WAS HE HUNG UP?

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 967, 7 November 1910, Page 8

WAS HE HUNG UP?

SAILOR'S STORY OF CRUELTY.

THE OTHER SIDE,

CHIEF JUSTICE SATISFIED.

The story of Olaf Aanensen, the young Norwegian sailor, .who stated that he had been subjected to very cruel treatment on board the German barque Martha Bockhaln, at TVestport, has not been confirmed by the result.of inquiries which were ordered by the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout). A fortnight ago, Aanensen, speaking from the prisoners' dock at the Supreme Court, where he was placed for sentence on October 22 on a charge of escaping from custody, stated that he had been severely beaten on the ship, and had been hung up by the heels, with a piece of soap in his mouth to prevent him shouting; also that he was afraid to go back for fear of further illtreatment. He was also understood to say that he had been shut up in- a pigstye. Was the Story an Hallucination? His Honour, referring to the matter, when he took his seat upon the bench on Saturday morning, stated that he had received a report from the police with regard to the complaint made by Olaf Aanensen, and he had also received a statement through the German Consul from the master of the barque repudiating the statement ■ that _ there had been ill-treatment. The police report gave notes of evidence taken f'roi3 the captain and officers of the ship and some of the crew, and perhaps the most important of all (because it was from a man who only joined the vessel at Westport, and .was not a German), was the evidence of Charles M'Lean, who said that he had seen what occurred. All these statements showed, if they were correct—and he had no right to assume that they were untrue —that Aanensen was not treated as he had said, and that he was-subject to the influence of liquor. It was known by experience that people who gave way to intoxicants sometimes imagined that things- had occurred that had not occurred. He was very glad 'to get these reports, because he had thought at the time that Aanensen's story was a very extraordinary one. -The Germans were not a cruel people, though there were cruel people amongst them, as there .were among other nations. It seemed now, from the mass of evidence which he had received through the police, that; this man's statements could not he .relied oh.

Captain's Version: "He Behaved Like a Savage." Following are notes of. the evidence taken by'the police:— \ . Henrick Breu, master of the barque Martha Bockhahn, said in bis written statement that there, was no truth in Aanensen! s allegations that he was hung up by his heels or put in a pigsty. He was put hi the sail-room or locker on October 11. He had come ■on board that afternoon pretending to bo drunk, and had made a noise and used bad language. Deponent ordered him to be quiet and go forward, " and Aanensen then struck at him. He (the captain) obtained assistance, and had Aanensen handcuffed, during which process he behaved like a savage, biting, kicking, and using. fearful language. He was then put into the sailjocker, and tied to a stanchion, with head, and feet about level. He was kept tied for about anr :hour,; but the handcuffs were kept on him until next morning, when he was let out of the locker, fie then went forward and threatened- the crow with a. knife for helping to tiehim up., He caused further trouble that day. He had given trouble before, but had not been punished until the occasion referred to. Three other members of the crew were not Germans, and all were treated alike.

Ship Bombarded with Stones. The statements of Henrick Schindler (first mate), Leberecht Brasach (second mate), and Otto Bottgen (able seaman) were m substantial agreement with the captain's statement. . . The second mate said that Aanensen. never bad any bandage or soap tied round his mouth, and was never put in •a pigstye., He was always treated well on board. Bottgen said: If Aanensen says that he was ill-used on this ship, it is a lie. I have seen the captain make him presents. I think he was favoured more than the rest of the crew. Four other members of tie crew corroborated statements the captain and Otto Bottgen. Charles M'Lean, night-watchman on the Martha Bockhahn, stated that he had visited the sail-room between 8 and 9 p.m. on October 11, and found Aanensen lying on some sails. He was covered up and asleep. About three hours later he saw him again, and he (Aanensen) made no complaint.- He was released between 4 and 5 a.m. ' Next night Aanensen came aboard at 11.15. He brought three intoxicated persons with him, one of them being very vici- 1 oub. A disturbance followed, and they bombarded the ship with stones. The ptain discharged his revolver several times to frighten them. , Deponent further stated that he had been nightwatchman on the ship ever since she had been in port. He had never seen iho officers ill-use Aanensen or any of .the crew. All the crew spoke highly of the way the captain had treated .hem. Deponent had been to sea a good portion of his life, and he saw nothing to complain of in the ship. Police-Sergeant Dew, of Westport, said he had made inquiries, and found the facts to be similar to those stated by the officers and crew of the barque. He also denied Aanensen's story of how lie escaped from the police yard at Westport.