FURTHER DETAILS.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 156, 12 June 1886, Page 2

FURTHER DETAILS.

I have personally interviewed the following men belonging to the Fetrel in presence of the constable, viz., . Frederick Gill, Charles Banks, Henry, Kenny, J. Condon, and H. W. Swain — who corroborate all that has been forwarded. The following statement was made by Gill, a very intelligent fellow ;— The Petiei ia a wooden barque about 944 tons. Her muster is Captain Edwin Heed, who is al-o part owner ; Ist officer, Charles Foley ; .second, Mendoae; thud, GodzdUs ; fourth, Morgun. The crew at starting numbered , 22 men, and two have since been losi. Concerning Briton the cooper's case, the story told is as follows : - The cooper, a married man, left his wile at New Bedford, and joined the ship on July 21, when be was well and strong. Two weeks aiter he was ordered to take the he^d out of a butter keg by the second mate The first mate asked why ha did not obey orders, and just as the cooper got the heaJ out the mate struck him twice in the face with the head of the keg, causing the blood to run from his nose and ears, saying at the earns time, " Look out, or I'll put you in irons." After that the cooper was put in irons, and allowed one hard cuke and one pint of water duily. He was put into a round hou^e to eat, aud dropped some crumbs on deck, when the captain told him to make no mess there. He taunted the cooper that he had a wife who was leading an immoral life. The cooper was kept in itons three days and then released, but, being unable to make two kits water-tight, was ordered in irons again. Hid hands and feet were bound bo that he was unable to stand or Ho down on the quarter deck. The captain struck him, and taunted him about his wife, and kicked a piece out of his no3e. ' He ordered the mate to keep the irons on. The mate put him in the Sdil-pen whilst blood was issuing irom his ears, nose, and mouth without dressing the wounds, The sailpeu was full of rope. The cooper was unable to sleep. He asked for water, and in reply the captain struck him three times on the face. The cooper asked permission to go forward and was reluaed. The next abuse we saw was when the mate struck the cooper twice for goiug forward. He lifted tho cooper off the deck and threw him down twice, and alter this another oiticer struck the cooper down, theu took a rope two feet long, with a knot on the end of it, and beat him worse still. He took a knife from the cooper's hand, and split open the lip of the latter. The cooper, on another occabion, went to get a drink of water, and the mate, because he had not asked permission, took a rope, and beat him all round the deck, the cooper all the time crying for meicy. The next abuse we saw was by the second mate, who picked the cooper off the deck, threw him on the hatch, and struck him twice. The cooper went on deck to wash the blood from his face, when the second mate dipped hia head in the trough, and afterwards struck his head against the bench. We saw the first mate take the cooper forward and scrub him with sand, brick, canvas and tilth, until the bkia was off his face, shoulders, body and legs, and blood running' from these parts freely. The mate also threatened to rub salt into his wounds. The cooper was shortly after on deck. The mate pulled a handful of hair out of his whiskers and bib his ear, eaying, " You old hermit, I will murder you!" We saw the captain kick the cooper in the face and black two of his eyes. He was ordered to be mastheaded the first thing in the morning and the last afc night. Whenever the cooper was late in getting aloft, one of the officers would thrash him till he got up the rigging. It was a common thing to see the captain knock men down with a club, however. Once the cooper was found with an onion in his pocket when the mate put a rope round bis neck, hung him 2 inches from the deck for about five minutes, then let him down, struck him, and ran him along the deck. The next abuse we saw was by the second mate, who ordered the cooper up to the fore yard to take in sail. The man was unable to do so when the mate picked him up, threw him from the port to the starboard side, and stamped the heel of his boot in his stomach. The cooper was scrubbed twice with sand, brick, canvas, and filth, The second time one of us, Henry Kenny, was told to scrub the cooper, but