Bessie M. Lewis

MASTER AND MATE CONVICTED Of The Bugseye Bessie M. Lewis Found Guilty Of Brutality To The Vessel's Crew.

Captain Levin T. Lewis and Mate Richard W. Clayton, of the bugeye Bessie M. Lewis, were convicted in the United States Court yesterday of illtreating members of the crew of the vessel. The verdict was rendered upon after the adjournment of court Tuesday and was taken into court, and one indictment for illtreating Patrick Smith. Captain Lewis was convicted on one of the two indictments against Mate Clayton, which was for illtreating Patrick Smith, who subsequent- ly died on the vessel and whose body was buried on Hooper's Island. The mate was also indicted for inflicting cruel and un- usual punishment on Smith by pouring buckets of water over him, but, under the instructions of the court, the mate was told the jury that the statute with refer- ence to cruel and unusual punishment ap- plies to such punishment as flogging, hang- ing up by the thumbs or putting a man in cramped quarters, and not to such punishment as may be necessary under conditions.

Judge Morris suspended sentence and the captain and mate were committed to the custody of the marshal and were sent to jail. The captain lives in Dorchester coun- ty and the mate in Baltimore.

TROUBLES OF DREDGERS Captain And Mate Of The Bug-eye Bessie M. Lewis Deny That They Were Cruel To The Crew.

The jury in the United States Court bring in a sealed verdict this morning the case of Capt. Levin T. Lewis and Richard W. Clayton, of the bugeye Bes- sie M. Lewis, charged with ill-treating bers of the vessel's crew. They agreed upon the verdict after about an hour's liberation, and after court had adjourned for the day. Captain Lewis and Mate Clayton told their version of the trouble on the vessel to the jury yesterday. They said that the crew came aboard drunk, delirious and un- fit for work, and continued growling for four days. According to their story, Michael Duffy attempted to strike the mate and the mate hit Duffy with his fist. Then Patrick Healey and Patrick Smith reached for shovels and were knocked down by officers. Smith stumbled over a dredge fell overboard, but was rescued. There was no further trouble on the trip, the captain and mate said. The mate denied that he threw buckets of water over Smith, as the men said. Lawrence P. Ashton, a justice of the peace, of Hooper's Island, who examined the body of Smith on the vessel, said he saw no indications of death by violence and therefore did not hold an inquest. Undertaker William Dean, also of Hoop- er's Island, who buried Smith's body, said there were no bruises or scars on the body. It was brought out during the examination that Captain Lewis had been arrested five times previously on the charge of ill-treat- ing members of his crews. The six members of the crew who were kept in jail as witnesses pending the trial were paid their fees and released at its conclusion. Five of them were paid $19 each and one received $11. Patrick Healey, who was the most severely injured, re- ceived the smaller sum, having only ar- rived in Baltimore a few days ago.

SAY THE MEN MUTINIED Captain Lewis And Mate Clayton Give Their Version Of The Trouble On The Oyster Bugseye Bessie M. Lewis.

Capt. Levin T. Lewis and Mate Richard W. Clayton, of the oyster bugeye Bessie M. Lewis, had a preliminary hearing before Commissioner Rogers yesterday on charge of ill-treating members of the vessel's crew, and were each released on $1,500 bail for the action of the United States grand jury. Five members of the crew testified, their statements under oath being substantially as was published in THE SUN yesterday.

According to the men's story, they shipped on the vessel on December 18, and sailed from Baltimore the same day. They were each to get $9 for a dredging trip down the bay. The trouble commenced on Monday, December 20, when Michael Duffy, the oldest one of the crew, was struck by the mate. Patrick Smith, one of the crew, told the mate that that he ought not to hit the old man, and then Smith was struck. Patrick Haley also made a remonstrance and was beaten.

The men said that Smith was so badly beaten that when he got up from the deck he tumbled overboard. They declared that the mate said "Let him drown," but a rope was thrown Smith and he was pulled aboard again. Smith was beaten, they said, on December 23, December 30, and on January 1 he was found dead in his bunk. The next day his body was taken ashore on Holland's Island and buried.

It was testified, was struck in the head with a hatchet by the captain and badly wounded. Last Friday, while the vessel was on the way to this city, Haley was put ashore at the mouth of the Patuxent river.

