HORRIBLE ATROCITY ON A BRISTOL SCHOONER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2623, 4 May 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

HORRIBLE ATROCITY ON A BRISTOL SCHOONER.

Despatches from St. John's, Newfoundland, bring details of a case of manslaughter almost unexampled for savage brutality. Thomas Stark (married man, whose family live at Liverpool )'nnd James Rigby, master and mate of the Bchooner Clara, of Plymouth, were the prisoners, and they were tried before a petty jury for tho manslaughter of a seaman named Charles Hookey. The Attorney-General, having opened tho case, called Olaf Lindall, a Swede, who joined the Clara at Bristol, and was first mate on the passage out, but was afterwards made cook, and who said that the second day after sailing the captain sent Hotkey to the wheel, and becauso he steered badly tho captain knocked him down with V.is fist and made his right ear bleed. A day or two afterwards the men were engaged reefing the topsail, and witness gent Hookey down for fear of accident. When Hookey came down Rigby beat him with his fist, and asked him why he didn't reef the sail. He then beat him across the head and face, and the captain having lashed the wheel, ran forward, caught hold of Hookey, and dragged him aft to the main rigging, beat him, kicked him, and jumpod on him. The captain wore heavy sea boots, with iron tips on the heels, and he jumpod with both feet on him from the deck. This he did two or tbrea times, tearing tho man's pants and Cardigan jacket to pieces. Hookey offered no resistance nor Baid anything, but went down in the forecastle, and was laid up three or four days. Rigby only allowed him bread and water, because, he said, ho was loafiing, and was ordered out of the cabin for the remainder of tho voyage. He often complained to witness that he was sore. One night, when witness turned in, ho heard Hookey crying out. He shortly afterwards came below with his mouth, nose, and face bleeding, and his oar and face all swollen up. He was confined to his berth for a week, and could not see. Witness and two of tho othor sailors did what they could for him, witness bringing him food unknown to the captain, whoso orders wero to give him nothing but bread and water. The sailorp, however, gave liiin what they could out of their own meals. At four o'clock ouo morning Rigby came down, took Hookey by the collar, pulled him out of his berth and up to tho deck, and he was takeu aft to the pump and lashed to the pinra.il, for how long witness did not know. The whole of that day Hookey, who had not offered any resistance, was kept scrubbing paint. It was cold and blowing hard, and be put on an oilskin coat. His ear was swollen and mortified, and looked like a piece of beef. Hookey died on a Sunday morning, and although only 40 miles from St. John's, the body was buried the following morning. When the entries in the log relating to the death were read to tho witness he refused tu sign, as the statements wero not accurate, but afterwards through fear he signed. The crew on landiug said nothing about the matter, but witness one morning slipped ashore and disclosed the facts. Georgo Evans, a sailor, who had also shipped at Bristel, corroborated Lindall's evidence, and snid that be saw tho captain hammer Hookey's head on tho deck. Hookey cried out, " Lord have mercy on me; good Lord, you'll kill me." He was then kicked in the eye. The captain told Lindall if he gave Hookey anything more than bread and water he would stop the lot. Hookey stayed below because ho was too weak to stand. On a very cold, freezing day Rigby threw a bucket of water over him. Another day the captain knocked him down and scrubbed a brush over his faco. Both prisoners wore found guilty, and sentenced to five years' imprisonment with hard labour.