did not do so according to instructions. One of the officers •threatened to Murder him (Kenny) if he did not use the brick. The first mate took the brick and scrubbed the cooper again, the cooper crying for mercy. After that the mate made the cooper walk the deck in the pod* tion of a soldier, aad he was also beat up at the main hatch for hours at a time. The •cooper, being unable to walk, was made to walk the deck but fell down, and two men took him below. Gill was placed „ in charge, and he tells the finale of the horrible story in bloodcurdling terms thus :—. "Some' fowl soup was brought to the cooper, but he refused to e*t it, saying that the captain was trying to kill and poison him. The mate said, 'I would not poison ydu ; 1 would rather take , twenty years in prison.' The cooper refused the soup for two days. On the evening of the second day, the cooper began to groan. Tho mates and captain acted what was the matter .with* him, but he made' no reply. The captain told me to give the cooper medicine, and I did bo. > '1 wo Hours later I gave the medicine to the . cooper. . Twenty minutee later he gave one long groan, black froth' came from his mouth' and nose, and tie breathed bis last.. ;; I reported his decease to > the mate. The captain called next morning when I was ' dressing the body.. , I saw lumps of blaok and blue on his back; both hips

blaok und blue ; hla throat was black and blue, and his arms and face were scratched. The body wasj sewn in cdnvas and buried at sea. We are all prepared to swear to this •tatement, which is the same as we told the consular agent."

Admission* by Officer*. S I amjnfomed .that some of the^bfficerg haive madeldaDißging adimieeione, confirmatory of^the' evidence ,of the toen. b In ei|bBtinc©i'; thY allegations soade byt thef crgw arib f thatfthe deaths of/ the cooper v^lb hastened by the treatment to wbichlhe was < snbjected.

Statement of the Chief Officer. Mr ' JToleyTehief officer of the Petral.^whois ntayipg ashore, gi v es me the following -statement of aflaiite 1 :^More tiha'n bnVhalf tbe statements made by the men are untrue. * 1 will- admit-that- ooncerning~the cooper there was.come, puHishm.eot, but nothing like* 'what f " has 'been stated, The crew. _ complained to me of some conduct by the cooper on ■ one oc casion. I found, him covered with, filth, and ordered another man to take him below and wash him. I wl*h here to explain that the 80-called < nlthy water • with which I washed, him, was, something which ia used on board whaleships, although it may' not be known ashore ; 'indeed, the officers wafch their own, hands and heads in it many, times. I have done so myself. If you were on board I could bhow a-barrel which contains this so-called filthy -(water. When washing the cooper -his hands being very dirty through want of washing for several weeke — 1 gave him warning that if he did not keep them Waehed I would scour them with eand. I then had the man washed thoroughly. I had a little sand put, in canvas and rubbed the dirt off his hands, at the same time telling the, men to, treat) the cooper easily whilst 1, wished the man to believe he was being punished severely. . I will allow you to copy the following ;— "Ku^eell, Bay of lelaodt*, June 6. — We, sajlors on the barque Petrol, having heard that Mr Foley has been accused of brutal treatment towards the lute cooper in the manner of making him eat (what is here mentioned ia too^ filthy to print), and hanging him by the neck two hours, we can aDd will solemnly ewear such things we have never heard or eeen or any brutal treatment towards us. We attest our signatures — Harry Wyman, Peter Levy, .Nicholas Laukknce, Chas Jones, James (Kanaka), Morris, Hedus, Wm. iSchwash, Samford. Vaoh, James Donaldson (of these seven men sign by cross.) Here is another document the sailors of the Petrel wieh this our statement on behalf of Foley, who is charged with brutally treating on the , voyage from New Bedford to New Zealand, we hereby attest our signatures on oath, that the eaia charges are erroneous. The said Foley, chief officer, treated us kindly, and has at times prevented ua from being ill-treated through the captain's orders. By Mr Foley^ wieh we make use of this statement in any Court of law. He has our permission to do co. We havo been punished by Mr Foley many times, but know the came were the captain's orders, as Mr Foley