The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-05-26
AN OLD FASHIONED TALE OF THE SEA
A Cabin Boys Story Of a Voyage
From Portland to Barbados.
Men Triced ur. Knocked Down, and
Chained to the Deck.
Imprisoned Tars Fed on Cake by the
Captains Daughters.

New YORK, May PA regular old-fash-
ioned sea story was told in the office of Unit.
ed States Marshal Jacobus today, by Ernest
A. Young, lad who shipped as cabin boy
on the ship John Harvey of New York,
from Portland, Me-, in September last, and
who charged that the vessel had deserted
him at Barbados early this month. Capt.
Harvey Stewart Is commander of the John
Harvey, and according to the cabin boys
tale he is mighty hard man to sail with.
Young's story was backed up by letters from
members of the crew, and he was further
indorsed to an extent by E. A. Dimmick,
United States Consul at Barbados. Trouble
began when the vessel was near Barbados,
on Febrn.iy 1st, when seaman p. Pierson,
being at u 9 wheel, kept ON his oilskins after
the heavy So "a which had made them ne
cessary, had ia sed. Captain Stewart, pass
ing by, intimated that 1t wasn't much of
sailor that would wear oilskins when the
sun shone, and received retort that pro-
yoked him to strike Pierson in the face.
Both OF Persons hands were engaged at
standing near, stepped forward with COM
pani0n, Jack Smith. The captain, ordering
Hurlburt to take the wheel, directed Mate
Phelan to attend to Smith. while he. himself
licked PlerS0n. The rest OF the crew showed
a disposition to interfere, but the captain,
after disposing of Pierson, pulled revolver
and standing over the mate urged him to
punch harder, threatening to shoot any man
who stepped forward. Charles Lindberg
protested against the manner in which
Smith was treated, and Captain Stewart
blazed away with the revolver, the bullet
striking Lindberg in the left temple, cutting
a furrow in the flesh and knocking him
down, but not injuring him seriously. The
crew teing thus intimidated, Pierson and
Smith were "triced up" to the rigging and
kept there three hours. Pierson and Smith,
after being let down, were chained to the
deck until morning, and then were taken
tween decks and chained to Stanchions,
where they were kept for % days on bread
and water diet. The captains daughters,
who sail with him, sent by the cabin boy
surreptitious cake and secret pie until the
captain found it out and threatened to put
Young in irons in the hold IL he carried any
more delicacies to the men. When the ship
arrived at Barbados, the matter was brought
to the attention of the United States Consul,
and oung testified favorably to the chained
seamen. The captain thereupon ordered
him before the mast, and when he refused
triced him and afterward put him in chains
for days. May 10th Young requested per-
mission to go ashore and see the consul. The
captain let him go off in fsherman's dory.
lie saw the consul, and when be started to
return to the ship he found that she had
sailed. The vessel is loaded for this port,
and is now due. When she sails up the bay,
representative of United States Shipping
Commissioner Reed will board her. and If
any of the sailors desire to make COM
plant against the captain they will have
chance to do so before Commissioner Shields.