The captain and mate both testified that the crew were drunk when they shipped and that they took whisky on the vessel with them. There was virtually a mutiny among the crew, Captain Lewis said, and he had to make the men obey. The captain denied striking Haley with a hatchet.

"The man was coming at me with a shovel," he said, "and I struck with my fist in self-defense. I put Haley ashore at his own request and paid him off." The captain also said that Smith died of pneumonia. He produced a certificate of Dr. Lawrence P. Ashton, of Dorchester county, to that effect. He said that he gave Smith medicine, but no physician saw the body and no inquest was held.

Mate Clayton said that Duffy refused to go to work until he got his breakfast. "You cursed me," the mate continued, "and was pursuing me when he stumbled over a dredge and fell overboard. I was about to jump overboard after him, but I threw him a rope instead and he was pulled aboard. I struck Duffy with my fist. The vessel at the time was becalmed below Cedar Point, near the Patuxent river.

The men went to work and there was no more trouble after that day."

Captain Lewis lives at Bishop's Head, Dorchester county, and Mate Clayton in Cambridge. They were arrested by Police League and Round Sergeant Mc-Gee, of the eastern district. Edward S. Kines is their counsel.

BALTIMORE, TUESDAY MORNING, JANUARY 18, 1898. A DREDGER'S DEATH Serious Charges Against The Captain And Mate Of The Bugeye Bessie M. Lewis. BRUTAL TREATMENT ALLEGED Resulting Fatally To Patrick Smith One Of The Crew. Smith, It Was Stated, Was Beaten, Kicked, Doused With Buckets of Water And Knocked Overboard— Tried On Hooper's Island—Previous Charges Against Captain Lewis.

W. T. Lewis, master, and Richard Clayton, mate, of the oyster bugeye Bessie M. Lewis, were each committed to jail yesterday by Commissioner Rogers for a hearing today on the charge of ill- treating the crew of the vessel, and there- by causing the death of Patrick Smith. The two men were arrested on board the vessel Bessie M. Lewis, at Mills' oyster wharf, Aliceanna street, near Boston street, by Captain McGee, of the Eastern and Round sergeant McGee, east- ern district, and was brought about by Officers Fitzgerald and James Gallagher, of the crew, who told Captain Lewis and Mate Clayton a tale of unusual persecutions. On De- cember 22 Mate Clayton beat and kicked Smith so badly that he was not able to stand. In staggering away from the mate he reeled and would have fallen overboard had not he been caught by one of his shipmates. It was stated that Mate Clayton became enraged at the man in preventing Smith from falling into the water, and forced him to let go of Smith and seek safety by going to the forepeak. Smith was un- able to support himself and he fell over- board. Other members of the crew threw a rope to him and he was hauled back on deck. It was asserted that Patrick Haley, a fel- low dredger, was beaten over the head with a hatchet by Captain Lewis for remarking that Smith was pulled on board: "Such treatment is too bad." The injury he re- ceived was of such a nature as to unfit him for further work, and he laid in his bunk in the forepeak until last Friday, when he was put ashore at the mouth of the Patuxent river without any means of reaching Baltimore. It is thought by the members of the crew that Haley was paralyzed by the assault. The vessel left Baltimore in December for the oyster grounds about Hooper's Island. The men had cause to complain of the provisions served to them, they said, especially the bread, which was ex- ceedingly hard and stale. Their complaints were made to the captain and mate, who began a system of cruel persecutions. On De- cember 23 Smith received more bad treatment from Captain Lewis and Mate Clayton, being knocked down on deck and doused with buckets of water. The crew protested for fear that he would be drowned. Fitzgerald and Galla- gher state that Lewis and Clayton answer- ed by threatening to do them bodily harm, and remarked that "If there is enough water in the Chesapeake bay he will be drowned." Smith was then compelled to go to his bunk in the forepeak, and on January 1 he was found dead there. The men went ashore and brought off Jus- tice Lawrence P. Ashton, of Dorchester county, who, after viewing the body and listening to the story of the captain and mate about the death of Smith, gave a certificate of death from natural causes, and on January 2 he was buried on Hooper's Island. Smith was an Irishman, and came from New York to join the vessel. Fitzgerald, Gallagher, with Michael Duffy, Martin O'Donnell and Richard Jones, were all witnesses in the case. Captain Lewis has been arrested on similar charges a number of times.

