The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-20
MANS INHUMANITY TO MAN
SHOWN IN BRUTAL TREATMENT
OF JACK TARS.
Sights Seen On Board the British
Bark Ancyra After Her Arrival
at New York-Damnable Evidence

New York, March 19.-The sorriest'
| looking crew that ever sailed into the
harbor of New York came in on the
British bark Ancyra, 126 days from
Hong Kong. Bruised, blackened, weak
from lack OF food, some having broker
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
forecastle occupied by men who called
piteousIy for doctor. Most of them
were covered by unhealed wounds and
running sores, and several with the
sailors signs of scurvy- The men
charge this state of affairs to Captain
l. b. Morris: the first mate, 2. c. Rob
inson: the second mate, n. CunO, and
the boatswain. Edward Shellnur.
Alexander McCausland said: From
the day that we left Hong Kong we
have been strapped ard beaten. have,
without provocatiOn, been struck again
and again by the captain and second
mate. We have had no fresh vegeta-
bles, our daily rations being two sea
biscuits and a 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,
a long bamboo club, a bucket, an oak
club. and the handle of a mop 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
son was killed by brutality and starva-
ton. The second mate seemed to have
a particular grudge against him, and
so did the captain. They used to take
turns knocking MIN about. Then they
would do it together Hanson finally
got sick and feverish. He was COW,
cred 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 you
calling him vile names. On you, I'll
make you sicker. When l 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.
Hanson 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:
4 have got three broken ribs, and
think my arm is useless. 1 have been
to sea for 40 years, and I 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 it, The
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 We're a quarrelsome
OF. and continually fighting among
themselves.
How about the charges that they
lid not get enough to eat?" asked the /
I have nothing to say as to that"
said Mr.. Robinson, eVasively.
Captain Morris could not be found.