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The Virginia Gazette
Richmond, Williamsburg, Richmond County, Virginia
What is this article about?
A ship master in the African trade was committed to Carlisle gaol on suspicion of causing a boy's death at sea through cruel punishment involving setting fire to combustibles in his hair, leading the boy to jump overboard and drown. Further inhumanity to other boys reported, including abandoning three on the Negro coast.
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A postillion belonging to a Baronet, being brother to the boy, on hearing the ship was arrived, went on board to inquire after him, and was told by the other boys that the master, after severe correction, tied some combustibles to his hair, and set them on fire, telling him that as he was going to hell these were the flames to show him light; which so frightened the boy that he jumped overboard directly, and was drowned.
On which the postillion laid the affair before his master, who desired a magistrate to examine all the boys and sailors on board the ship; when it not only was said that the postillion's information was true, but, that he had acted with inhumanity to several other boys, particularly that he once turned three ashore on the Negro coast, who must have perished, had they not, at the peril of their lives, ventured to swim on board another ship.
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Where did it happen?
Foreign News Details
Primary Location
Negro Coast
Event Date
Lately
Outcome
one boy drowned after jumping overboard; three boys turned ashore on negro coast but swam to another ship
Event Details
A ship master in the African trade committed to Carlisle gaol on suspicion of causing a boy's death at sea. The boy's brother, a postillion, learned from other boys that the master tied combustibles to the boy's hair, set them on fire, and taunted him about hell's flames, causing the boy to jump overboard and drown. Examination revealed further inhumanity, including abandoning three boys on the Negro coast who survived by swimming to another ship.