Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-26

bne Impairment were settlco bO9OAS AC
attended to his own.
WASHINGTON, July 25.-On the 18th of
June, San Francisco papers contained the
statements of certain survivors of the disas-
ter to American vessels at Samoa, enlisted
men on the Trenton and Vandalia, which, if
true, presented a severe indictment against
the authorities of the country, especially of
the Navy Department, for cruel treatment
and heartless abandonment of the suffering
seamen. The papers practically indorsed
the statement of the men, and reported that
about 80 of them were roaming around the
water front Of San Francisco, unable to Sc
cure the wages due them, desti-
tute and dependent upon charity
for their subsistence. The charges bv
the men were, in substance, that they had
not been paid the bag money-S6O-which
the United States contracted to allow them
in case of loss CT their clothes by sinking of
the vessel; that their wages prior to the date
of the disaster had not been paid them; that
they had been discharged, sent adrift, none
of them with more than SIS; that the clothes
, furnished them in Samoa had been charged
for at 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 REFUSED TO SIGN
o certificate for one of the seamen to be pre-.
sented to the Fourth Auditor, by which he
would be enabled to procure his ''bag
money" and, finally, that when the men
disembarked from the Rockton or arriving
at San Francisco, they gave three groans
for Captain W. II. Farquhar, of the Tren-
ton, and that they were deprived of what
was due them by subsequent action taken
by him in a spirit of revenge.
Copies of the newspaper articles were sent
to President Harrison and six of the sailors
joined in a petition to Secretary Blaine,
asking that he use his influence to have
justice done them. Attached to this peti-
ton was a copy of one of the newspaper
articles. These referred to Secretary Tracy.
who ordered that an investigation be made
as to the truth of the statements The pa
pers in the case have just reached the Navy
Department and make the following show
ing:
Commojre A. F. K Benham, of the Mare
Island Navy Yard, says that the newspaper ar
ucles have grain of truth in them and a
great deal of exaggeration; that the attack
upon nLieutenantCarlin is unjust in the extreme,
for the reason that he remained in San Fran
cisco by his own request, and was temporarily
assigned to the receiving ship Independence,
in order that he might be able TO look after the
interests of the Vandalia's men ana aid them
in obtaining an early settlement of their
claims.
THE MEN IN THE WRONG.
As to complaints of discharged men, the
Commodore says it is hardly necessary to re-
mind the authorities that men cannot
hQ hald fha Aata of fbosr
He further furnishes statement made by
Lieutenant Burnett, showing the amounts
paid to the men who reached San Francisco
% in all. These range from SIG 81 to S272 o.
In no case being as small as the largest amount
said TO have been paid the men. Eighteen of the
men are reported as having deserted after ar
rival and of course they received nothing
Lieutenant j. W. Carlin states that of the 10
the expiration of enlistment three were
discharged by sentence of court martial and
13 were deserters. The clothing issued to the
men at Samoa was charged to them at a dis
count OF 66 2 8 per cent. 1t was good clothing
worn by officers and men alike
As TO the bag money it is stated the Govern
ment does not sign a contract to pay $50. 1t
does promise to pay as much az $50 on certain
conditions. The Lieutenant says: The claims
of the men were excessive as a rule. A seaman
shipped in January and wrecked in March can
justly claim his pay for the two months, and no
more. If he has drawn $50 worth of clothing
he is in debt for at least sl2. Captain Farquhar
COuu anu ulu nave an OTQer regarding
the amount of money to be distributed to the
Trenton men. The amount of money actually
allowed was one months pay, and the sailor
who complained that Lieutenant Carlin re-
fused to sign his application to the Fourth
Auditor was told that it was useless to make
the application until that official was in possess
sion of certain data, which could not possibly
be furnished before the last of July but re-
fused to accept the statement as final where
upon the Lieutenant told him to make out his
own application. The officer says he did not
know the seaman had obtained blank to be
signed.
ATTENDED TO THE MEN FIRST.
He further says: "As to the statement that
would have no time to get his money until
got mIne,' will only say that / am here at my
own request for the special purpose of putting
the various records in shape SO that the Fourth
Auditor may properly settle the mems ac-
counts This work is now finished; applications
for identity otherwise known as bag money!
have been made out for all the men, dead or
alive, and have as yet taken no step toward
getting my own money"
signed TO the letter TO the Secretary of State,
VIZ: McClusky, Steward, .Devine Bleidner,
Lane and Boyle. McClusky was not at Samoa
at all Lane was discharged by court martial.
He was on board the Nipsic. which was not
sunk, and he has not the shadow of a claim
for anything. Boyle and Steward were dis
charged by court martial. Bleidner and De-
vine were discharged at the expiration of en-
listment. All of them except BOYLE will be
paid in full One of them had q claim for loss
mentioned by name in The newspapers was dis
charged by sentence of court martial. The
only men entitled to sympathy are Johansen
and Steehmeyer. They have money due which
they cannot get at present The claims must
follow a routine in the Fourth Auditors Office
an a0f of(