Oyster Dredgers Sentenced. Captain Levin T. Lewis and Mate Rich-ard W. Clayton, of the bugeye Bessie M. Lewis, were each sentenced on Saturday to two years in jail and to pay a fine of $100 for ill-treating members of the ves-sel's crew. Both men were convicted in the United States Court last week, the cap-tain for ill-treating Patrick Healy and the mate for ill-treating Patrick Smith, who subsequently died on the vessel, and whose body was buried on Hooper's Island. In sentencing the captain and mate Judge Morris said that the death of Smith was undoubtedly due to his treatment on the vessel.

Captain Levin T. Lewis and Mate Rich- ard W. Clayton, of the bugeye Bessie M. Lewis, were each sentenced to two years in jail and to pay a fine of $100 for ill- treating oyster dredgers=Judge Phelps af- firmed the award of $3,322.75 damages to Alfred J. Ulman by the commission for opening streets in the opening of Tenth, or Holmes street.

BALTIMORE, WEDNESDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 9, 1898. THE SUN SUMMARY OF THE NEWS United States Court jury will bring sealed verdict this morning in the case of Capt. Levin T. Lewis and Mate W. Clayton, of the bugeye Bessie M. Lewis, charged with ill-treating mem- bers of the crew

MALTREATMENT ON A BUGEYE Lewis And Mate Clayton, Of The Bessie M. Lewis, On Trial In The United States Court.

Captain Lewis and Mate Clayton, of the Bessie M. Lewis, are two men with no indication in their sun-browned faces of the blood-thirstiness imputed to them by their crew.

Wesley Rounds, who recently returned to the city after serving as a dredger on the bugeye Bessie M. Lewis, were mute witnesses in the United States Court yesterday against Captain Levin T. Lewis and Mate Richard Clayton, of the bugeye, who are charged with ill-treating their crew.

Rounds said he left Baltimore on Saturday night, December 18, "Healey said. "On the following Wednesday morning, while we were getting the dredges ready, I saw the mate strike Michael Duffy. I said, 'It's a shame to beat an old man like that,' and Patrick Smith replied, 'Yes, it is a shame.' Then the mate struck Smith with his fist, knocked him down and kicked him. The captain at the same time hit me on the head three times with a hatchet, knocking him down, and then kicked me in the face and on the arm. Afterward he made me wash the blood up. The captain and mate cursed me. My arm hurt so I could not work and I was so badly injured I could not eat. The captain told me he would not make me eat, but he could make me work, and I had to work as best I could with one arm.

On December 28 I told the captain I would not work any more and he could do as he pleased with me. He told me to go to the forepeak, where the crew slept. I remained there until January 14, when I was taken to the Marine Hospital, on Solomon's Island."

Healey's left arm hung limp at his side, and he told the jury he had not been able to use it since he was kicked. He also had a plastered wound on his head and a cut on his nose, caused, he said, by the hatchet.

Others of the crew said that after Smith had been knocked down, as Healey said, he fell overboard, but was rescued with a rope thrown by the captain. They said Smith was beaten twice afterward by the mate, who threw buckets of water over the man while he was lying on the deck. Smith, they said, became very ill and on January 1 he was found dead in his bunk, about 11 o'clock at night. Two men came aboard the vessel the next day and decided that Smith's death was due to natural causes. The crew were not ques-tioned.

The body was taken ashore on Solomon's Island.

Captain Lewis and Mate Clayton are sun-browned men, with no indication in their faces of the blood-thirstiness imputed to them by their crew. Testimony in their defense will be heard today. At the preliminary hearing they said there was virtually a mutiny on board the vessel, and the crew came aboard the vessel drunk, they said, and took whisky with them on the vessel.

Assistant District Attorney Marbury and Assistant District Attorney Lee are prosecuting the case. Edward S. Kines is defending the men.

Capt. Lewis and Mate Richard W. Clayton, of the bugeye Bessie M. Lewis, were placed on trial on the charge of ill-treating members of the vessel's crew=

Stories Of Cruelty Corroborated.

Patrick Haley, who, it is alleged, was struck in the head with a hatchet on board the bugeye Bessie M. Lewis, arrived in Baltimore yesterday. He was sent to jail as a witness against Capt. Levin T. Lewis and Mate Richard W. Clayton, of the bugeye, who are charged with ill-treating the crew, and whose case has been set for trial Monday.

