The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-05-16

That fellow Ingram seems TO have a
baneful influence on them. They have
Just made complaint about the food"
What was wrong with THAR
"Well, YOU see, sir, on the menu today
there was raw oysters to begin with, as
wc always have before the consomine.
They growled because the oysters were
common raw oysters on ice and not on
the half shell"
Tho captain frowned.
Il thought you ordered oysters on the
shell, he said
we generally 30. But this time we
neglected TO have them that way, al |
though they are perfectly good"
"Still a sailor is accustomed TO having
them on the half shell, and, Of course,
we must expect some growing when
they are not Order the men aft.
The men came sullenly aft, and any
one AT an practiced in their ways could
seein a moment that there was going 70
be- trouble.
"Now. then" cried the captain, "swab
of the decks, will your
Not a man moved.
What's thisy' cried the captain
anrrily This is rank mutiny."
Not so" said J. Marston Ingram
stepping airily forward and making
low bow. "Not so, captain. We are
merely on strike"
"On striker shouted the captain, ION
.triloi Why what's a strike at sea but
% muiinyy
Perhaps they are somewhat similar,
aid Ingram, speaking with great defer
cnce. 1T is a legal point that we, as
members Of the Seaman's union, desire
to have settled. We call 1t strike.
You can call it a mutiny II you wish
We simply assert our rights as working
men not to work. You can hire others
If Won choose. We respect the law too
much TO interfere
How i'm thunder can / hire anybody
ont here in the middle Of the lakeT
"Ah! that is your affair, not ours"
The captain and the mate retired to
fhe cabin 10 consult on the novel situa-
ton If the trouble was simply strike
they would have TO succumb. If it was
"a mutinv. then il would be their duty to
string up the half dozen men at the yard
arms The mate was certain that this
was the thing to do in all respectable
mutnies. although he believed that in
some such cases il was fashionable to
make the men walk the plank. The cap
tain said "pshaw," and held that that
was only done by pirates. After discuss
ine the matter for some time they
agreed that the fuss was really full
grown mutiny, and they proceeded on
deck to do their duty in hanging the
men,
Asthe two officers appeared on deck
Mr.. Ingram moved respectfully forward
TO meet them, the rest Of the crew stay
ingin the background
"Slr Ingram, began the captain Il
presume that you are aware OF the iac'
that ON shipboard the captains word II
law;"
Il will admit that for the sake OF ar
, cumcnt. but without prejudice.
VERY well, then, the captain says, or
in other words, the law Is, that this Is
mutinv. It viii, therefore, be my pain
! ul duty to hang you and the other i've
Gentlemen who compose the crew unles
Won at once cease your mutinous con
b duct
g j Marston Ingram bowed low an'
8 answered:
4 II will present your decision to m,
& comrades and inform you Of their reply.
After a short conference Mr.. ingram
e turned TO the captain and said;
{ II beg to state respectfully that tn
s mon refuse TO accept your decision, ant
also refuse to be hanged.
y Refuse. cried the captain. ooh, TIN
' is mutiny thought 50 before, but nov
ann sure Of il. However, am wilhn
S fo make any reasonable concession.
Il they prefer to walk the plank to bein
G hanged ! will accommodate them.
Il The impression gathered from thel
conversation was that it was not so niue
r The method they objected to as to the r,
D suit. However, shall be pleased to sui
p NIT your alternative 10 them.
J., He again turned 10 the men, and n
d discussion this time was a longer on
!. Finally he came back and addressed ii
' captains .
"AsI thought, the men refuse also Il
alternative. They ara, however, wilhn
TO admit that this is a mutiny on OF
D. condition.
"What is that." asked the captain.
y "That is that they carry it out as a M
a tiny They leave it for you TO decl'
ie whether il is q mutiny or a simple strik
,e If YOU decide that it is a strike, thin
III will 20 on as they are until one side
p- the other comes to terms. If you deci'
is that il is a mutiny, then they will act
G. If il were mutiny They will proce'
NJ once TO tie both Yourself and the ma
at np i'm "a hard knot, and they VIII th'
drop YOU overheard. We will withdra
for a few moments to await your dec
vt on. r
I'd They did not have long u wait. u
he aptain came forward and said;
IN 81 have carefully considered the que
." ton i'm an its bearings and taken note
lg several points that before escaped my
ch tention. | now decide that TINS Is
rs strike.
ey A rousing, hearty, honest, nauu'
he cheer went up as this judgment was re
dcrcd 49,,
rs 81 am glad, said Mr.. Ingram I'll
on SO wise and just decision was ma,
IS. It will relieve you of the disagreed
in duty of hanging us, and you VIII a
an escape the trouble Of arranging a
is technical difficulties that are almost 81
it 10 arise when two men attempt TO e
.ue cnte six. Now, suppose, as TINS
simple strike. and believe 1t is the Il
his that has ever arisen on board ship
aft will have no objection to submit the N
ter 10 arbitration.
,ng "None in the least, " replied the c
IN tain.
yer As YOU are so good as to agree TO
ew il becomes us to make like concess'c
The We will give you every advantage
wis will act for the crew and the mate
at act for YOU. lpresume that is satiSl