National Republican., 1877-09-06
DESERVING sEAMEN

COMPROMISING WITH THEIR CAPTAIN
THEY SUE FOR WAGES AND GEr ARRESTED
FOR DFsERTIoN-HE RUNS THE VESSEL
orr TO AVOID LIBEI.-ALL ENDS WELL.
The hoJeas corpus cases of Luke +. Gibbons
and John O'Brien were heard yesterday be-
fore Justice Humphreys sitting in chambers,
Mr.. Daniel Cahiil appearing for the roiators,
and Mr.. r. P. jackson for the master OF the
schooner.
The petitioners had been arrested a. de.
serters from the schooner Earl p. Mason while
lying In the Georgetown harbor on . warrant
issued by Jenkin Thomas, . justice Of the
peace, judgment rendered against them, and
they committed to the custody Of the Superin.
tendent Of Police, to he held until the vessel
was ready to leave port. On the supposed u.
icga, detention their counsel sucd out the writ
9s &c. PiSS.aTy sSa. III. ~. Ind Sssn .Ss !.
sesmen at Providence, X. l.. entering into .
contract 10 ship for tho voyage, the destination
being named, on condition that they were
paid each s1S monthly or for the run. While
this aud other vessels were lying of Alexau.
srs ys sSs ss,sys ssys Captains held Ysnss
procuring . cargo, that they could not afford
TO pay their crews full rates, aud 70 out them
down fifty per cent, although tho contract
specified what the wages should be On the
11th Of August the crew Of the Earl 7. Mason
was called abaft, and the resolution Of the
masters ~ TO pay was made known TO them
The two men, Gibbons and O'Brien, demurred
10 the reduction, and maintained that II was a
violation Of the shipping agreement, but the
captain was obduratc, and declared that the
announcement must, In the future, DO the ratio
Of pay.
A few days later the craft came into the
harbor Of Georgetown and anchored. While
the schooner was lying there the two men,
Gibbons aud OBricn, who had not been paid
their wages, excepting the advance Of few
dollars since enlisting on July determined, II
possible, to obtain their money. Satisfied that
by reducing wages the captain had an
uulled the contract, they did not feel that 1t
was binding upon them any further, and they
decided to act an free, independent men. They
went ashore without permission and refused
to return to the vessel when ordered, but in
stead visited magistrate, stated their cases,
substantiatcd them by proof, and obtained
Judgment against the captain for the amount
Of wages due. Upon making this discovery,
the captain had them arrested rs descrters aud
committed, not to jail or house Of correction
as tho law required, but to the Georgetown
statlon-house.
In the meantime. to avoid any unpleasant
complications growing out Of the execution Of
the Judgment against him for wages, the cap.
tain slipped anchor aud lot his vessel go down
to Alexandria, Va, under tow, where she
would be beyond the reach Of the authoritie.
In this District. As the law specified that do
serters should only be held until tho vessel
.. was ready to leave, and then put on board, II
was difficult TO see how the men were to &c,
on the schooner when she had been taken
, from the port where the men were confined
I to another beyond the Jurisdiction Of the
, court.
His Honor said that the men should be held
, to their contract and the Captain of the Ear
! +. Mason TO his. II he wanted his two sea
/ men, he must return his vessel to the port o.
y Georgetown, otherwise he could not get them
) and II they desired their wages, which they
, were entitled to receive monthly, and i
: the Captain refused to pay them, they COul'
a come into tho Admiralty Court and have tn
. vessel libeled He directed the counsel h
have the papers ready for service on the ar
rival Of the schooner.
c lie said that he would no ID the men unit
Q two o'clock to-day, nd IL the craft did not re
!, n turn by that time they should be discharge,
n from arrest.
n After short consultation with tho counse
r the Captain thought the best course to pursu
|, under these circumstances was TO pay the tw
Y men their money and lot them 60. Aud Il
d this manner the case was settled.