always treated ue properly, and in a kind manner. Signatures : J. Antiojje. J. King. Jno Madkras. Andere Lemus. Mariane Lewaks. Manuel Zub*ras, Boat-steerer. Witnesses : James Decry, proprietor of the Duke of Marlborough Hotel ; and T. B. Williams, butcher, Rueßelli Reporter : Do you deny all about the charges of using a brick on the cooper ? Mr Foley : Well, yes, except that I used it on his hands. The cooper was really a hard case. He was stubborn in ways from the time we left New Bedford till his death. The first time I had any trouble with him ho was making boats mast, I had to make him remake the maet tour times. Finally lie refused, and said he will tiot obey any orders but the Captains. I found that this was not ao. The next case was taking the head out of a keg, contradict the statement made, and tay that the second mate ordered him to take the head out in a certain way. The cooper refused. and the head fell into the butter. 1 took the head of the keg, grasped the cooper and told him that only his eye prevented me punishing him. I did not strike him. I might have touched him with if, and the butter got on the cooper's face. The cooper was put in irons after because he was disobedient to orders gave orders to a man to attend him every half-hour. That night the cooper smashed the sail-pen. I was ordered to put the cooper's hands behind him. The cooper burst through the pen several timee. It broke into the captain's state room. The captain ordered mo' to bind the cooper hand and foot. He was taken out in the evening to give him a chance of washing. The cooper continued filthy, and a man had to wash him. Many times he took the cooper out of irons against orders, asking him, for God's sake, not to get into trouble with' the captain. The cooper promised, to make no further disturbance, He disobeyed me — letting the 1 captain know that I had disobeyed his orders, and pleaded with him to work to prevent any trouble. The captain heard the cooper say he jnst wanted to show what ho could do. One day the cooper promised to go to work, and the Captain released him. The cooper was dierated and put in the forecastle by hia own wieh. The crew continu» ally complained of the cooper's filthiness.and disobedience. Many times I« prevented the tailors laying hands on him. The cooper one day admitted that Foley was acting for the cooper's good in washing and cleaning the latter. The mata took much interest in the drew. Concerning the cooper's death, he complained of being sick three weeks. I ted him with pan and epoon till the last three days; 1 when he refused food, and I gave it to him with the help of some of the men washed his feet and mouth witli water, and placed mustard on his stomrch. To the bost of my opinion cold and neglect of himself caused the cooper's death. - &>T.he mate admitted "there had been ill treatment, but ' nothing ' to cause death. He states that he' courts the fullest inquiry. The mate produces a number of excellent testimonials. I made a visit to the Petrel, "which is lying about a quarter of a miie'from the wharf. The second ' officer, who was in charge, refused to allow me on bpaird, or make any statement regarding the alleged cruelty. , A large .number 'of seamen now on board crowded', fo the side willing to answer any questions I elicited that they struck work yesterday because of their determination to force an, inquiry, and threats N made, by, h the ' captain. Several seamen also, spoke in friendly term's .with,' the first mate»who was'also alongside' in the j boat. ' : +lr , „ , t - Ju; ,' r| ■„ i; u j, .'j f Captain , and : first r<) matef are^ "avowed, ! enemies, yet each has'charge^to^meej: 'from' the crew. 'Both the; daptaih*and.Vfclie first mate prbfessVhorror'at the ; charges of death having, been caused by ill :treatment, but admit many minor allegations. "" i

