The Columbus journal., 1889-05-29

~NOW~8 49, 49, ~
from Eat Main street, Port Huron. the
mate approached tho captain and said.
after tho usual salute of "Aye, aye, SIR"
81 fear No arc going 10 have trouble
With the men."
'evvhat makes you think so!" asked
the captain.
THAT fellow Ingram seems TO have .
baneful influence On them. They have
Just made . complaint about the food"
"What va wrong with that"
"Well you zee, sir, On the menu today
thsre VA raw oysters to begin with, -
We always have before the consomme.
They growled because tho oysters were
common raw oysoers On loo and not On
tho half she'll"
The captain frowned.
Il thought you ordsrsd oysters On the
she'll" he said-
1--WE generally do. But this time We
neglected to have them that way, a.
though they are perfectly good"
''Still q sailor Is accustomed to having
them on the half shell. and. Of course,
We must expect some growing whel.
they arc not. Ordsr the men aft"
The men came sullenly aft. and any
ono at all practiced in their ways could
seein q moment that there va going to
b truuble.
snow. thsn," cried the captain, ''swsb
or the decks, will your
Not q man moved.
"Whatis thisy' cried the captain
angrily. This Is rank mutiny."
mot So" said ]. Narston Ingram,
Stepping airily forward and making .
low bow. mot 50, captain. We are
merely on strike"
ION striksi" shouted tho captain, ION
strikel Why, what's q strike at sea but
. mutinyT'
perhaps they are somewhat similar"
said Ingram, speaking with great defer
ence. ut is a legal point that We. As
members Of the Seaman's union, desire
to have settled. We call it q strike.
You can call it Q mutiny II you wish.
We simply assert our rights as working
men not to work. You can hire others
il you choose. We respect the law too
much to interfere"
"How in thunder can I hire anybody
out here in the middle of the lake?:'
"Ah! that is your affair. not ours"
The captain and the mate retired to
the cabin to consult on the novel situa-
ton. II the trouble was simply . strike
they would have to suocumb. II it was
. mutiny, then it would be their duty to
string up the half dozen mon at the yard
arms. The mate wa certain that this
was the thing to do in all respectable
mutinies, although he believed that in
some such cases it 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
ing the matter for some time they
agreed that the fuss was really q full
grown mutiny, and they proceeded on
deck to do their duty In hanging the
men.
As the two officers appeared on deck
Mr.. Ingram moved respectfully forward
to meet them, the rest of the crew stay
ingin the background.
'Mr. Ingram" began the captain, II
presume that you are aware Of the fact
that on shipboard the captains word is
hw?"
Il will admit that for the sake of ar
gument, but without prejudice"
Very well, then, the captain says, or,
In other words, the law is, that this Is q
mutiny. 1t will, therefore, be my pain
full duty to hang you and the other five
gentlemen who compose the crew unless
you at Q your mutinous con-
duct"
J. Marston Ingram bowed low and
answered:
Il viii present your decision to my
comrades and inform you Of their reply"
After q short conference Mr.. Ingram
turned to the captain and said:
Il beg to state respectfully that the
men refuse to accept your decision, and
also refuse to b hanged"
"Refuse!" cried the captain. ''Oh, this
Is mutiny. thought 20 before, but now
/ am sure Of 1t. However. I am willing
to make any reasonable concession. II
they prefer to walk tho plank to being
hanged I will accommodate them"
1.-The impression I gathered from their
conversation wa that it was not so much
the method they objected tt a. to the re-
suit. However, I shall be pleased TO sub
NIT your alternative to them"
he again turned to the men, and the
discussion this time VA q longer M
Finally he came back and addressed the
captain:
AS I thought, the men refuse also the
alternative. They are, however, willing
to admit that this Is a mutiny ON one |
condition"
"What Is that asked the captain.
THAT Is that they carry it out as q mu-
tiny. They leave it for you to decide
whether it is q mutiny or a simple strike.
II you decide that it is q strike. things
will go on as they are until n side OF
the other comes to terms. If you decide
that it is a mutiny. then they will act as
II it were q mutiny. They will proceed |
at mi to tie both yourself and the mate
up in q hard knot, and they will then
drop you overheard. We will withdraw
for q few moments to await your decis-
ion"
They did not have long to wait. The
captain came forward and said:
II have carefully considered the ques-
ton in all its bearings and taken note Of
several points that before escaped my At
tention. I now decide that this il q
strike"
A rousing, hearty, honest, nautical
cheer went up ~ this judgment was rem
dered.
Il am glad" said Nj. Ingram, "that
20 wise and just q decision vas made.
Il viii relieve you of the d~isagreeable
duty Of hanging us, and you will also
escape the trouble Of arranging any
technical difficulties that are almost-sure
to arise when two men attempt to exc
cute six. Now, I suppose, a this is q
simple strike, and I believe it Is the first
that has eve arisen on board q ship, you
viii have no objection to submit the mat
ter to arbitration"
"Ncrs in the least," replied the cap
tain.
Gas you are 30 GOOD as to agree to this |