The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-05
A VOYAGE OF DEATH
STORIES OF CRUELTY TOLD BY
CREW OF THE "NELLIE TROOP"
ONE MAN BEATEN TO DEATH
DURING 40 DAYS VOYAGE FROM
CELETA BUENA, TO SAVANNAH.

All of the Crew in Irons Part of the
Time During the Voyage and One
Man Strung Up by the Thumbs.
The Captain Died on the Voyage to
south America and the Mate Sue
ceeded in COmmand-All of the
Officers Deny the stories of Cruel
Treatment Told while the Vessel
WINS BEING flowed Up From Tybee
and the Crew Unwilling to Repeat
Them-A New Captain to Take
Charge of the Vessel Here-The
Crew VIII Leave the ship To-day.
If the stories told by the crew of
the British bark Nellie Troop are true,
the vessel was the scene during the
voyage of $40 days from Celeta Buena
Chilli, to Savannah of cruelties that
rival those of darkest Africa.
The bark arrived at Tybee Wednes-
day with a cargo of 1000 tons of nj
trate of soda. She grounded between
Tybee and quarantine and was pulled
off yesterday and towed up to the At
lantic Coast Line wharves, where she
is moored. She was 14O days in max
ing the voyage, and aside from what
occurred on board, she had many ex-
citing experiences. In rounding the
Horn she had two suits of sails blown
away and was otherwise buffeted. To-
wards the latter part of the voyage her
provisions, except flour, gave out and
the water supply was exhausted. For
tunately rain came, and enough was
caught from the deck and rigging to
last out the trip.
Stories of Atroclty.
The stories told by the crew are OF
revolving cruelties inflicted by the first
mate, who succeeded to the command
of the vessel by the death of the cap
tain on the voyage to South America
All of the stories are denied by Capt.
SutIis and his officers, however, and
by the consignee's agents. All of the
crew were in irons at some time during
the voyage, according to their stories
and were subjected to all sorts of cru
city. One of the crew, negro, was
beaten to death with marlin spike OF
capstan bar, and was thrown over
board. The second mate is said to be
confined on the ship from having been
strung up by his thumbs, and from
other punishments he underwent dur
ing the latter part of the voyage.
The stories of cruelty were told by
the crew-while the vessel was being
towed up the river by the tug Gym
thia." The crew was signed for Char
lesion or Savannah, and will be dis
charged to-day. There were ugly sto-
ries afloat during the day as to their
disposition. but these and the other
stories of cruelty could not be verified
after the vessel had reached her dock.
New Captain to Take Charge.
Capt. A. f. Mobiles. representing the
owners of the vessel, has been
here several weeks awaiting her ar
rival to take charge
ed with several of the crew on
at the lower wharves. and with Capt.
Sutlis and the mate. but all of them
denied that there had been any trou-
Bile during the voyage, and said that
aside from the rough weather
the vessel had encountered. there had
been no disturbance of any kind. The
stories of cruelty were circulated
along the river front. Capt. Sutlis said
that he had heard them. and was az
a loss to understand how they had
started, as the best of feeling had ex-
listed between the officers and crew.
Capt. Mobiles and Mr.. George Fri
zelle, representing the estate of Juch-
ter were together last night, but could
not be seen. The crew of the Troop
will be paid off to-day, and will leave
the vessel here