, 1888-11-29
Seattle vs.. Port Townsend.

The Coast Seamen's Union agent
at Seattle is ont with statement in
yesterdays P-I of that city, intcnd-
ed evidently to Influence Judge
Boyle in deciding the case of rioting
which occurred in Port Townsend
last May when a sailor who had
signed to go on board the ship Suma-
ira was forcibly taken from the own
ers' agent, and was forcibly prevent
ed against his will from going on
board. In the course of his inter
view, this Seattle agent takes occa-
sion to cast severe reflections upon
Fort Townsend shipping agents and
Port Townsend justice. He charges
among other things that Judge Van
Bokkelen (before whom the matter
came for hearing) and Henry Roths-
child, and "a few others" have things
all their own way in Port Townsend;
that union men are ri0tous in Port
Townsend because they are net treat
ed fairly, while union mer in Seattle
are peaeeable because they get well
treated. etc Yet he proceeds TO
show that the whole trouble origi-
mated in Seattle, and because of a
disagreement between the Captain of
the Sumatra and a crew shipped
in Seattle; that there was in fact no
riot at Port Townsend. and that the
trouble really occurred because
somebody cheered when the union
sailors succeeded in preventing sail
or Jackson from going aboard the
vessel. He abuses Judge Van Box
kelen for placing these riotous SAIL
ors under bonds of $500 each, yet
thinks he should have placed Mr.. W
j. Jones under still heavier bonds
because he would not peaceably SUBJ
NIT to the outrage against justice
perpetrated by the rioters. Judge
Boyle has the case under advise
ment, and we shall be very much
surprised if he permits this attempt
ted newspaper trial of its merits to
influence his decision. Such at
tempted interference with the course
of judicial action is always out of
place and improper. This Seattle
seamen's agent, McLaren by name. |
talks like queen city real estate
boomer, anxious to prove the superb
ority and fairness of Seattle people
over those of Port Townsend-yet
hardly knowing how to do it. If he |
had a good cause of complaint, which |
he has not, his blundering logic
would defeat the object sought to be
gained. His thrusts at Port Town
send are as lame and unjust as they
are ill-natured.
The simple fact is that the rights |
of certain American citizen named
jackson were Hnlawfully and riot
iously interferred with. After he
had entered into a written agree
ment to perform certain labor on
board the ship Sumatra, for speci- |
isd compensation, he was forcibly
and riotlously detained from the per-
formance of his contract. The fact |
that the mob who prevented him
from going on board the vessel were
union sailors, and that their sole
cause of grievance was that his COM
pensation was not as high as the
rates established by their union,
gave them no special immunity from
the consequences of lawless conduct. |
Mr. Jones' display of pistol in the
crowd, even for the purpose of pre-
venting a lawless action, laid him Ii |
it was proper that what
ever circumstances in extenuation or |
justification of his act there might
be should be inquired into by judicial !
authority. And so, Judge Van
Bokkelen placed all concerned under |
bonds to answer before the district |
court. The majesty of the law was
vindicated, with reference to both |
sides in the controversy and that is all |
there is about the matter. Judge Van
Bokkelen seems to have comprehend
ed the gravity of the situation, and to |
have shown no favor on either side. |