The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-10-17
A SAILORS COMPLAINT.
A Terrible Story of Suffering Related by
Pacific Ocean Crew.
From the San Francisco CALI

(frOm tn0 odn FIanclScO Odll.)
The new ship Governor Robie, which fin
shed her first voyage on Monday night when
she arrived in this port, has had such an
eventful experience in the voyage around the
Horn SIS to place her name in juxtaposition
with that of the detested Gatherer. The ves-
sci is owned in Bath and her officers and crew
shipped from that port Loaded with general
merchandise she left New York on May 18th,
her commanding officer being Capt. W. H.
Goodell. The other officers were VIM. Nc
Kenzie, mate; Schurtleff, the second mate,
and Ryan, the third mate. The crew consist
ed of fourteen men, and Their experience was
such that as soon as they got ashore they hied
to the United States authorities and took the
necessary steps TO have all the officers ar
rested. AS though anticipating trouble, as
soon as the vessel arrived in port the mates
were suffered to depart at once, and when
warrants were issued for their apprehension
the marshal and his deputies experienced
some trouble in running them down. Capt.
Goodell. who is charged with having beaten
John Bilsen, a seaman, on the 18th of July,
was found aboard OF his vessel. The first and
third mates were apprehended ashore, the lat
ter, who took to his heels on seeing the Off
GERS, having been chased four blocks before
being captured. Captain Goodel furnished
$1,000 bail for his appearance, his sureties be-
ing Thomas Fl. Allen and G. j. Hen6ry; but
the mates were unable to furnish the necessary
amount. and remain in custody of the marshal.
The members of the crew have also been taken
iu charge as witnesses by the marshal. They
were yesterday in the grand jury room at the
appraisers building, where they were visited
by the officers and questioned in regard to
their treatment. They were weather beaten
looking set of tars, who bore evidence of
rough treatment in the shape OF bruises and
scars.
One of the number, who acted as spokes-
man, when questioned concerning their treat
ment, pointed to Dane, John Schmidt, whose
face was ornamented with piece of plaster,
and said this man was beaten with Delaying
pin. His head was cut in two or three places,
and his eyes were bunged up for weeks on ac-
count of hisSrough usage. This occurred off
the Horn on the night of July IS. He was
then lashed hands and feet, and taken into the
further wheel house, where he was jumped
upon and his head was knocked against the
partition. The captain and one of the mates
participated in this, and called the man all
sorts of names.
Schmidt, upon beipg called upon to explain
his treatment, in broken English stated that
he was thrown upon the deck and abused. He
was then tied hand and foot. and some men
were ordered to bring him to the wheelhouse.
He was there about three hours, from about
fja I oar f1in uiCif him,
aud punished him. Finally the second mate
came in, unashed him and sent him to the
top Of the cabin. The captain then called
him and sent him to the miZzen royal yard
He could hardly see out of his eyes, for they
were swollen so. 1t was stormy weather
Without hat or coat, he was forced TO stay up
III the mizzen royal yards for an hour, and en-
dure the discomfort of snow, rain and ice He
was called down after midnight and sent be-
low. The man explained that he had crossed
the Atlantic under the same captain, on the
bark Goodell, and hay ing seen the captain
strike a seaman, he had, in New York, appear
ed as a witness in the case. The captain had
told him, "I'll remember you for that; III
put you in irons before we get to Frisco" The
captain, some time after his ill-treatment, Wis
lied him with book, on which was a writ en-
statement in which he saw his name. The
rest he could not read. The captain said to
him. 81 don't want any trouble when get to
San Francisco" and being afraid he would be
his name to the statement
The spokesman of the party then continu-
| ing, explained that on the 18th of July he
saw the captain beat John Biseu, calling him
| at the same time all sorts of offensive names.
| He hit him over the head with a be iaying-pin
| and kicked him several times. He also saw
| the first mate strike Charles johnson over the
| eye for nothing at all. Peter Elmire, another
| seaman, was struck several times by the
| second mate. Again he saw the mate on the
fk Nf hnr fhr1xr hall mi. r,,sn
| Henry Randall, who was kicked while in the
| galley. the accompanying expression being
| used, "You black imp, who are you talking
| to?" About the same day Frank Welch, an
| Austrian seaman, was assaulted with belay-
| ing-pin by the second mate, his head being
| timatioD, "I'll murder you; give me none OF
| your chin,--?" Again, while off the
| Horn, on the 18th of July, one of the mates
| kicked and beat poor old man, Peter IL
| the man off the yards. They happened to be
shortening sail upon the mzzen top-sail yards
as it was blowing a heavy gale of wind. On
another occasion he had seen August Kruger
| assaulted by one of the mates, who struck him
| several times with his fist and hit him across
| the wrist with belsying-pin while working al
| the pumps
| Having heard that one of the men had been
| lost overheard, an account OF the affair was
! requested. 1t was then explained that when
| rounding the Horn il was raining and blowing
| hard, and shortly after midnight the men were
shortening sail. Owen McKenna, hailing from
| Liverpool who was furling the topgalant sail,
| was struck by the Tapping canvass and knock
| ed overheard. All hands responded TO the
| alarming cry of "Man overboardP but the
| man was never seen afterwards, as the shiI
| kept right on. The first mate was in charge o.
| the vessel at the time. The men expressed
| the belief that it was not too rough to lower
| boat, and several intimsted that they wouC
| have been willing to assume the risk of trying
| TO save their comrade.
OF the battered seamen, Schmidt, Welch
| and one John Malngren present scars and cut
| to back up their assertions of ill-tr satnent
| Malugren claims that on the 10Th of July Mat,
Mckenzie threw a belaying-pin at him while
he was on the fore yard, aud on the same dal
| he struck him on the nose, which bled ever
day for three weeks. On July Is the captaiI
| struck him while on duty at the wheel ant
| knocking him down, kicked him in the sioe
| the pains of his ill-treatment still troubling
him. The captain also put belaying-pin ii
| his pocket, and roundy cursed the crew, walk
| ing up and down the deck and threatening
| them; he also told the first and second mate
to go into the cabin, saying that they were nC
mates, and struck at the third mate. On July
20, in the morning about 4 o'clock, the thir(
mate struck Malngren with belaying-pin
| Malngren was taking in sail on the gallan
yard, aud Ryan gave some directions which h'
could not understand and when he CAME
down he was struck on the forehead. The
blow knocked him senseless, and MalngreI
exhibits long, livid scar over the left eye al
nf 10 mss IN rfot