CAPTAIN REIDS STATEMENT. After forwarding my despatches yesterday I interviewed the master of the vessel. Captain Reid made the following statement :—: — The whole trouble has arisen through me discharging the 1 first mate, who has^ot his back-up, .The|reafon f ,why,the ? )nate was dischatgejl was tjjlcause he wanted 'to I know if I expeoted'him'; to sleep aboard fthfttbdnch of , Ad^meaning the U Petrel") toWthat AMattWvS^Mt:^ I asked the mate in return whose duty it was if not his. The mate replied, *' If you do not like it you can discharge me." I did so. •The cause- of - the* dispute,,,waa-,the^ mate, being ashore several nights" and days. .Concerning the charges made, the only thing I can say is that the mate threatened ,if he was kicked o.ut.pf jthe r shijj like a doe he would make it warm for tne rest' The mate's assertion fthat £he t ;crew were illtreated at my orders is absolutely false. Remonstrated with him time after, time. On one occasion I referred to the mate's brutality before all hands. I told him I would not have such work on my ship. Concerning the statements of cruelty laid by some ot the crew, I absolutely deny ever ill-treating any man on that ship. I have' been sick half the time myself. Most of the charges brought against ,the mate I know very little about, and I first heard of the mate's ill-treatment from other officers since my arrival at this. port. I have asked them where was I at the time these things took place. They replied, "Down below, sick, under the doctor's treatment." About the cooper, I may tell "you, that on the first day after sailing he refused to take orders from the mate. I told him that orders from my officers came from me. . The cooper got worse in his behaviour day by day, and whenever he was set to do anything he refused or made trouble. Finally, I came to the conclusion that the man must be deranged, aud gave up making him do anything. I ordered the cooper to be put in irons because of disobedience about the butter kegs. The next morning the cooper said he was sorry and I released him. He went to 1 work. Complaints of the cooper's filthy condition continued to come to me. 1 had little doubt the man was deranged and talked the matter over with the mate. I decided to let the cooper out of all but important work. The mate reported to me that" the cooper had, threatened to kill the steerage boy because of some information he had given the mate. Either that day or the next the mate showed me a common sailor's knife which he had found secreted in the cooper's shirt. The cooper denied that it was his knife, but afterwards admitted it was his, saying that he wanted ie to break out of confinement. We considered it to be our duty to confine the cooper, and accordingly put him in irons in the sailroom at nighis only. During the day-time he was allowed on deck, and was allowed toget water or do anything else in the care of the officers. The cooper broke through the bulkhead several times, and we had to confine him hand and feet. He was given a bed and blanket to lay on through his struggles. The cooper got hisfacescratched, which was bleeding. I took precautions that the man should not injure himself. After two or three weeks the cooper at night was raving, and would strip every article ot clothing off from his body. I agreed "\\ ith the mate to put the cooper in the forecastle under restraint. Then complaints were made of the cooper lighting matches at night, and making filthy messes. I had the man's bed and clothes washed, and tried to keep him clean without avail. ' As far as I know, the wash ing was done as it should have been done, with one exception. That was on one Sunday when I saw the first mate and two others with a piece ot spunyarn round their fingers. I asked what they were doing. The mate replied, "Washing the cooper." I told the mate it was too cold, and to take the man down the forehold. 1 supposed that Foley took the man down the forehold. I know nothing about scrubbing with bricks or sand. The mate once said "The cooper is so dirty 1 cannot get him clean. He said he did not know ot any other way than taking a little sand on a cloth and rub him. This was when toe cooper Mas entirely well. If any skin was scrubbed off it was. from the man's body. He answered sometimes very pa«sionately. He would do anything to assist the men if in want. I once discovered Foley pounding a man at the wheel who was bleeding at the nose. I said "My God, Mr Foley, you will have to stop ; this is getting too bad." I told him the man was doing the best he could, and that it was a shame to pitch into the man and that discipline would have to be kepi without that 'kind of work. I told Mr Stephenson when I came in here my mind was made up, that unless the mate promised to behave differently he would have to parfc As it happened I got rfd of him without. I could not believe Foley has done what is alleged, although some of the officers