The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-11-01
NEWS OF THE CITY.
CHARGES AGAINST CHESTER.

~A~~~~~
How to Secure Costs i'm Cases Against
Eteamboats-A Damaging State
ment OF . Prominent
Steamboatman.
Attention has been attracted to the court OF
United States Commissioner Il. Morris Chess
ter, and tothe charges against him as an off,
cial By hts action In causing the arrest OF
Capt. VIM. Wenzel, Of the steamboat Clara
H.. on the affidavit OF a negro roustabout,
charging him with maliciously refusing TO
furnish the crew Of the boat with proper
nuuriBhment.
The complaints have been frequent, bit
never heretofore 30 defined as to justify pup
lication. Yesterday, however, reporter 81
the DEMOCRAT was given statement Of q
case which places Chester In decidedly dis
agreeable position, and merits the attention
Of the Judge of the United States Circuit
Court, under whose commission he 1s acting.
The gentleman who made the statement Is
one we'll known to steamboatmen and citizens
In general. He Ia one Of the prominent OIL
u xperH Of the Steam bOatmen's Association, and
An the discharge of the duties appertaining
To his position In that organization he has
been called upon many times to appear rs
the representative of steamboat owners and
captains In suits brought against them and
their vessels.
The gentleman's experience In commission
era cases Ia large and his veracity unim-
peaehable. His statement was as follows
One of the negro rouetahouts on the steam
boat 10 Bryarly, who left the boat NJ Shreve-
port On the last trip instituted suit against
the boat for wages for the round trip. The
case came up to-day and was tried.
The roustabout. bob, swore that he had
been compelled to leave the boat because the
mate kicked him In the mouth, and after pay
ing him for the time already made, had or
,deTed him to 70 ashore.
He introduced two or three other roust-
abouts as witnesses but as we had taken the
precaution to separate them their testimony
was conflicting Oh very essential point. As
an instance, they located the scene Of the a.
6ault In different places; one testified that 1t
had been accompanied with violent oaths,
and another, who declared he was but three
feet from the mate when the alleged assault
was made, declared that nothing had been
said.
introduced the captain 81 the boat, who
andria and said that he wanted to get or at
Shreveport. as he was sick and had been sick |
three days and unable to work; the first |
and second mates. who declared that the man |
OF the boat, who testified that acting under
the instruction OF the second mate he had &c
companied Bob to the clerk 10 get his pay.
and That In response to question he had told
him that he was sick and leaving for that
reason aud was anxious to go: the clerk Of
the boat, whom Bob told when paid his wages,
that he was leaving OF his own accord, be-
cause he was sick and unable to work; the
barkeeper, who verified the conversation be-
tween Bob and the clerk; and one Of the negro
% fhNf "A Rrh
he was q ID fool" fof leaving, as his salary
was going on all the time, but Bob said he
was sick, and wanted to quit at Shreveport.
This was the case. It will be seen that we
clearly established that the man left volun-
tarily, and only because he was sick but Ches-
ter decided against the boat, and ordered pay
ment Of his wages FOR the round trip. | told
Chester that there was no use Ia my attend
ing to any more Gases before him; that there
was no chance whatever Of getting Justice.
The reporter asked IL there was not a United
States commissioner at Shreveport where Bob
could have lodged complaint on leaving the
boat II he had been badly treated, and the an
swer was, Eyes, sir. there Is, but the commits
Htoner there will not entertain charge unless
the complainant can show probable case"
There Is no other city In the Union where the
act In the outrageous manner
In which they do In this city.
There Is another case In point On the last
trip OF the Clara s. one Or the roustabouts
sued the boat for wages. 1t was clearly shown
that he had received all he was entitled to-
but Chester had to decree him something SO
that the boat would be made responsible for
he costs, as the negro was unable to pay
Them, and he awarded him fifty cents. You |
see unless the decision is against the boat I
Chester gets no costs, and this explains his
conduct. Ill
again. Take the charge against Capt s
Wenzel Of refusing to feed his crew, which
vas tried before Chester to-day. Five Of the !
Uustabouts testified that they had not re- 4
'etved sufficient food, and the rest OF the crew
Itxteen In number. all declared on oath that
hey had been given all they could eat, and |
hat the food was of good quality. Chester e
vas, however, after the costs, and he placed
1apt Wenzel under $500 bond to appear be- &
ore the United States Circuit Court and
,nswer the charge. |
Perjury. did you say2 | tell you there Is d
10 chance to convict these men before the {
for any such otfense, and il
here Is no recourse for the boat when the de- 0
iston Is against 1t but to pay III we take al 0
ppeal 10 the United States courts we have to I
NV the commissioners costs before we can o
end the boat There Is but one relief, and q
bat Is to have but one commissioned, and t,
hat one a man of character and ability. and
D hold him strictly responsible for the per- II
,rmance OF bis duties. d
"As to Commissioner Qnintero think he 3
perfectly honest and just. He does not suit ii
40 roustab0uts, however, and gets very few a
the cases, and / do not think he wants ir
aem." n n
ATTEMPTED BULLDOzING. 8
.ssault On the Commander OF the o,
Union Soldiers Association. p