Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1882-07-25
SEMI MONTHLY,
SLAVERY IN HAWAII.
The Story of Two Fugitives From Bond
age In the Sandwich Islands-IIorrIbic
Traffic In Human Flesh.

since from the Sandwich islands.
brought over two fugitive contract
slaves from the Hitchcock plantation
on Hilo, and n reporter went the rounds
of the sailor boarding houses to learn
of their whereabouts from the crew of
the vessel 1t was comparatively easy
to find the crew, but it was much more
difficult to draw from them any infor-
nation concerning the stowaways, for
they labored under the apprehension
that the fugitives might be arrested and
sent back to slavery in the Hawaiian
kingdom. The reporter finally sue
ceeded in convincing them that there
was no treaty providing for the extra
dition Of fugitive slaves from the
Hawaiian islands, and n sailor of the
Emma Claudina was prevailed upon TO
take him to the stopping place of the
escapes. The two men were found at
the Arizona hotel, No. Is Clay street,
where they had been provided with
lodgings by several members of the
crew, who had taken pity upon their
forlorn condition. The two escapes
proved to be Henry Ratzhorn, of Chris
tiana, Norway, and Emil Anderson, of
Drammen, Norway. They are both
young men, just entering into the full
vigor of manhood, with frank and open
countenances, bronzed by tropical
sun; hands as hard as rocks, and show
ing in all their movements that their
lot had been one of hard labor and toll.
They were able to speak broken Eng
lish, and told so straightforward a story
in the simple language at their com
mand rs to dissolve at once all doubts
concerning its truthfulness. The sail
ors who befriended them, and to whom,
in fact, they owe their liberation, are
likewise Norwegians, who are also well
acquainted with the condition of their
enslaved countrymen in the kingdom
of Kalakaua, and who pride themselves
upon having done good deed.
Ratzhorn and Anderson were induced
to leave their native land by Captain
Christopher L'Orange, notorious agent
of the Hawaiian board of immigration.
This man travelled through the villages
of Norway making contracts on behalf
of Kalakauas government. He offered
the unsuspecting people free passage to
the islands and promised them work at
the rate OF 80 month during three
years. He experienced no difficulty in
inducing the people to leave their ma
tive land, and the cargo of the bark
Beta, mentioned heretofore, was the
one which, among $50 souls, included
Ratzhorn and Anderson. The voyage
lasted lS0 days, on account of which
the rations had to be cut down, the emf
grants enduring much hardship. The
vessel arrived ut NAOMI about seventeen
months ago, and its living freight was
received by L'Orange, the agent, who
had divided the human chattel before
hand. One by one the new arrivals
were taken into the ships cabin, when
L'Orange and the contracting planters
decided their fate and future abode. A
piece of cloth, bearing the particular
planters sign, was affixed to each man $
arm and each woman's breast, and
when the whole cargo had been thus di-
vided, they were driven off to shore and
to slavery. RatZhorn and Anderson
were taken to Hilo and put To work on
the Hitchcock plantation with hum
dred others from the same ship. Their
cabins, which were wide, stable-like
structures, containing tiers of hunks
and no furniture whatever, were as
signed to them, when they made them
selves as comfortable as possible with
the little bedding which they had saved
from the Beta. When they asked for a
little straw, in order To make mat
tress for themselves, it was brought and
sold to them; although their contract
with the government agent promised
them board and lodging.
The same contract called for twenty
six days service of ten hours each a
month, at the rate of 80. Consequent
ly on the following morning at 6 O'clock