have since told me they were an c) ewitness of it. I first heard or the hanging up of the cooper this morning, aud 1 wad probably not on the ship at the time Two weeks betore the cooper died he refused to eat anything at all. I tried to make him ■ take good soup myself and gave soup to the Kanaka- who failed to make the cooper cat. The mate said the cooper was afraid of being; poisoned, and to convince him to the contrary, I eat some of the food myself. The cooper seemed to fail in health for a month, becoming a perfect idiot. I gave him opening medicine, which proved effectual, but I could not make the man eat. The mate forced a little food down the cooper's throat with a stick. He died from an unknown disease. 'I believe myself it was from softening of brain. This is the , statement I intend to make before the consul. In the case of the man liake 'who was lost overboard, the ships log says — " The boat was put off, but tailed to save him ;" but the crew deny this The log records the cooper very sick for two days bofore death. The gieatest- excitement prevails at Rnssell over the Petrel case, owing to the very contradictory statements. Everyone I hesitates in forming an opinion. The first mare says the people on shore have no idea what evils' exist on whulers; the crew are picked up, .anyhow, and the officers never know "who to trust, and when lives are safe. What may seem horrible to us is what is regulai'ly practised on whalers, and what he himself has gpne through. There are three parties, it' not more,' in the quarrel, each employing counsel. I learn irom Mr. Stephenson that it has been decided to re-examine the whole of the Petrel's officers and crew— about thirty. A statement made 'in the "Luminary" that the captain. aid not ; .report the manwith broken legsaboard is explained by the assertion that. he mistook somtohe else for Mr Stephenscn, and consequently reported in the wrong quarter. 'The statement made that the , captain 1 ] owes Mr. Foley £tiOO is 'contradicted by' the former. , He &iys the ma'te's ''''interest 1 "amounted to thatmuch,' but he' has drawn nearlyall ; ' ''<*'"" ' jl '\ i • >.< ' "■•s'-" Sl ; i - Apart from the above complaints; ?two summons cases against Mr Foley for assault on> seamen, are to be- held to-day j one is a charge of assaulting ( a young seaman,'

Marion, by kicking him on the head when in the boat alongside of the Petrel a few days after arrival. Marion states his eye was, cut open by the mate's ,'boot.. The second charge is laid by Mendoz, the second officer, against the first officer, for an. aseaujbon Sunday, the 6th, in^repeatedly r^trikmg^the former in the;, £a6# withu his fist and kicking with

flenched his^o^f. (f the enquiry bffor© Mr Henry StephqnV .son, Consul, advised by^Mr Cah£pbel£ solicitor.^ommencedfat^S pjrux. yestarda^. *Mr StepHeneon, in opening tlie proceedings, said that certain charges had been made by the crew of the whaling barque Petrel, and in consequence of facts elicited during the -investigation, ..he .had^desLded.^JioJLd, •earching official enquiry, the charges made ' being very grave. ' ♦ Mr Campbell said he had been requested .by *he« 4, c*in £ V nited States Consul in Auckland to come tb^RusselirfoY'tHe^pu*-* pose of assisting the Consular agent here to investigate this niattei\ It was the wish of Captain Webb that thelnvestigation should be carried out! in the fullest'manner possible. It was desired that every person should have the fullest opportunity to'make a statement in reference to ill treatment. The Acting-Consul was unable to be pre-, sent, owing to business in Auckland.' Captj. Webb was anxious also that someone i acquainted with the laws of evidence at investigations of this kind should assist the Consular agent. ' , Harry W. Swan, on behalf of six men in custody, claimed the f right of adjournment to obtain counsel from Kawakawa. ', ' , ' Mr Stevens considered this a fair request,and adjourned the 'inquiry until this moraine at 10 " '

