The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-03-28
FRAUDS ON STEAMBOATMEN.
How THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS HAM LIE
OUR RIVER CAPTAINs-AN ABUSE THAT
NEEDS LOOKING AFTER.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.l

From the Cincinnati Enquirer
In conversation recently with several
prominent steamboat captains, they related
their experiences, and that of other masters
and owners of steamboats,, who were so I'M
fortunate as to be compelled to run their
boats to New Orleans. If their statements
are correct, and there is every reason to be-
leve they are these steamboatmen are be-
ing tleeced and plundered under the forms
of law, by certain functionarles called Unit
ed States Commissioners, to an extent
scarcely conceivable. One of these creatures,
Il tool Of the justly infamous Durell, has OBJ
tanned an unenviable notoriety' for his OPP
pressive and harsh abuse of his powers in
that thief-ridden and corrupt, negro gov
erned city.
For years past. in fact ever since the car
pet-bag regime was organized i'll the State
eff louisiana steamboat masters and owners
have been compelled to appear before one or
the other Of these officials at the instance of
negro rOustabouts on the most absurd and
ridiculous complaints. These fellows, the
very moment they smell the atmosphere OF
New Orleans (and it may be stated their OIL
factories are especially keen during the leg
islative session, the air being particularly
strong and rank about that time), assume
an attitude OF defiance toward the officers
of the boat and play fast and loose, as the
humor takes them, with their shipping con-
tracts. They are anxious to find some pre-
text or excuse for jumping the boat before
she unlOads.
If the officers very properly refuse to pay
them until the completion of the voyage
and unloading of the cargo, they proceed i'll
hot haste to a commissioner, and lay bare
the great wrongs under which they labor.
The opportunity of. realizing fee pricks
the sensbilties of this fnnctionary, and
with evident relish he prepares the docu-
ments, and the owner or master is cited at
once to appear before his inquisitorial court
1t is the opinion of these dignitaries that
steamboat captains and owners have no
rights which they as commissioners are
bound to respect, and they act according
ingly.
1t matters not how clear and conclusive a
defense may be proven, it is the rule, with
scarcely an exception, to decide the case
against the steamboatmen. These commits
soners. and the other .ttcers of the court
mnst have fees somehow and, under the
present disgraceful condition of affairs at
New Orleans, they do not scruple to use the
process of the United States Courts to ex-
tort payment of their enormous cost-bills
from the boat They know it is useless to
decide case against the roustabouts, for
y
poor persons.
If the master fails to pay over, the next
thing in order is to commence proceedings
in the District Court, and for this particular
duty couple or more ready-made Proctors
are on hand at each commissioners Office.
A libel is filed against the boat, and war
rant of seizure is issued to the Marshal.
These officials proceed Systematically in the
matter of Selling the boat. They lay quiet
ly around some neighboring corner, and
when the boat is about to cast off her lines
and proceed on her voyage, the Marshal
steps quietly on board and detains her.
The time chosen is opportune for their
purpose of forcing a settlement of the claim
and costs. In order to bond the boat, it is
necessary to have sureties, who must also
be property owners in the district. These
persons will have to be hunted up; possibly
additional time will be consumed in endea-
voring to get legal advice. Every nom
of time the boat is detained very heavy ex-
penses necessarily are incurred.
The boat has steam up, crew, cargo and
passengers on board, so the master is, there
fore, compelled to choose the lesser of the
two evils and pays the debt and costs, no
matter how unjust or illegal. The marshal
having collected the whole amount departs
with the same, and in due time the money is
pau ONtI W tiC CDHllllloSoLtI anu MS etSSo-
,ciates, Oily, Cannon and Snap.
The majority of these claims are for
trivial sums, ranging from three to twenty
dollars, and the costs incurred in collecting
the same, where they are not settled before
the commissioners, vary from forty to sixty
dollars, but in a measure depend on the in
genuity Of the officials in taxing the costs
so as to keep within the reasonable limit
of the law. In recent case before com
missioner, involving about So, the costs were
S2l.
This is no imaginary or overdrawn pic
ture. There is not a steamboat owner OF
master running into New Orleans but will
bear witness to the truthfulness of the fore
going statements. These gentlemen are,
however, to blame for submitting to such
fight all such illegal and unjust demands,
and that to the bitter end, and teach these
rascals lesson. If necessary, these eases
should be carried to the Supreme Court.
While it is true that such proceedings will
involve some expense, yet the good results
that will flow from the ventilation Of the
roguery of these officials will be of great
benefit.
1t is not contended that where a seaman
or "rouster" has just or lawful demand,
however small, that steamboat masters or
owners are to have immunity from legal
process because forsooth the party insti-
tuting the suit may happen to be a g rous
ter"
The humblest seaman can readily resort to
the courts to compel the payment of just
dues, and the laws afford such persons ex-
ceptionable and extraordinary facilities for
enforcing any legal rights they may have.
The objection here made is to the unscrupu-
lous officials who use the powerful process
of United States Court in collecting uni just
fees for themselves, under the pretext of en-
forcing the collection Of seamens wages.
We learn from the st. Louis Globe that
the Supreme Court of the State of Missouri
has reversed the decision given by Judge
Colvin, in the case of parties charged with
forging the brands of Lea q Perrins and
ot her famous makers of nick IeS and SauceS