ALLEGED GROSS CRUELTY AT SEA.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 745, 11 June 1886, Page 30

ALLEGED GROSS CRUELTY AT SEA.

(united press association.) Auckland, June 5.

The Bell publishes a statement purporting to be that of the four deserters from the whaling ship Petrel, who complained of the cruelty of the master and mate on the high seas. Their names are Henry Swain, Fred. Gill, Charles Banks, and Henry Kenny, all seamen. They allege that the cooper, William Britton, was struck frequently without provocation on the head and face, ironed by the hands and legs, tied to the shrouds, and subsequently subjected to various other forms of ill-usage. They allege that Britton was subjected to the most disgusting cruelty, and that be got gradually feeble and weak, and died on January 29. The following members of the crew are prepared to testify to ill-treat' ment and assault upon themselves i—Sam Veitch, Henry Langham, John Jones, Thomas Cook, Marcus Antonio, Charles Pudineen, Thomas Condon, and Jim (a Fijian). The statement has caused considerable sensation. Auckland, June 7-

Since the return of Captain Webb, American Consul, from the Bay of Islands, he has received a telegram from Mr Stephenßon, consular agent there, stating that the men of the whaling barque Petrel arrested there made a very strong statement on oath, alleging that

cruelties were practiced on the cooper which--hastened, if they were not the cause, of death. The telegram also states that ether witnesses have given evidence relative to the ■ circumstances attending the cooper’s death,, but does not give any further indication as to the character of this evidence. The men on ’ board the whaleship have refused duty pending an inquiry. Captain Webb has thought it advisable to employ counsel in order that everything connected with the matter might be thoroughly sifted, and Mr Campbell, of the firm of Russell and Campbell, leaves for the Bay of Islands to-night. The written charges,, ‘ which were formally laid by the men before the Consul, consisted in allegations of blows and threats directed against themselves. They laid no other charges then. The captain of the whaler flatly denied this, and also produced a letter which he said had been found among deceased effects directed to some woman in New Bedford. The letter was dated five or six weeks after the vessel left New Bedford, and was signed with initials only. It spoke of having a pleasant voyage so far, and mentioned the officers favorably. The captain of the whaler also stated that he had had the cooper examined by a British medical officer at Phayal where he had called, and that the doctor certified that the man was liable to attacks of insanity. Captain Webb has given instructions to Mr Stephenson when he has taken the whole of thedeposicions to forward them with his report to Auckland. A seaman of the Petrel named Hardy Appleton, a native of Canada, is in Auckland Hospital suffering from poisoning. He corroborates the statements as to the illusage of the cooper. At the conclusion of tin interview, a Press reporter asked the man if he would sail with the captain again. Hie reply was to shake his head and smile very significiently. He stated that the crew was a mixed one, comprising Americans, Canadians, Fiji Islanders, Sandwich Islanders, and Portuguese.

Auckland, June 8.

The American Consul, after taking evidence of all the crew, considers there is a case for the officers to answer, and has resolved to hold an inquiry, open to the Press, when the Petrel officers will be present. It has transpired that a seaman named Lake was drowned during the cruise, and he is said to have been illused as much as the cooper. All the men on board corroborate the story of the deserters as to ill-treatment all round. The inquiry takes place at Russell. Mr Campbell, solicitor, has gone up to represent the officers. Auckland, June 9. The four seamen who deserted from the American whaler Petrel at Russell have been sentenced to a month’s imprisonment. The inquiry into the charges against Captain Reid and the mate, Mr Foley, began to-day at Russell. A good deal of evidence was taken. It is uuderstood that the investigation is only preliminary, and the evidence will have to be taken again at Auckland before the American Consul. The. captain and mate are mutually recriminating and blaming each other for the state of affairs.