TODAY'S PROCEEDINGS. Russell, June 11. The enquiry opened in the, Public Hall at 11 a.m., delay having taken place in getting the witnesses ashore. Mr Henderson appeared on behalf of the ship's crew andtjhe 1 third mate, Mr Campbell for the Consuly and Mr Steadman for the first mate. Witnesses Were ordered out of Court. The captain said he desired r to state h& 7 fore the Court opened that it wa^ hiß wish to have a thorough enquiry. - The other bide had counsel, but he had not, and he appealed to the Court to have a fair bearing, feeling assured that this would be given. Nicholas Lav, boat-steerer, through an. interpreter, refused to give evidence unless the whole crew wei'eC 'present. . The interpreter explained that justice would be done to the crew. The witness refused to proceed, and it was then suggested that a start, should be made with an Englishman, 1 Thomas Cook was sailed and made," a similar objection to the previous witness (a Portuguese). ' Cook . was assured that equal justice would be done to all. He was then sworn and disposed: — I left home as cook. The oantain complained of the meat and gruel. He threatened to heave me out | of the galley, kicked me and bewt me two be three t^mes. The chief mate also kicked me two or three, times and then heaved me over the windlass. After we left Norfolk Island he threw a club of wood at me and behaved to me badly. He did not obey orders. He mijjht have killed me. I am. unwell at present After leaving New Bedford I saw the capiain beat the cooper and kick him in the face till he bled from his wounds. I saw the first mate kicking and pounding the cooper and pulling his whis. kers out and beating him with a rope. f: I saw one of the crew scrubbing the cooper with sand and a brick in the forehold. . , , Ci'oss-examined by the captain : I do not know the date of the beatings. You kicked me for going on the forecastle. The solicitor for the crew objected to the captain making a statement, Mr Campbell replied that he could not allow such remarks. Mr Henderson rnusfe confine himself to advising the crew. A scene then took place between Messrs. Campbell and Henderson. The latter claimed that only half of the answer had been taken down. If an investigation was to take place it would have to be a {'proper investigation, and not a one-sided affair. He would advise Cook and the rest of the witnesses to decline to say another word in this court. Witness : All right, sir. In reply to Mr Henderson Mr Campbell said he would not allow Mr Henderson to cross-examine the ciew. The latter repeated that if the men would take his advice they would not say another word. Mr Campbell said there could be no objection to solicitors appearing to watch the ca c c and advise the crew. Mr Steadman characterised the proceedings as most extraordinary, and spoke sarcastically of the fair and impartial inquiry promised. Cook being questioned by the first mate^ admitted having been punished for disobedience of duty. He adhered to his statements as to the punishment. Witness also admitted having made a disturbance in the ship Adeline Gibbs. The enquiry then adjourned till 2 p.m.

The Chief Officer's Demand for an Inquiry. Sii^,— Some of the statements of the men who deserted from the ship Petrel weigh very heavily against Mr Foley, the chief officer In justice to that officer, the public j should know that on Thursday last, the 3rd instant, Mr Foley personally placed in Captain Webbs (the American Consul) hands, as well as with Mr Stephenson, I Consular Agent, a letter, o£ which I have in my possession a duplicate signed on the same day by Foley. It reads as follows ;—; — '• Barque Petrel Rupsell, Jane 3. 188G.— T0 the American Vic^-Oonsul at .Auckland, and to the Cooeulir Agent at Kiisaell.— Gentlemen,— ln consequence of nn onqtiiry having: been held concerning the twatmer t o? the crew of the barque Petrel on her voyage from N«w Bedford, U.S.A., to Hufspl!, and as said inquiry was h°ld and closed without, my being: pereonally present. I hereby request that a full investigation shall bo made, and tbat the evidence • connected thon-wiih bo taken upon oath, and that an attested copy of the paid statements or evirtenoe be forthwith forwarded to the Secretary of ttate at Washington ; and I further request that, in the ovent of your not, granting the Bald it quiry. yru will eend an *xoct copy of thia notice >o thfi snid Secretary of State, so that the name may bo ouroiiared with, an attested copy whioh I Bhall niyßßlf forward to the Feorotary of Ptftt- — I am. gentlemen, your obedient servant, Ottarlus H. 1 FoiißY, Chief Officer , Barque Pefirel." Trusting to your giving insertion to this in the next issue of the Stab — I am, yours, etc., ■ , C. W. Martin.* Scherff's Buildings, Fort-street, " 9th June, 1886. ' ' "