Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-11-11
OYSTER pIBArBs.


BALTIMORE, Nov. 6.-The recent ex-
perience of three Russisns on an oyster
dredger rivaled the cruelties practiced
upon the serfs in their native hand or the
hardships of the exiles In Siberia. They
stated 20 director in an asylum, into
which the poor fellows were admitted to
be treated for their injuries, that they
never thought such cruelties were prac-
ticed in this land Of the free. These
three Russians had saved little money
and came to America Co make their
fortune. They arrived in New York on
the steamship Baltic on October 9th. An
agent of an unreliable employment agency
met the men in that city and promised to
get engagements for them upon tho pay
ment OF 81 each. The money was gladly
paid and the men turned over to q
party representing himself as o Balti-
morean, and who brought them 10 this
city. When they got here they
were taken down to Fsll's Point and
shipped ON board of an oyster pungy.
Some one warned them mot to leave the
| city, but before they could fully make up
their minds they were rudely hustled
aboard the boat, which Immediately set
| sail. Hardly had the pungy passed Fort
Carroll when the new recruits were Or
| dered to get to work Each one was as
signed task, which he tried hard 10 per-
form acoeptably to the officers Of the
boat, but without success. The greatest
disadvantage under which they lsbored
was their inability to understand word
of English. This, together with the gen.
| eral awkwardness of their work, so in
censed the captain that he beat them most
! numerically.
| Aaron Schmidt was the first subject of
his wrath. The captain struck him across
the left Jaw with piece of iron, almost
breaking the bone. This blow was fol-
| lowed by several more abont the body,
each one of which broke the flesh and
drew blood. Eziekle Arbeltman, young
ater scarcely 20 years old, had several of
his teeth knocked out and Hersch Houck-
man was nearly starved to death. Besides
being severely beaten he was placed in
the hold of the vessel for five days with
out either food or drink, In addition to
this colored man on board was ordered
to pour cold water over him almost every
Il hour in the day. When he was brought
out of his dungeon cell the captain threat.
ened to throw him overheard, but he
pleaded so earnestly for his life that the
CHIEF officer relented and sent the three
men ashore in small boat
They were landed in Virginia
somewhere near Cowart's wharf
in Ooan river, and left TO their fate. That
night they passed in the woods, almost
dead from starvation and the cold. Al
coon as daylight dawned they were dis
covered by q sympathetic farmer, who
took them to his house and had then
, washed and fed. In their gratitude they
fell on their knees and kissed the farmer'I
feet. They were brought back to thii
J city by steamboat captain, and the stat,
authorities are trying to find the captain
and crew who maltreated them. 1t is diff
| cult for the authorities to get hold of thu
. despots who rule the decks Of the oystet
4 boats, and many poor wretch has beer
Q nearly murdered and the crime gone un
8 punished. On several of the crafts mel
!: have been spirited away, and after being
0 worked until exhausted have beer
l stripped of every stitch of clothing AND
4 put ashore in mid winter.
9 But it must not be understood that al
j the Chesapeake oyster boat captains ar,
J barbarians. Many If them are honorable
D non, 1T nap, WHO pay and treat tbei
! hands we'll. 1t is generally on the pirat
= boats engaged in illegal dredging tina
0 these crueities are practicea. The naste
9 and one or two other williams whom b
9 calls the mates run the boat and diyid
. the profits. They belong to hard class
. who would almost rather murder poo
I dredger than pay him his wages.