The evening world., 1889-04-22
SAILORS ARE THEIR PREY.
HOW POOR JACK Is FLEECED BY BOARD.
NG.HOUsE KEEPERS.
Captains aud Crews at the Mercy OF the
boardinE-House Keepers Benevolent
Assocsntton-To Displease Them IL TO
snher Great Inconvenience - Their
Methods Exposed.

Wv AhN" ~ "
suffer Great Inconvenience - Their
Methods Exposed.
Inc feeling OF antagonism which has for a
long time existed in downtown shipping
circles against the organization known as
the Seamen's Boarding House Keepers' Be-
nevolent Association, has lately taken the
form of open hostility, and it is reported that
a combined effort is going to be made very
soon to overcome its tyranny and, if possi-
bic, to crush it out of existence.
This Association, as was related in The
EVENING WORLD not long ago, is composed
OF the keepers Of sailors boarding houses,
and includes in its membership nearly all the
proprietors Of such resorts in the city.
1t has a charter from the State which was
obtained under the law providing for the in
corporation of benevolent and missionary
societies, but It is claimed that there is
nothing in the work of the society or its
objects which entities it to be regarded as
either the one or the other.
The charter. however. has the effect of
binding the members together in O close
organization and enables them by concerted
action and by the imposition Of heavy fines
upon members who violate it's orders. to ex-
ercise q degree Of tyranny in the shipping
business which those who are unacquainted
with the facts would never suspect.
Although the shipping masters. owners Of
vessels, shippers. agents, and even the United
States authorities. are all down on the Asso-
citation, it exerts such o terrorizing influence
that they are all afraid to oppose ii, knowing
agreeable for them by delaying the clearing
OF vessels and preventing captains from Sc
curing crews, and the like, and they all have
submitted to its dicthtion and impositions as
the easiest way out Of the difficulty.
All sorts of clearinghouse keepers are
members of this Association, from those who
are known to keep respectable places (who
are in a decided minority, 1t appears) down
to the proprietors of the lowest and most dis
reputable dives to be found in the city. where
sailors have the attractions of plenty of rum
and women of ill-repute placed before them
to induce them to spend money.
The result is hat SO far az the sailor him
self is concerned in mir cases out of ten he
is sent to sea burdened with debts contracted
during his stay, In port, and he is frequently
unable to work them of during the whole
oyage for which he ships.
They also practise q system of swindling
upon the sailors by inducing them to go
ashore when they arrive In port, which,
under our laws, is equivalent to q desertion.
and the sailor ~forfeits any wages due him
from the captain.
This il done very often. by British cap
tains especially. and in most cases the cap
tain. who Is in with boarding house keepers,
is very willing that this trick should be prac-
tised, and both sides are thus benefited. the
boarding house keepers getting boarders and
the captain the wages of the men.
To be sure he has to chip another crew, but
this expense, which goes to the boarding;
house keepers. still leaves him with a good
profit, especially If he remains any length of
time In port.
Sailors are thus secured by means of run
ners, who are employed by the boarding
for every capture they make. The sailors
are ignorant Of the law and are very easily
e%ntrapped, and when n or two start ashore
the rest follow like q drove of sheep.
boarding houses. the proprietors employ a
set of men known as "jackals, " or outdoor
agents. who go to the captains intending to
sail and make o contract to get him a crew.
He pays the jackal from pa to 81 q man. al
though this Is directly against the law of the
United States, and In turn has to whack up
with the boarding-ho use keeper who employs
him.
Sometimes q - jackal" gets into bad odor
with the Association, and then he is boy
cotted, and If the Association finds that any
captain 10 employing him to get Q crew they
will forbid all members. under O heavy pen
atty, to ship their boarders on the same
vessel.
A heavy penalty is provided by the United
States statutes for receiving advances from
captains, on the shipping of q sailor. for
debts contracted by the, latter, yet this is
right along. and, as already described
sailor is placed under every temptation to
spend money and contract debts by many of
the boarding. house masters.
OF course the sailor knows nothing of this
until he gets to sea, or when he tries to col
lect his wages when they fall due, n as he
Is the only one who has q right to make a
perfectly safe in violating the law. They get
order from the captain on the owners or
agents of the vessel for the amount, and it is
presented for payment as soon as the ship has
sailed.
The owners do not make any kick, rs n gen.
eral rule. for they know it is in the power of
for them if they refuse.
In this way the shipping laws are violated
every day right under the eyes of the Com
and paid by the Government to see
that the laws are properly enforced.
1t is ON this account that the shippers and
merchants are now getting ready to kick over
the traces, and, with organized action: those
can break the power of the Association
has tyrannized over them so long.
The first thing TO be done. they think, Ia
these landsharks together, declared
that it has violated its charter in many ways.
If the Attorney General takes steps in this
direction, it is believed that individual men,