The record-union., 1898-03-20
HARDSHIP AND BRUTALITY.
STORY TOLD by SAILORS ON A
BRITISH BARK.
Forced to Suhsist on Short Rations
and Beaten by the Captain
and Mates.

NEW YORK, March 19.-The sorriest-
looking crew that ever sailed into the
harbor Of New York came in on the
British bark Ancyra, 12G days from
Hongkong, bruised, blackened, weak
from lack Of food, some having broken
bones and others touched by scurvy.
They tell a story OF hardship and bru-
tality
A reporter who went on board the
vessel found several berths in the fore
castle occupied by men Whocalled pite-
ously for a doctor Most of them were
covered by unhealed wounds and run
ming sores, and several of the sailors
showed signs of scurvy The men
charge this state of affairs to Captain
/. 3. Norris First Mate p. G. Robin
SON. Second Mate N Cuneo, and the
boatswain, Edward Shelnur.
Alexander McCausland said: From
the day that we left Hongkong we have
been strapped and beaten. l have,
without provocation. been struck again
and again by the Captain and second
mate. We have had no fresh vege-
tables, our daily rations being two sea
biscuits and little meat. If we asked
for better food we were dubbed. 1
struck by one officer or another The
implements used We're a chain, long
bamboo club, a bucket, an oak club,
the handle of a mop or broom. 1
have seen as many as five men with
black eyes at the same time. We did
not dare to strike back, lest we be
shot
Edward Simpson said: Peter Han
vation The second mate seemed to
have a particular grudge against him,
and so did the Captain They used to
take turns knocking him about. Then
they would do it together Hansen
finally got sick and feverish. He was
covered with black-and- blue marks.
and was weak from lack of food. The
officers said that Hansen was sham
ming. They went to his bunk and
called him. but he was too weak to get
up. So the Captain picked him up and
said: You're sick, are you?' calling
him vile names. Damn you, Til make
you sicker. When I speak to you.
move, and move quick Then the Cap
tain slammed him down on the deck
again. This he repeated three times,
cursing violently all the while Hansen
groaned, but made no answer. In half
an hour he was dead. This was last
Sunday
The truthfulness of this narrative
was vouched for by sailors William
Smith, Edward Thompson, Pierre Dan
iel. Fred Landstrom and Fritz Streech.
all of whom declared that they would
swear TO the facts as soon as they had
an opportunity.
Fred Landstrom, who was one of the
bedridden men, and whose right arm
was in a splinter said: II have got
three broken ribs, and l think my arm
is useless. [ have been to sea for
forty years, and / never saw officers so
brutal as those on this ship. We have
just been bulied and starved the en-
tire voyage. / have seen scurvy before,
and / know that Thompson has it. The
Causland have every symptom Of it"
First Mate Robinson, who was in
charge Of the bark, the Captain being
absent. when asked about the charges
made by the men said it was true that
he had been forced to strike the
Frenchnan and others, but never when
they did not need it. The crew were a
quarrelsome lot, and We're continually
fighting among themselves.
How about the charges that they did
not get enough to eat?' asked the re-
porter
"Oh. [ haven't anything to say as to
that" Robinson eyasively replied.
Captain Morris could not be found