Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-01-30
,.SHAEGpAIIEG." :"

The Monumental City is popularly credit
ed with being more free from crime than any
other city of its size in the Union. But the
outrage called "Shanghaiing" practised in
Baltimore daily il the present season should
certainly be regarded ut criminal. ''Shang-
haiing" is nothing more or less than trading
in human hesh. During the winter the bus
mess is brisk. Here is the mcdus operandi:
The dingy little Office of q SO called "broker"
near the docks is resorted to by captains Of
oyster pungies when they are in need of
bands to man oyster dredges. 1t is ex-
tremely difficult to get men for this work IN
Baltimore, but when y captain tells the
broker that he is in need Of a certain NUM-
ber Of men, and that he must have them
aboard his boat by . specified time, the
''brokern will bargain TO execute the con-
tract for Q fee Of 50 per head. When men
| are particularly scarce u larger sum Is often
paid After the bargain is made and the
captain leaves the office, tho broker" calls
one or two ofhis assistants-generally noted
| roughs and blackguards-an directs them
| to procure and deliver the required number
OF men, stating the reward of their services.
These fellows sally forth, making their
! first visit to wharves where there are ves-
sells about discharging their crews. They
use all manner OF perSuas0ns and induce
| ments to get the strange seamen to go with
them. In this effort they are often foled,
as the masters of respectable merchant ships
upon discharging their crews, usually call
| them into the cabin and warn them OF the
shanghaier and the boarding house runner.
| Some OF them are secured by promises of
| large wages and plenty Cf grog. If after
| few hours search the brokers' henchman
| finds that he cannot secure man legitimate
! ly he visits some Of tho low grog-shops along
the waterfront, and ii is Oh "otf'' day when
| he cannot meet one Or two miserable
| wretches in some OF the dives who will agree
| to go on board, if paid 81 few dollars in adj
vance. This tho assistant agrees to give
upon the men signing 8 receipt and an agree
ment to remain on said boat for & specified
| time. Ifthc assistant EnGs tho men o',.i-
nate in their determination not 70 go, ne
| treats them TO as iDuc.i liquor as they cHn
drink and when the poor fellows are dead
drunk" he carries them Hhnard the boat
which is ready to sail 81 The time The kid
mapped men regain lhei. senses tha> nr,,
many miles.down tho Chesapeake.
Then commences 8 lie Of hardship and
| toll that is rot easily described. The cap
| tain usually a brutal ape,'imr:i "i humanity,
| CLUBS Inem On the iS.:SU !ifHN'i'!tir!t, GitCn
| without provoca.ion. Pc>rly fed and
scantily clothed. these men are com.
pelled to work Is lo 20 hours out o! the
twenty. four,w the thermometer but 2 few
degrees above zero Whether sic!; or well
they must turn out when called, or be in
humanly treated Cases have been brought
to light whore man, incnpacitated for work
| by exposure and bad food, 80 that he was
scarcely able to stand, has been carried out
on deck and lashed up by his thumbs until
his feet barely touched the deck; he was
| then stripped of all his upper clothing and
compelled to stand in the biting cold for
| hours, falling in {. heap, more dead than
| alive, when finally cut down. If this treat
ment proves more severe than was intend
| ed, the man is put ashore at night, without
a cent, and has to find refuge with some
charitable farmer, and get back to the city
as best he can.
| The police have endeavored aud are still
endeavorng to break up this practice, but,
as few cases are reported to them, it is not
easy to do so. Now and then captain is
arrested, but political friends and densely
stupid juries generally allow him to go free.
The evidence, however, against one captain
arrested some time ago, was SO clear and
convincing, that he was convicted, and is
now serving out u twenty years sentence.
It was hoped that bis fate would prove a
warning, but the continued prevalence of
the custom shows that the avarice of the
oystermen is stronger than even fear of i'm
prisonment.-Co ~ Y. World.