THIRTY DAYS IN IRONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6821, 27 September 1883, Page 5

THIRTY DAYS IN IRONS.

[BY TBLE&kATH.—PKESS ASidc.IATIOif.J f '■■: DrJNEDiN, Wednesday;, At Port Chalmers to-day Thomas Campbell, a seaman of the barque Ebeltpn, just arrived, was charged ..with , : disobedience.' of' '■'lawful orders. .The.evidence of'■..the...captain ,was that oii: August 24' the .: accused.declined, to work, and, witness put him.iii irons. Prisoner then said; ~'.'■. All right, I will put you thrbugh as soon.aslget puc ofvthis. You,may thank God that yg.uhav.fe.npt the fight sort o£. men on board , ;"." Witness;considered this to be a. threat to raise;& mutiny and to: take his life. He therefore kept tho prisoner, in irons/until the end of the.:.vpyagp; ..'.The prisoner, ■„in defence,.said that, the reason.he ; refusecLdufcy was that .the work was not done when, it should; have been; He had been ■■, kept :30 days in irons, and his Chains .were never removed, altlibngh. hfe : ., was , 43. yjears old. They were;the hardest ,30 days' of hia. life. He was.treated worse than.a dog or a Chinamau. :The Bench considered the charge clearly proved. ■. The .prisoner had no right to refuse a lawfiil order.' , Under Ordinary circumstances be.'would' baye : been sent, to gaul for four we'ekß, but as he had been kept a prisoner; fpr tbat time {he would be cpnvicted and discharged. ; :. , J . ■:,