Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-19

on Hippolyte's men of war. They will sue
the Haytien Government and the shipping
agent for damages.
NEW YORK, April 1s.-To shanghai sail
ors is State prison offense. Yet the crime
is frequently committed with impunity, be-
cause the evidence of it is shipped away in
the persons of the victims. A most remark
able instance has just been discovered. No
less than 25 unfortunate seamen, many of
them native-born Americans or naturalized
citizens, were kidnapped from this port d
year ago and shipped to Cape Haytien,
Hayti, not to serve on board of American
coasting steamers as they had been told, but
to man pirate ships flying the Haytian flag.
William D. Hogg, an old salt, tells the
following story: "It was in April, 1889,
when L was boarding at No. 1 Peck slip.
had just returned from a voyage across the
Western Ocean. and, sailorlike, hadn't
bothered my head about newspapers or
politics. I had been at my boarding house
just four days when on the evening of April
8, Benjamin jerks. the shipping master,
came to the house and asked me If wanted
good chance on board of trading vessel.
I was told by my boarding master that
there was
AGooD CHANCE TO SERVE.
In the West Indies on American ships, at
$50 month, and Mr.. jerks engaged me for
the service as 1 supposed. He told 1ne there
was number of small trading steamers at
Cape Hayt1en which belonged to the Clydes
aud which were under the American flag.
These steamers, said Mr.. jerks, ran be-
tween Cape Haytien and the smaller West
India islands, where they gathered cargo
for the large Clyde steamers touching at
Cape Haytien. He also told me that Cap
tain Compton was in charge of these Amer
lean coasting steamers, and that we would
have to report to him.
81 asked Mr.. jerks whether we should
have to 60 before United States Commits
sioner to sign articles before sailing from
this port. He said that this was not neces-
sary at all, as we were to be passengers on
board of the steamship G. w. Clyde, o! the
Clyde line of steamers, and that as our voy-
age proper would not commence until after
our arrival in Cape Haytien we would sign
over again before the United States Consul
at that port. That pacifed me, and then
signed this agreement.
HE HEARS ABOUT WAR
ION the trip to Cape Haytien, Captain
Kelly, of the Clyde, told us one evening
that we should probably have to serve on
board of men-of-war when we got down
there, but paid no attention to it, thinking
he was merely in fun. 1 had never heard
about there being any war in Hayti.
"When we got to Cape Haytien saw no
vessels flying the American flag except two
United States warships-the Galena and
the Ossipee. There were two flying the
Haytien hag-the Carondelet and the
Jacmel-and Captain Kelly told US those
were the vessels We were to go on. The men,
with one exception, declared that they
would not go on these vessels. One man,
who said he had been a gunner in the Amer.
ican navy, separated himself from the rest
of US, went and had private talk with
Captain Compton, and came back and told
us he had agreed to serve as gunner for $3.50
a month.
"At the request of the other men I acted
as spokesman, and told Captain Compton,
who had come aboard the Clyde, we had
not come down there to serve under the
HaytIan flag, or any other than the Stars
and Stripes. He said he would have us sent
ashore until the Clyde came back. Then
those who did not want to serve on the gun
boats would be sent back TO New York, and
those who were willing to stay would sign
articles before the Haytian Minister.
A BAD PREDICAMENT.
"With that understanding we all went
ashore except the gunner, as Captain Kelly
said he could not keep us aboard the vessel
any longer. We were put in an old, dilapi-
dated, unused storehouse. and our luggage
was put in another building. Three days
afterward it was put on board of the Jacmel
at night, without our knowledge or consent.
1 then went to Mr.. Gautier, the American
Consul, who told me he could do nothing for
us, as we had left the CLYDE; that the best
thing for US to do was to 90 aboard the gum
boat until the Clyde returned, when he
would send all back to New York who did
not wish to sign to serve under the Havtian
flag. With that assurance we all went on
board.
"Two days afterward the Jacmel got up
steam and went to sea, where we epcoun-
tered the Dessalines, one OF Legitime's gum
boats. Some 20 or more shots were fired at
us, while we had but one gun that we could
serve. This was toward evening, and a
breeze springing up we hoisted all sail. The
captain ordered on all the steam possible,
and darkness coming on we got out of range
and out of sight, else we would surely have
been captured or sunk. During this en-
u
serve the gun. He also ordered some of us
below to help raise all steam possible. The
men at first refused to obey, but finally,
rather than be caught, We gave all the as.
sistance we could in getting up steam and
hoisting sail to get out OF the way.
REDUCED TO SORE STRAITS.
"When we got back to Cape Haytien we
wanted to go ashore to see the Consul. but
Captain Compton would not permit it, say
ing that he would send the Consul to see us.
dation he sent IL of us, myself among the
number on board the Carondelet. We were
obliged to lie on deck on the Jacmel, with
no protection. not even an awning. 1t
rained every day. Our bedding was water
soaked We had no chance to dry it, and
finally we threw it overboard-that is, our
mattresses, pillows, quilts and some OF our
blankets On the Carondelet we occupied
hunks below, but were little better off there
than on the deck, which leaked so badly we
were completely drenched. used to cover
myself with NV oilskin coat, max ing with it
drain between my legs to carry off the
water.
Getting desperate we uesd some very
threatening language and finally Captain
Kellogg, with many oaths, told us to 90
ashore We took boat, rowed ashore, and
went straight to the consulate. Captain
Compton followed US from the Jacmel. He
reached the consulate directly after we did.
He was greatly excited.
'.The Consul told us that he couldn't DO
anything Tor US as we had placed ourselves
under the Haytisn flag. The next day FIVE
more came ashore from the Jacmel, making |
II in all. We were then left for eight days
on the streets with no money, and were
obliged to sell our clothing, rings and little |