Haley has been in the marine hospital at Solomon's Island. He was put ashore there while the bugeye was on the way to Baltimore, and is now partly paralyzed. The statements made by the rest of the crew as to the conduct of the captain and mate were corroborated by what Haley said.

CRUELTY TO OYSTER DREDGERS. The charges against Capt. Levin T. Lewis and Mate Richard W. Clayton, of the oyster bugeye Bessie M. Lewis, are serious ones and should be probed to the bottom by the United States grand jury, to which they have been referred. They are accused of virtually causing the death of one of their crew and brutally ill-treating others. The captain and mate on their side claim that the men mutinied and that they resorted to such physical force as was necessary in self-defense. Without prejudging this particular case, it is unquestionable that the crews of oyster-dredging vessels are frequently the victims of the tyranny and brutality of the men whom they ship. Scarce-ly a winter passes without charges of atrocities of this character, sometimes almost challenging belief by their cold-blooded cruelty and absolute savagery. That many of the charges have been proved by the conviction of some of the most notorious offenders. The com-plaints of ill-treatment were so loud and numerous a few years ago as to cause an organized movement on the part of Ger-man citizens of Baltimore for the prosecu-tion of oyster dredgers who should ill-treat their crews. It is to be hoped that the representatives of the State and the city will vigorously prosecute all cases of this kind that are brought to their atten-tion. Such occurrences are a disgrace to the State, and whenever there is clear proof of guilt the offenders should be taught a lesson that they and oth-ers like them will not forget. While many of the men shipped for this work are rough and necessary to main-tain discipline, if they will not do their work, they may be put ashore. The un-avoidable hardships of an oyster dredger's life are trying enough without adding to them brutality worse than that of the most diabolical slave-driver ever pictured in the pages of abolition fiction.

BALTIMORE, WEDNESDAY MORNING, JAN. 19 SUMMARY OF THE NEWS Capt. Levin T. Mate Richard W. Clayton, of Bessie M. Lewis, were re- $1,500 bail each, on the charge the vessel's crew

City And Suburban. Mr. T. Lewis, master, and Richard W. Clayton, mate of the bugeye Bessie M. Lewis, were committed for a hearing charged with ill-treating the crew of the vessel, thereby causing the death of Patrick Smith=

Sales Of Sailing Vessels. Vivian Phillips & Co., vessel brokers, yes- terday sold the bugey Bessie M. Lewis, of Baltimore, for Charles Durm and C. R. Dukes to J. Page Green, of Kent Island, Md. The Lewis has a rec- ord for being a speedy craft. She was built in Baltimore in 1897, is 27 tons register and 65 feet long.

FIVE VICTIMS OF THIEVES Houses, Boat And Restaurant Are Robbed—Pickpockets At Work. Breaking into the cabin of the bugeye Bessie M. Lewis, lying at the foot of Lancaster street, a thief stole $35 belonging to Capt. John J. Jerome.

NEWS OF THE SHIPPING

Schooner Bessie M. Lewis Sold. The schooner Bessie M. Lewis has been sold at private sale by Gail & Joiner, of Tolchester, to John Jerome, of Rock Hall. Mr. Jerome will con- tinue to use her in the grain trade between Balti- more and bay ports. Capt. J. E. Marshall, who has been master of the Lewis, will give way to Capt. Charles Urie, who will command her. The schooner has been equipped with a 14-horsepower auxiliary engine, but this is being removed at the yard of C. Durm & Sons, Winans Cove, where she will later dock and overhaul. The schooner registers 27 tons and was built in Baltimore in 1897. Her port of registry is Baltimore.

NEWS OF THE SHIPPING Finds Both In Fault. A decree signed by Judge Morris in the United States District Court yesterday finds both in charge of the schooner Bessie M. Lewis and those in charge of the Baltimore, Chesapeake and Atlantic Railway Company bridge at Vienna, Md., in fault for the collision of the schooner in January 13 last. The damage to the bridge was $113.79 and is to be deducted from the $701.93 damage done the schooner. The balance of damage to the schooner is to be divided. The decree is for one-half of this with in, $302.89, against the Baltimore, Chesapeake and Atlantic Railway Company and one-half the costs.