Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-07-26
SAMOAN SURVIVORS.
Returned Sailors and Their
Grievances.
WE'RE THE SALTS MISTREATEDg
Charges Against the Commanding
Officers Met and
Refuted.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD.

'une San Francisco papers contained
of certain survivors of the
disaster to the American vessels at
men on Trenton and
Vandalia-which if true presented a
severe indictment against the authorities
If the country, especially of the Navy
for cruel treatment and
heartless abandonment of the sufferers
by that disaster. The papers practically
endorsed the statements of the men and
reported that about thirty of them we're
around the water. front of San
Francisco, unable to secure the wages
due them, destitute and dependent upon
charity for their substance.
THE CHARGES BY THE MEN
We're in substance that they had not
been paid the "rag money!" $50, which
the United States had contracted to al
low them in case of the loss OF their
clothes by the sinking of the vessel; that
their wages prior to the date of the disas-
ter had not been paid them; that they
had been discharged and sent adrift.
none of them with more than $25; that
the clothes furnished them in Samoa
had been charged for at the regular
rates, leaving them little or nothing to
live on after the cost had been deducted
from their pay that Lieutenant Carlin,
executive officer of the Vandalia, had re-
fused to sign a certificate for one of the
seamen, to be presented to the Fourth
Auditor, by which he would be ena-
bled to procure his "rag money )"
and finally that when the men disem-
barked from the Rockton on arriving in
Fan Francisco they gave three groans for
Captain Farquhar of the Trenton, and
that they were deprived of what was
Justly due them by subsequent action
taken by him in spirit of revenge.
Copies of the newspaper article we're
sent to President Harrison, and six Of
the sailors joined in
A PETITION TO SECRETARY BLAINE
Asking that he use influence to have JUS
tice done them. Attached to this petit
ton was copy of one of the newspaper
articles. These were referred to Secre-
tary Tracy, who ordered an investigation
made as to the truth of the statements.
The papers in the case have Just reached
the Navy Department, and make the
following showing;
Commodore Benham, of the Mare
Island Navy Yard, Gays the newspaper
articles have not q grain of truth in
them, and that the attack upon Lieuten-
ant Carlin is unjust in the extreme, for
the reason that he remained at San Fran
cisco by his own request and was tenn
porarily assigned to the receiving ship
Independence in order that he might be
able to look after the interests of the
Vandalia's men, and aid them in obtain
ing an early settlement of their claims.
AS to the complaints of the discharged
men, the Commodore says it is hardly
necessary to rem ind the authorities that
the men cannot be held beyo the date
of their enlistment. He further fur
nishes statement made by Lieutenant
Burnett showing
THE AMOUNTS PAID TO THE MEN
Who reached San Francisco, fifty-nine in
all. These range from $26 81 to 1912 0S, in
no case being as small as the largest
amount said to have been paid the men,
Eighteen of the men are reported as hav-
ing deserted after their arrival, and of
course they received nothing. Lieutenant
Carlin states that of the nineteen men
who, it was possible, "were roaing about
the water front" one was discharged at
his own request; two were discharged at
the expiration of their enlistment; three
we're discharged by sentence of court
martial, and thirteen were deserters.
The clothing issued to the men at Samoa
was charged to them at discount of
6625 per cent. 1t was good clothing,
worn by officers and men.
AS TO THE "RAG MONEY!"
1t is stated that the Government does
not sign contract to pay $50. 1t does
promise to pay as much as $50, on
certain conditions. The Lieutenant SAYS
the claim of the men were excessive as
rule. A seaman shipped in January and
wrecked in March can Justly claim his
pay for two months and no more. If he
has drawn $50 worth Of clothing he is in
debt for at least SIP.
Captain Farquhar could not, and did
not, have an order regarding the amount
Of money to be distributed to the Tren-
ION men. The amount of money &C.
tually allowed was one mans pay, and
the sailor who complained that Carlin
refused to sign his application to the
Fourth Auditor was told that it was
useless to make application until that
official was in possession of certain data
which could not possibly be furnished
before the last of July, but he refused to |
accept the statement as final, whereby |
he Lieutenant told him to make out his |
,wn application The officer says he did |
not know that the seaman had obtained |
/ blank to be signed. He further saws:
AS to the statement that | would |
lelp no one to get his money until got
nine, l will only say that l am here at
ny own request for the purpose of put.
ing the various records in shape so that
he Fourth Auditor may properly settle
he mems accounts. This work is now
Dished.
APPLICATIONS FOR INDEMNITY,
Otherwise known as rag money have
cen made out for all the men, dead or
live, and | have as yet taken no step to-
'ard getting my own money"
In conclusion he says: "There are eix
ames signed to the letter to the Secre-
Try of State, viz: McCluskey, Stewart.
levine, Bleidner, Lane and Boyle.
lcCluskey was not at Samoa at all.
ane WAS discharged by court-martial.
le was on board the Nipsic, which was
OF sunk, and he has not shadow of
aim for anything. Boyle and Stewart
ere discharged by court-martial.
leidner and Devine were discharged at
le expiration of their enlistment. All L
them, except Boyle, were paid in full
ut some of them had claim for loss of
ersonal effects. O'Donnell, the other