Denton Examiner, Audenshaw, Hooley Hill and Dukinfield Advertiser. — 1877-03-10 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

WOMAN. Steam Navigation Company, which arrived in the ' Mr. Carter held an enquiry at Camberwell, London, Mersey on Saturday night, brought hems a seaman relative to the death of Ellen Gissing, aged 19, a aamesl James *Linden, a native of Kilkeel, Ireland, native of Offord, in Suffolk, and servant of Mr.. the only survivor of the crew of the barque Maria, or Kennet, of the Cock Tavern, 3, Denmark hill, CamBelfast. The particulars given by him of the suffer- berwell. Mr. Harry Kennet deposed that he went to jags of the crew are very horrible. The Maria left the deceased and found her apparently dying, and Dublin some months ago for Doboy, under corn- r ascertaining that she had taken some vermin powder mend of Captain Grayson, and she left the latter he at once sent for a doctor and a constable. He had place for England, timber laden, ate in November heard that the deceased had been seduced by last, with a crew of fourteen hands. When about the potman, and upon taxing him with having seven days out heavy south-easterly gales were en- l, done so he admitted that he had taken advantage countered, and the vessel was hove to for two days. lof the poor girl. A police - constable deposed Atter this there was a week's spell of fair weather, and 1 that he was called to see the deceased. whom he then a severe south-westerly gale set in, and the ship 'found lying on the bed in the most frightful pain. was again hove to. The pumps had to be kept in Seeing some papers on the table, be naked her if she constant use, and on the 7th December they became had taken anything, when she said, "Yes, poison;" choked with the sand ballast they had on board. The and upon his asking her why, she replied, "Oh, lam vessel began to fill rapidly, and the sea was making in such trouble. I have been ruined by the potman, clean breaches over her. After this four large logs and he has threatened to kill me. I am dying. I of timber that were on deck were forced by the sea wish to die, for lam in such frightful pain." Wit. through the, lee bulwarks, carrying stanchions and ness searched her dress, and found some papers everything with them. The captain then gave orders and powders labelled "Battle's vermin killer." for the masts to be cut away, but before this Mrs. Caroline Gissing, a very respectable could be done the vessel heeled over on her elderly woman, of Offord, Suffolk, said that beam ends and fell into the trough of the sea, the deceased was her daughter, who regularly The crew took refuge in the mizen rigging. In corresponded with witness and her aunt. On Wedabout two hours the mainmast went by the board, nesday morning deceased wrote the following letter to the ship righted, and the crew took shelter on the her aunt: "Oh, my dearest aunt, it is with sorrow poop, on which, however, only four planks now re- and in trouble that I write to you. A month ago I mined. Here they stayed day after day. Her boats was alone with the potman in the house, when he took were washed away, and their only hope was in being advantage of me and seduced me. Since that time I seen by some passing vessel. What little food they have never had a moment's peace of mind. Oh, bow he had was soon exhausted, and they were unable to insulted me; don't tell my dear mother. With a obtain any from the vessel, which was completely broken heart I shall leave this place, and never again waterlogged. On the second day after the disaster be the girl I have been. Live I cannot.—Your lova large vessel hove in sight, and the crew kept Mg niece, ELLEN Gismo." Witness had a letter also dipping their ensign to attract attention. She from Mrs. Kennet on Sunday last, in which she tame very close to the Maria, so that her name, asked her to come to Camberwell, because "Ellen was "City of Montreal, from New York," could be seen, fretting fearfully, and had told the laundress that she Captain Grayson hailed her, and asked for a boat would make away with herself." The Coroner: I to be sent off. In reply the officer on deck don't think we need have the potman here, gentlemen waved his hand, which was understood by the hapless of the jury, as he appears to have admitted his intsailors to mean that he would do so; but he held on macy with the deceased. Mrs. Chasing ; For God's his course, and took no further notice of them ; sake, don't bring him where I am, gentlemen ; I ICLusden states that it was the intention of Captain couldn't sear to look at him. The jury returned a Grayson, had he lived, to officially report the conduct verdict of "Suicide whilst of unsound mind." of the master of the City of Montreal, as at the time the sea was not too rough to lower a boat, and if it had been he could have stayed by the ship for a few hours. An Italian barque came by them a few days afterwards, but it was then too rough to attempt to relieve them. On the ninth day after the ship was dismasted the cabin-boy died from exhaustion. Three days afterwards one of the sailors succumbed, and others quickly followed. On Christmas-day the mate died and the captain became deranged. He was lashed to the rigging for safety by *Linden and the boatswain, who were now the only other survivors, and he died two days later. During this terrible time the poor fellows had no food, and subsisted entirely on the bodies of their corn _ .  panions. At the end of thirty-three. days, when M'Linden and the boatswain were the only two left the latter became insensible from exhaustion, but, fortunately, on the 9th January they were sighted by the American schooner, "F. E. M'Donald," which took them off the wreck. The boatswain was  stall insensible, anddied'llr hours after the  rescue. MIA nden was inn most deplorable state, being .covered with boils, and his body was so swollen that his Clothes had to be cut off him. He was landed at Gores, 'and placed in the French hospital there. He joined the Gambia at Madeira. M'Linden is somewhat slightly ibuilt, and is only twenty years old. His health is rapidly improving.