The Portland daily press., 1890-05-02
CAPTAIN WHITES STORY OF. OUTRAGE.
Thirty Minutes Given Him for a
Choice Of Evils.
He Chose to Lose His Cargo and IL
Went Overheard.
newfoundland Officials Treatment
OF Yankee skipper.

GLOUCESTER, Mass, May The schoou-
or Rapid Transis, Capt. Thomas White. ar
rived home last night. The report Of the
outrage perpetrated upon this vessel by the
Newfoundland government officials, who
threw overheard 1000 barrels Of herring at
Fortune Bay, Newfoundland, have already
been published. Captain White gave the
following details Of the affair:
I'VE arrived at st. Jacques, N. f., on Feb
ruary 8 from Boston, where he had disposed
OF cargo OF frozen herring. At this place
collector Clinton redated the bond, stating
that 1t would answer the purpose of the next
voyage.
"On April the vessel proceeded TO I,ollv
Cove, where a cargo of herring was beino
loaded until April IL, HOO barrels being tax.
more. wv D@iioi'
'On Sunday, April IS, Capt. McGrath Of
"a sde . revenue cutter tIona, arrived and board
ed the schooner, and after examining the
papers requested me to proceed with him 10
hecOutre harb0r, where the FrOna was w.
Ing. This was done, a Dominion official
being left on board to guard the vessel. On
ooarq tne cutter were Judge HipDisly, Com
mander Mc6rathland 0taer Officials and after
private interview they ordered Inc 10 stop
taxing herring or leave the bay until further
orders. On April IA was again Summoned
aboard the Frona to attend court to be held
oy Judge uippisly. Three officials were
present in the court held in the cabin"
Commander McGrath swoTe that he found
several hundred barrels Of herring aboard
the Rapid Transit contrary to provisions of
the Dalt act, and stated that the vessel had
t6S Se0s 1oId 70 foreign pOry prOnOuncpg
know II the vessel had been entered and
cleared at the custom house. Capt. White
replied that II they would give MIN time
enough to go aboard his vessel he would get
ms papers, out the Judge said that this would
not be necessary. After hearing all the evil
dence, Judge Hippisly reserved his decision
until ne mad communicated with the New
foundland government On the morning Of
April 10 Capt. White was again summoned
aboard the Frona, where the Judge convict
ed him Of violating the bait act OF 1889. and
ne was given the option Of paying 81 per
ton measurement Of his vessel, TO give bond
according 10 the bait act and TO take one
Darrel OF herring for each ton OF the vessel,
OF 70 pay tne OF $500 and the whole cargo
OF nsh to be c0nfscated, or in default be im-
prls0ned three months In jail Capt. White
tions given.
On this Judge Hipplsly said 81 will give
you 30 minutes to decide in," and, turning
executed"
"All through the trial." continued Capt.
White, Il was not given the privilege OF
making defence. l said to the Judge: 'As
have no counsel here | should like to be
heard in the NATTER but the Judge stopped
me abruptly saying We have heard enough
talk from you.'
II then looked towed the companIonway,
but an official with side arms blocked the
way. Before l realized it 25 minutes of the
half hour so arbitrarily given me had
elapsed and hastily availed myself OF the
first option and paid fine Of $50, after
which was allowed to go aboard my own
vessel. In a short time Commander Nc
Grath appeared with boat load OF men and
ordered seine, which was full Of herring
alongside the vessel. to be tripped, the fish
thus escaping. These fish had been pur-
chased by me. He then came on board and
ordered me to throw my cargo of herring ov-
e6s1aEa %S nEsaiapspg to do anything Of
by G., we will soon do it, and cried to
out" $3.50 10 '''0N'
III took 13 hours to shovel the cargo over
board. 80 barrels being left, but they we're SO
trodden upon and mangled as to greatly i'm
pair theh value.
Capt, White emphatically dsnio0 that ne
ever sold herring TO the French or any other
parties except in the United States.