The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-20
WOUNDS and BRUISES
And PURIFYING Sores Cover
the Ancyra's Crew.
STRIPES AND STARVATION
Their Daily Portion For Four
Awful Months.

New York, March 19.-The scrriest look
| ing crew that ever sailed into the haroor
Of New York came IL on the British bark
Ancyra, I26 days from Hong Kong bruised
| blackened, weak from lack OF food. some
having broken bones and others touched
by scurvy. They tell story Of hard
ship and brutality. They charge even
worse against the captain OF the craft,
l. B. Morris. and say that as soon as they
reach land they viii make affidayirs Of
the facts 70 the British consul
a reporter who went on board thesves-
sci found several berths in the forecastle
occupied by men who called piteously.for
a doctor. Most Of them were covered
with unhealed wounds and running sores.
and several with the sailors signs OF
scurvy. O
The men charge this state of affairs to
Captain Morris. the first mate, P. c. Rob
inson; the second mate. y. Cuno, and the
boatswain. Edward Shellnur.
Alexander McCaUsland said:
From e~day that we left Hong Kong
we have been strapped and gbeaten. I
have, without provocation, been struck
again and again by the captain and sec
ond mate. We have had no fresh vegeta-
bles. our daily rations being two sea
biscuits and little meat. If we asked
for better food we were dubbed. I have
seen every sailor on the ship struck by
one officer or another.
The implements used were a chain. a
long bamboo club. 4 bucket, an oak club,
the handle of mop or broom. I 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 Hansen was killed by brutality
and starvation. The second mate seemed
to have a particular grudge against him
and so did the captain. They used to take
turns knocking him about. 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
shamming. They went 20 his bunk and
called him. but he was 100 weak 10 get
up. So the captain picked him up. You're
sick are your calling him vile names.
D you. I'll make you sicker. When
I speak TO you move, and move quick
Then the captain 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, Ed
ward Thompson. Pierre Daniel. Fred
Landstrom and Fritz Streecey, all Of
whom declared that they would swear 10
the facts as soon as they had an oppor-
tunity. Fred Landstrom, who was also
one OF the bedridden men and whose right
arm was in a splint, said:
II have got three broken ribs and
think my arm is useless. have been TO
sea for 40 years and 1 never saw officers
so brutal as those on this ship. We have
just been bullied and starved the entire
voyage.
Il have seen scurvy before and know
that Thompson has IL. The Frenchman,
Pierre Daniel, and McCausIand have
every symptom of it,
First Mate Robinson. who was in charge
Of the bark. the captain being absent,
when asked what he had 10 say about the
charges made by the men, said it was
true he had been forced to strike the
Frenchman and others, but never when
they did not need it. The crew were a
quarrelsome lot and continually fighting
among themselves.
How about the charge that they did
not get enough 10 eat?" asked the re
porter.
Il have nothing 10 say as to that" said
Mr.. Robinson, evas1vely.
Captain Norris could not be found.