The herald., 1898-03-20
SAILS INTO THE HARBoR AT
NEW YORK j
BRUISES AND BROKEN BONES
Caused by Brutality Of Officers, While
Scurvy Prevails as the Result
Of Poor Food
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
NEW YORK, March 19-The sorriest
looking crew that ever sailed into the
harbor of New York came in on the Brit
ish bark Ancyra, 126 days from Hong
Kong, bruised, blackened, weak from
lack of food, some having broken bones
and others touched by scurvy. They
tell story of hardship and brutality.
A reporter who went on board the ves-
sci found several berths in the forecas-
tie occupied by men who called piteously
for doctor. Most of them were covered
with unhealed wounds and running
sores, and several of the sailors showed
signs of scurvy. The men charge this
state of affairs to Captain I. B. Morris;
the first mate, P. c. Robinson; the Sec
ond mate, N. Cuneo, and the boatswain,
Edward Shellnur.
Alex McCausland said: From the
been strapped and beaten. I have,
without provocation, been struck again
and again by the captain and second
mate. We have had no fresh vegetables,
our daily rations being two sea bis
cults and little meat. If we asked for
better food, we were dubbed. have
seen every sailor on the ship struck by
one officer or another.
1.-THE implements used were a chain,
long bamboo club, a bucket, an oak
club. the handle Of q mop o. broom. I
have seen as many a. Ave men with
black eyes at the same time. We did
not dare to strike back lest we be shot" "
Edward Simpson said; Peter Han
son was killed by brutality and starva-
ton. The second mate seemed to have
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.
1.-THE officers said that Hanson was
shamming. 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 your calling him
vile names. Damn you, I'll make you
sicker. When I speak to you, move and
move quick
Then the captain slammed him down
on the deck. This he repeated three
times, cursing violently ell 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 Daniel, Fred
Landstrom and Fritz Streech, all of
whom declared that they would swear
to the facts as soon as they had an op-
portunity.
Fred Landstrom, who was one of the
bedridden men and whose right arm
was in O splint, said:
II have got three broken ribs and
think my arm is useless. ] have been
to sea for forty years ard never saw
officers so brutal as those on this ship
We have just been bullied and starved
the entire voyage.
II have seen scurvy before and
know that Thompson has it. The
Frenchman, Pierre Daniel, and Nc
Causland have every symptom of it,"
First Mate Robinson, who was In
charge of the bark, the captain being
absent, when asked what he had to 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 quarrelsome lot and continually
fighting among themselves.
How about the charges that they
did not get enough to eat?" asked the
reporter
"Oh, I haven't anything to say as tt
that" Robinson evasively replied.
Captain Morris could not be found.