that his
fingers remain bent. and the testimony
shows that some Of them at least can
never be Strengthened. He is probably
permanently disabled from performing
any labor requiring him TO grasp ropes or
implements, 50 that it VII he unsafe for
him TO ever attempt 10 perform the duties
of sailor"
Who Injured HINT
Judge Hanford then says that the rr!n-
cipal questions for him 10 determine were
in
juries were inflicted. Boldin claimed
that his injuries were the result OF his
being triced up by the defendants. The
defendants, and other witnesses whom
they produced, gave testimony contra
dieting the llbelant's story of his treat
ment. and denied that he was triced up,
or that his wrists were bound III anyway to
cause such injury. ''But they have failed"
saws the decision, ito offer any testimony
whatever explaining how or in what man
ner the Injuries were inflicted. I have
nothing in opposition to the li0elants plain
sworn statement, except the argument or
the defendants attorney. who advances
the theory that the injuries were seif-in-
fiicted.
The Uncontradicted Testimony.
1.-THE uncontradicted testimony proves
that after the ship sailed from Valparaiso,
the first mate was taken Ill, and in conse-
at which place the defendant. Mclean,
and his wife came on board as passengers
On arrival at Port Townsend, Mclean
represented himself 10 the Chilean con-
sui. and others, as being the agent or the
owner of the vessel, and transacted hosl-
ness as such agent. and declared MS pur-
nose to have the Ibelant imprisoned until
the vessel should return TO chile, ana
then returned in the ship. TO he dealt
with according TO Chilean laws. Tor mis-
conduct during the voyage. AT Inherent
times during the early part or the Noy~
age the Nbelant disputed with the de-
PENDANT Jensen. who was the noinlfi'a
master Of the ship. and the second mate
and he was considered by them TO be inso-
lent and dangerous. These occurrences
eliminated one afternoon, when the hneI.
ant was at work on the foretopmaS'
ward. and being sharply and roughly re-
proved by the second mate Tor dlaiofi-
ness IN his work. he answered in such
way as 10 bring on quarrel AFTER ours
ing each other aloft, the second mate ae-
scended 20 the deck. followed by the IL
beIsnt ard there after sheath knlfe,
which was the only weapon the hoelaht
had possession OF, had been thrown aside
nv him. or taken from him by Mclean,
fhe two engaged n a fight, in which the
second mate was getting worsted, when
Cant. Jensen came to his rescue win
behaving pin. While the negro had me
.nnond mate down upon the deck, ard WAS
strfktnv him with his fists. the captain.
Who is a large powerful man. seized him
IN, the shirt collar with his left hand ana
enSasvored TO- IL he did not actuaily'
strike him with the pin. ana men. win
the help Of Mclean, led him arr 70 the
cabin. put him in irons and shut MN up
in a small room, whore ne was Kept III
that fix until the next day.
The Testimony Analysed.
The decision then gives the negros ue-
scriatlon Of his imprisonment on the shlp;
which has already been published, and
also tha testimony Of the defendants ana
tbeir witnesses. IN which they claimed that
tlct5{n inflicted the injuries on himself ny
e,rJl.inar his head and body against the
wall and striving TO free himself from ths
,rsns and rope which bound hin. Iney
hsva introduced as exhibits three ankle
-. ,,.bfch tbes claim were used instead
~ b,uacufYe. one Of the three cannot De
locked and they are all 50 large when
cIosed and locked that the lioelants hanos
and elbows can easily pass through them
{. is simply impossible that the WOUNDS
unou the negro's wrists could have been
produced by these irons.
Defendants Improbable story
.eRes,des the improbahiiity OF the story
which these defendants have attempted 20
ualm off on the court as 10 their haIilthe
efforfs 10 secure this one man In such
vav az to prevent the infiiction OF injury
mon himself. I'm which they failed or
s,,ccess I find other inconsistent aud man
tfest faisehoods in their testimony, when
cor.pels me 20 discyedit all OF their evil
d4nce. | VIII mention only rev m
stances. Cant. Jensen ADMITS tnat WINS
the negro and the second mate were ~ us 9
s,tirr together on thu deck. be tried 10
s.rtI-e ne negro a hard blow with the be-
1at,lrv min and although he was WITHIN
v-rfxfne distance and held the negro by
re shirt collar. and Is an able~hodied and
v,ovyarfui man, and the negro was NOT on
oua~d against him. and there was notn-
Is, p-hatever 20 hiader or prevent, set ne
IA no, strike him. but missed the object
- ss3a aim because the two were wTiE-
cling bout lie has also sworn positively
,b,4 Afr sfcT can was only a passenger on
e. Sbsn and denied that he had any infor-
NATION or knowledge that Dir. Mclean
ar.as or claimed 10 be an agent OF ihe
ships Owner after her arrival az foft
,Is,syraeud. although x is clearly eH-
..slfzhed ~ The testimony 81 the Chilean
const,I. as wen "a ~ the admission OF Nc
raan that the consul advanced money 10
MI can m account % the ship, that Mc-
YeaD made contracts for loading the ship.
.nan transa cted all THE business usually
transacted ~ the master OF a ship IN
foreign port
I,tsre I5anford then deals with the char
,@ser 81 s>FcT~an and Jensen. describing
gFcI can as a man OF mature sears. an Oh
shfo master. with much experience Win
callers His personal appearance indie afei
yras Mclean ia man OF positive charac-
Ter inclined 70 be aggressive. while Jen-
ser IS OF phlegmatic temperament, and a
s,srson VINO probably IN the presence OF
suca a man az Mclean on board q
sn5r in which he claimed the rights 81 an