The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1889-09-17
BaIfour & Guthrie VS.. lin Turk.

CoNsIDERABLE sensation is caused
amongst the shipping circles Of Portland
and Astoria, over the indictment and arrest
of Jim Turk, for the alleged "crime" al
enticing one or more Seamen, to desert the
British ship Lord Canning" +" now lying al
Astoria. The said indictment and arrest
having been brought about 10y the COM
mander of the aforesaid ship, at the imSIlga-
tiOn of BalfOur, Guthrie, & Co., ship brokers
and English ship owners. Ii seems strange To
those acquainted with shipping matters.
particularly the men that go dOwa 10 sea in
ships, (Of which the writer of this article Is
one), how the master OF = deep water vessel,
especially British one, can have The cX-
Quisite gall 10 charge anyone with crime
for enticing one of the crew To desert, when
they know in their hearts that the poor
half starved under paid sailors are only too
anxious TO get ashore and enjoy the luxury
of half ordinary square meal that seldom
falls to their lot at sea on board OF deep
water English ship. Again II Is remarkably
strange, how those same captains who,
upon former and many occasions, did not
Scruple to drive their men TO deSertlOn by
| the meaneSt acts of tyranny imaginable,
coupled with starvation, in ports where the
rate of wages were lower than they were
paying, can have the DraZen etfrOntery 10
accuse any person OF crime for performing
an act of philanthropy by advising and
pointing out the way for a fellow creature
| TO better himself. Before those much in
jured people, (BalfOur, Guthrie & Steven
SOM, accuse a man OF crime for harbOri3g
an English seaman that left their ship, they
should first ascertain if it is recognized as
crime by the United States government,
bearing in mind at the same time that
though Portland, which by the way is rather
an important port, is not the only sea port in
| the United States has withal, taken the pre-
cedence over other sea ports OF the United
States in establishing a law Tor having il 10
| be eStabliShed) that Is something that WAS
never before attempted i'm the United States
4 TFUaWs
and un-American. Since the days when the
burly BritOn used TO board our ships and
deliberately strip the captain of his crew,
| or part of his crew, down 20 the present day,
| they have always made il point in Eng
| land, or any.Of her possessions, to harraSS
American shipping in every conceivable
shape available. Previous to the DINGHY Law
| if an American seaman deserted an Ameri-
| can ship in full view OF the police in any
port in England, they would laugh at the
captain and assist the seaman, and the
courts in England would sustain them.
Therefore il is no more than right and just
that Americans should retaliate. In
accusing Mr.. Turk of crime for harboTing
deserted British sailors, his accuSeTS are
likely TO run against "Snag' and pet
sadly torn, if it happens to come before the
| United States court, Something similar 10
this case occurred in Philadelphia before
but was speedily disposed of to the diScOm-
future of the British ship owner of ocean
| slaves" There is no United States
law that ever prevented a sailor from leav-
ing an English ship, in the United States
and il hardly becomes Oregon to attempt tC
make one for the benefit OF BalfOur, Guth-
RE & Co., and other British ship owners, who
by the way, ought to pay and feed their mer
| little better aud then probably they would
not desert.
Adopt the DINGHY bill in England and
there will be no necessity TO try and turn
American courts of justice into deSplcable
tools of British ship owners who Starye anC
grind their employees till their life is a YER
liable hell on earth. A SAILOR.