The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-27

all advanced. We have objected to do business
with Captain Duncan because we DO
To explain what | mean-a man comes
ashore and boards at my house. Very Ire
guenty ne mas no money and am forced 10 give
him credit. When he succeeds in getting shipped
captain Duncan makes out his due bill, and am
iorcea 10 wait for my money until the vessel mas
Deen tnree days gone to sea. Captain Duncan mas
the use OF the money In the meantime, and the loss
o. IL, while in his hands, is serious inconvenience
TO me. rhe money that Captain Duncan pays us
with Is not his own money-it Is the money or the
snipowners, and 1t was much better for US under
the old system. when all were paid the amount Of
The sailors would much rather have the old sys-
tenn. and have 80 expressed themselves, and
many OF them have refused to ship under the
new law. We have an association called the Sea-
mems Benevolent Lodging Housekeepers' Associa-
refusing to treat with Captain Duncan or supply
him with sailors. We intend to tight the matter
out, now that It has been sprung upon US, and see
WHAT MIR. HUGHES SAYS.
William Hughes the treasurer OF tine Association,
was next sought by the reporter After expressing
his opinion OF the outrage committed upon him as
a citizen, by what he styled his unwarrantable
arrest he sald in reference to the act, II am Tree
to say that the working of the act is not near so
advantageous to me as the old system has been.
As far as know the Law ss no.
The sailors would wish its repeal, ana SO
would the shipping owners whose ships are lying
in the harbor Tor want OF men. Under the OLD syS-
TEN we dealt directly with the shipping owner
when we supplied him with men, and to him we
looked ior the payment OF our due Dill we never
had any difficulty in settling with the snip owners.
The men engaged at a regular monthly salary ana
an advance, and out OF the advance our bills were
paid. Under the new system the due bills must be
caused IN this way. have not lost any money on
due os myself since the ,o act came oha into
VINO have. Captain Duncan has told VS.
he does not recognize us an association, and we
the due bills Is deposited in his hands, and he
sometimes has It, ten days before 1t Is paid We
want only alr play Wnen the man Is shipped we
have been guilty Of Captain Duncan employs
runners to procure sailors, and must say they
are. pretty intelligent men; but under the old
system the ships were supplied with as good
sailors and in shorter time than they are now We
will contest this matter, now that it has been
spiracy because we endeavor to maintain our
rights and gain our livng.'
John Williams, a tOugh-loOking customer, with a
huge bushy black moustache and wniskers, keeps
boarding house at 40 Cherry street. He stated to
he has frequently lost money through the manner
in which the due bills are now paid. He says he
legally due him, but 1T was cat down to $40 in the
Commissioners Office, whereby he lost $40. He has
no harsh feelings towards Captain Duncan, but he
won't readily forget tile loss of his Slo While he
was speaking, Ludwck Alexander, proprietor of
the Seaman's Home, came into the room. and Will
liams observed, There is the white-llvered hypo-
critic who has done most OF the harm He win,
under the guse OF religion, entlce men to 90 upon
voyages they don't want to, and if they refuse he
dubbed into compliance by his runners"
CHARLES b. CAMERON,
81 Roosevelt street, is ignorant OF what led to his
arrest. He was formerly a member of the associa-
ton, but left it some years ago and has since been
engaged in the milk business. He knows nothing
about the new act and don't want TO know any
thing about it. Christian Levers, Hebrew, OF "a
West street. is equally puzzled to know why the
officers bounced upon him, as he says ne never
shipped sailor in his Lille. Mr.. Levers forgot to
say whether he prevented any from being shipped,
as that is the great trouble at present.
a N
direction OF the Fourth ward where the boarding
houses are mainly situated. AS rule they are
appearance and dirty in their interior. Most OF
them are on Cherry and Water streets, and the vile
smells in their vicinity are not particularly
pleasant to the nostrils OF those who are unaccus
toned to the ''savory" odors. The Office OF the
United states Commissioner is No. ls9 Cherry
street, and Mr. Duncan was found in his office. He
very readily assented to give the reporter all the
information about the trouble in his power. The
following Is his statement =
WHAT CAPTAIN DUNCAN SAYS
Captain DuNcAN-l may say in the outset that
the United states Commission has no motive in
the laws of the country enforced. Since the
new shipping act came into operation we have met
Keepers, VINO have done all In their power to OBJ
struct us in our work. The Boarding House AS
sociation' we don't recognize, and this is one
reason why our difficulty is SO great. There were
few OF the boarding house keepers who
were willing to work IN harmony with us,
a man named Pearsall, but when the association
heard OF 1t these men were expelled from the soci-
ETY.. The sailors are in such dread OF the boarding
house keepers, who have taken means to intimi- l
date them, that they are afraid to ship, and we
forced to get our crews upon the sly. There is a
colored boarding house Keepers association, and
from that we never had any trouble. as the proprie
tors nave always manifested the greatest willing
ness to do what IL right. There are also two or
three Chinese boarding houses, and the owners OF
them are particularly tractabe and readily aid In
procuring men when required. The great trouble
is with the white boarding house keepers,
who have hitherto hampered us in our operations.
took the action have taken against them by the
advice OF Mr.. Benedict o! Wall street, as the man.
ner in which they have conducted themselves has
become intolerable. The money paid in due bills
is not the money OF this office; it is the money of
advantage and the advantage OF the seamen.
whoever says that boarding house keeper loses
paid lies They are paid the lull amount OF their
claim when their bill Is attested by the sailor.
see that some shipowners have expressed
themselves as against the bill; but these
are the smaller houses on South street.
the larger houses are in favor OF the measure. Such
and the Pacific Mail Steamship Company have eX- |
pressed their satisfaction with the working Of the
act. II the boarding house keepers imagine that
carried into effect they are mistaken as a decided
stand will now be taken against them. The names
OF the members OF the Boarding Houses Benevolent
Association were procured and they were all in
dicted, and by some mistake the flames OF one or
two were put upon the warrant who were dead,
which, OF course releases them from all RESPONSE
bnity. The case will be pressed in the proper |
courts unto an ISSUE
The Deputy Commissioner who has immediate
charge OF the shipping OF the men, was also seen.
He says:-We had more trouble in procuring men
to-day than we have encountered yet There is a
very sore feeling about the arrests, and, though
the men are locked up, they left their wives be-
hlnd them, who are as fierce in their opposition as
their husbands. There Is o boarding house three
or four doors from here kept by q man named
Calvin. There are four seamen boarding there
whom engaged two or three days ago 1or ship,
but such was the influence brought to bear by Gal
vim upon them that they were afraid to leave.
they come In here every day and say, 1--WE
Will go III you take us out OF the boarding
house, but we are afraid to go at present." | en-
gagged man for coaster q lew days ago. but l
lost him on the street and have not heard OF him
since. anticipate that we shall have good deal
OF trouble Tor some days to come, as some Oh the
boarding house keepers have threatened to
PUT HEADS UPON ANY OF OUR MEN
who will attempt to interfere with the sailors. The
association has meeting o-night at Botanic Hall,
and II You want to hear seditiOn talked and tho |