Wichita eagle., 1888-08-14

otlofo b&o Sapcolu Tes4ppe3reQ was EellSSo0
at the wheel, and went forward and simed
myself with o revolver from my chest.
also took the papers bearing on the case and
placed them IN my bosom Then urged the
crew TO stand aloof and let ne fight it out
alone. I defined mutiny until they thor
oughfy understood what not TO Go. But
there were only two or three brave fellows
in the lot; the others had been bounded until
they had 10 spirit LETT. They might have
gone into nutiny, for even towards do that,
but when it came to standing up for their
rights they were ours.
The deck watch were all at work when the
captain came on deck again he bad bis
pistol IN his hand, and the mate also had
one. and the steward followed them bearing
several pairs Of handouts.
''Cal the men aft to witness punishment"
shouted the captain, and at the order Of the
nate all moved aft, while the watch below
came turnbiing up When we had ell assem-
bled the captain pointed me out and said:
'EMen, we have dangerous fellow aboard
lie shipped TO stir up nutiny and get "a ell
into trouble ashore. Fortunately for al Of
Us have spotted his game ct this early date,
and shall now give him his Just reward
Castle, stand cut"
stepped out in front of the men.
Steward, put On the handouts"
The steward advanced with a pair in his
hand, but waved him aside and said:
Capt Strong, you dare not put them on
me until refuse to obey a legitimate order
concerning the care Of the ship You have
certain powers under the laws Of the high
seas, but the nsanest sailor also has certain
rights
Es was hvii with passion, and It was only
after great effort that he said:
Il VIII have you triced Up and fogged to
deathi Steward, put On the irons!"
But the steward dared come no nearer
The captain then ordered the crew 10 seizs
NE, but not a man moved. The second mate
was then ordered forward, but he had the
sense to keep his foot out OF it, and he re-
Piled:
IF Castle has the law, let's hear il. I've
sailed twenty years without knowing the
rights of a sailor, and I want no trouble in
the courtsn
saw captain and first mate look at each
oth and I prepared myself for rush
The were determined to do for me. and as
the captain handed his pistol to the steward
called out:
Men, you are my witnesses that I have
not refused TO do duty OF obey necessary
orders. No captain has authority to trice
man up, and ne can be put in irons only for
disobedience Of legitimate orders. Il they
lay hands on me, it Is AZ their peril"
They came with q rush, but both were
knocked OFF their feet inkide of ten seconds.
The mate was satisfied with that, but the
captain came 1t me again, and this time
gave him ell he wanted Not Ipan raised
hand or voice, and gave the brute such Q
drubbing that he did not get out o. the cabin
for five days Then it WIS to signal an Eng
lish man Of war We were boarded BY an
officer. I was given in charge as a mutineer,
and four months later was put on trial in
Liverpool l not only received full &C
quittal at the hands of the Jury, but was
conplimented on al sides, and captain and
mate were both suspended from duty for
a term. The affair raised great talk,
as may be supposed, and il was g seed which
could have been well planted A few sailors
did profit by it TO assert their manhood for q
time, but after little things went backward
and became worse than ever. Today, despite
the romance of poets and novelisas, the aver
ego salt water sailor is cr1nging coward
The law gives him every right, but be dares
not stand up TO a single one. He has less
personal Independence than q state prison
convict
Ny second voyage, which had to be made
under another name, as al captains had been
warned against me, was from Liverpool to
San Francisco in the bark EnchaatresS Just
why captain and mates lie. me alone never
knew, for others who did their duty as well
were grossly abused; but I was not even
threatened during the voyage. Before we
had been q week out the mate broke mans
nose With Delaying pin. Next day he cut
open 4 mans scalp in terrible manner. On
the third day the captain knocked two men
down, breaking several teeth for one Of
them. The second mate, a day or two Later,
kicked sailor IN the side and broke two Of
his ribs. When We arrived at San Francisco
took thirteen Of the men, all OF whom had
suffered personal violence and three Of whom
lad to so TO the hospital, and went before
the English consul He sent for the captain
and mates, heard their statements, and then
I dismissed Us, with tho threat Of sending as to
prison il we made any further ado I went
TO the United States authorities, secured the
arrest Of the officers, and the captain was
fined 500. the first mate $3.50 and toe second
$3.50. And yet, On the return vovagewhich
Was with new crew-evevy uan was beaten
like dog. and the ship went into Liverpool
with half the crew unable to pull rope.
/ made third voyage before the mast be-
fore taking berth as first mate. This was
on the brig Good Intent, bound from Plym-
outh 10 the Canary Islands. We left port
one man short, simply to save money for the
owners. Our bread was full OF weevl and
worms, and the pork SO tainted that an open
barrel Of i. scented the whole brig. We had
not the boats required by Law. and we had
20 medicines aboard-uot even dose Of
salts. Within week the two first officers
got so intoxicated that they could not take
cl observation So noon. and for three days
our position was unknown to them The
captain, while drunk, upset lamp and set
the cabin on fire, aud his chief officer, while
in the same condition, fell overheard and
escaped drowning. We forfeited
Dur insurance no less than three times, and
for the last 800 miles Of our voyage We ran
by sights, which l took myself and worked
put There wasn't day without its brutal
.raatmeus OF the men. two Of whom were
fred upon by the captain, and yet when We
ina4ly made port not = sailor could | get to
JOIN NE IN 3 legal statement. The brig,
,argo and al our lives were in constant neu-
ace, every right was denied to US, and men
we're never more brutaliy used: and yet the
,aptain and his mates were permitted 20 es-
APE without even c eonplaiut-New York
sun
Everything Else Settled.
$50 you have ny daughters permission 60
az me- for her hand, have you, young n1anr'
ii an happy 70 say, sir, that I have"
'eg&isd tha poor but worthy youth