Northern Times. — 1859-12-27 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

CHARGE OF MURDER ON THE HIGH SEAS.—Philander Hall, second mate, and Daniel Devonport, boatswain, of the American ship John Bright, now lying in the river, were brought up on the charge of having, upon the passage from New York, caused the death of a. seaman, named Green,. by maltreatment. Mr. Cobb appeared for the defence. John C. Pritchard was called, who stated that he was a passenger on board the ship John Bright, from York. He shipped about the 19th of November. On the Sunday morning before they sailed, all the sailors were called to the quarterdeck for inspection. As they were running aft, he saw the boatswain strike the deceased a heavy blow on the arm with a chain, who stopped and seemed to be in great pain. Both second mate and boatswain then struck him with their fists till he lay down upon the deck, when the second mate jumped upon him. The captain was at this time standing, upon the poop, and asked the deceased if he would work. He said no, he could not work with, the second mate. One day on the passage he was working with a sail, which he left,' to do something else ; the second mate saw him from the poop, and seizing a rope's end, aimed two blows at • him, and .called out to him to take hold of the sail.. Having missed him, he came down from the poop, and struck hint on the head with the rope.. The man endeavoured to screen himself, by crawling behind some barrels. The second mate ordered him out, and continued to strike him with the rope along. the deck. On another occasion he saw the boatswain send him up into the fore rigging when he was scarcely able to stand. He saw the second-mate another day kick him half along the deck till he complained he had sprained his. ankle.—John Percy More, who said he was a surgeon, though only a passenger in the ship. He attended the deceased in his last illness, He died from inflammation of the lungs. Mr. Mansfield : How do you know he died from inflammation of the lungs ? Did you make a post mortem examination of the body ? Witness : No. I know from the symptoms. Mr. Cobb : Have Nu any doubt that he died from this cause ? Witness : one whatever. Mr. Mansfield : Was it not rather a strange thingfor a man to die ofinflammation of the lungs in a few hours.? Witness : No ; the man was in a dying state when. I saw him.—Mr. Mansfield : I suppose illtreatment would accelerate death ?—Witness : Oh ! yes, it would.. The witness said be examined the body of the deceased, but found no marks of violence upon it. He admitted, however, that his examination was rather cursory.—John Hackett was next examined, who was also a passenger. He said that on the Sunday before the vessel sailed he heard cries of murder, which brought him upon deck, - where he' saw the second mate and boatswain kicking the deceased. Some days after he had a conversation with him, in which he said that he wished some one would throw him overboard, as the second mate and boatswain were gradually killing him. He had seen his body which: bore marks of maltreatment. He has seen the second, mate sometimes go np to the deceased, say, " Well, old skunk, what are you after, to-day P! and then strike him brutally in the.face. He has also seen him take a large packing-needle and push it into him, when he was so, weak.as 'not to be able to walk, fast enough along the .deck. It was about four days before he died that he. said that the seeonchgnate and, the boatswain< were 'gradually killing him. The surgeon. was'.recalled,., and _was again, questioned by Mr. Mansfield us to whether ill-treatment viauld:accelerate death: Hei gave the..same answer anbefore. The prisoners were remanded for a. week, in order 'to allow time for laying the evidence before 'the American ambassador and the Foreign Secretary of State.