The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-06-13
4 TALE OF TORTURE.
n Snip Sewall Case on In the
Federal Court.
4 mnrtpge Foreclosure Agnins2 the
Ixomons Milling Co. - Daniels
Acquitted or Assault.
seAMEn ON THE sTANs

After sorue delay IN securing jury. the
- q the United States va Capt. Sswau
- Mats Srusth. q the ship BENJAMIN
6rwaE went 10 trial in the FEDERAL court
Il vraferdsy afternoon. and ti1@ government
suade considerable hsaewzy with its tex
anary. TIE witnesses are an unusually
sufe,nwent lot OF sailors. and those Of them
- we're PCT on the stand yesterday told
I erxight story. and told Il In such a way
= = Iszve q favorable impression. They
e.ct TIE seyers cross-sxzmlnaflon TO
ut6eh they were subjected by Attorney
eey <er tbs defense. and In one or two
i.rfsnces the cross-examination resulted
= : psatlss loss OF gr0und .<or the de-
fnse
me frst witness called was Charles
rrsncis. wfo - mentioned In the indict-
ueof a. oras Of the victims abused by the
esrtxiu and the mate At the outset Of
n story the defense objected 70 the tes-
funny. or tie grounds that the name Of
~ witness had not been Endorsed on ths
Attachment. and that no copy OF the In
ncsment had been furnished either OF the
Attendants Judge Hanford overruls6 the
ebtection. stating that those requirements
"a noteobfain in the Federal court
Thxn, S. Francis told the story % how
= had been cuffed and beaten by the two
eGIcers. he had as close attention from the
hruys and the crowd In the courtroom as
~ best actor rendering some famous
ewsdy; for the man who listened knew
Dat they were hearing a tale from real
ne Step by step. IL his cwn simple way.
~ Witness told how the czotain had cali
a him 70 the deck. and. after q word or
two with him about . quarrel with ths
eook. had brutaiiy struck him five times in
ths face. and thea turned him over TO the
hu6sr uiercses of rfle mate. who. after
ax3kfng him over tho head With a Delay
M PIN, had lowered him over the side OF
~ vessel TO q plank six or seven feet
MN the rail by means OF q rope tied
MT around his waist. and then passed by
two haif-hiteteg around bis neck. As the
v1tne1o took a rope Gu the stand and
1npwsd precisely how Il had been fixed
6>ouf his body and neck. glance at tina
NrpFS showed every one of them leaning
lRuard with intense interest. Scr did
- interest abats when the witness furth-
= told how when he felt the rope chok-
fng him on the plank where ne was stand
hg with Other seamen engaged In clean
to tbs sides Of the vessel. he had ven
sured 10 put up his hands TO loosen II. the
nats had drawn him up and given him
nnsfher beating.
The cross-examinatfon brought cut the
het that Francis had previously left an
efher vessel On account OF trouble with
tAs mate. but the frank Acknowledge
q the witness did not count against him,
ncg dtd his narrative OF a petty quarrel
with the Sewairs cook on the morning Of
tAs dag when Capt. Sewaii and Mate
Smith beat him.
Counsel for the defense unwrapped a
lArxs rope, and asked Francis whether the
sopa with which he had been tied was
= 4. 1 A. 80
be Identical rope: but the witness was
po1stivs that this was not the rope. and
hat the rope with which he Was tied was
much smaller.
The other witnesses c0rrohornted Fran
ctx story In all its essential features. and
II addition they gave the officers OF the
vessel bad name as TO the general treat
mens which the men received At their
hands stating that the mate especially
vas brutal and abusive. and enumerating
many Instances In proof thereof. One
witness. Reginald Tnscom. stated that fhe
nsn wae seldom addressed by their
names. and he mentioned some OF the
sndearing epfthets bestowed upon them.
which ara too vile for publication
Tuscom II a particularly bright young
1sllcw. an Tngisshman, = years old. and
With a much more finished manner and
spscch than usually so With his mode Of
uss. He was entirely self-possesssd. With
ont appearing brasen. and I'm several 1T
us Tits with the attorney on crcSs-exarn-
nation. the witness had rather the best
Of IL Tuscom was present when tae cap
tain and the mate beat Francis. and the
coanse! faT the defense could not con-
vince him that ha didn't know what be
was talking atsotr
Henry Hannah and George Sinclair. al
% shspmates of Francis. bore out the
trafhfulness ~ bis story.
The case will be continued today. As
assant United States District Attorney
Robinson has charge OF the case for the
government. Judge Hanford yesterday
sxcnssd all other Jurors TIL Tuesday
nHorrs4na