The morning call., 1891-05-22
BOARDERS REPELLED
The Steamship West Indian In
yaded by SeameDs
a Captains Gallant Fight to Protect His
Men-Passengers Struck by Flying Mis-
siles--Pistols Drawn.

War was declared against the steamship
West Indian, lying az Mission No. 2,
yesterday morning, and about 1880 O'Clock
they marched from their headquarters. over
fifty men, and headed for the ship, only
few rods away
On arriving at the gangway the leader.
who was a big strapping man, halted his
men. took a look along the line to see that
all was ready, and then shouting AN
ready, go!' the small army rushed up the
gangway and on to the steamers deck. Chief
Officer Locke met the invading force at the
head of the gangway and tried to stem the
tide of invaders, but was borne back by the
rush of determined men, and in a very short
time the decks swarmed with excited
sailors.
Some of them ran forward and descended
Into the forecastle. The mate seized one
OF the men, but then another drew a re-
volver and pointing it at the officers head
compelled him torelease his hold. Captain
Scott, who had been below. rushed on
deck and took hand in the melee. He sent
out his right, a la Jackson. and the man
with the pistol went down like bullock.
In the meantime two of the crew, who were
below in the forecastle, were dragged on
deck by the union men aud hurried toward
the gangway.
RESCUE OF THE TWO MEN
The two were pretty roughly treated by
their captors and shouted loudly for assist
ance Captain Scott then drew a revolver
and so dld several of the invaders. The
commander went to the assistance OF the
captured aud with the assistance OF Chief
Officer Locke he drove the men back,
rescued the two men and returned them to
the ship. Half dozen musketS, TO which
bayonetS were fixed, were now brought
from below and thus armed the two deter
mined officers drove the men OH the
steamers deck.
There WAS large pile of coal on the dock
and armng themselves with the chunks the
insiders threw a vOlley on the steamers
deck that Tor time threatened to clear her
decks and smash every window and door.
Selling then heavy double-barreled shot
gun, Captain Scott rushed to the side OF the
vessel and leVeled it at the crowd. but he
had no occasion to fire, for no sooner dld the
shOremen sec the weapon than those at the
coal-plle broke and ran.
ARRIVAL OF THE POLICE,
By the captains orders the police flag
had been run up, anG in a little while
squad of men from the Harbor Police Sta
tons, under Captain Dunleayy, came down
on a run, soon to be REINFORCED by patrol
wagon loaded with policemen from the Cen
trail Station, so that in jffy the dock was
cleared of union men. The only wonder
after the affair was that some one was not
hurt, as over dozen pistols were drawn.
Gilbert Goodman of Santa Cruz, one of
the passengers, was struck on the head by
big lump OF coal and hurt. His hat was cut
through and he was felled to the deck by
the force of the blow. Some of the ladies
who are going up on the vessel were on
board, and only escaped injury by running
int n ba oil RnFnra TN N tlHi
from the deck some of them seized Mr.
Scanned, the shipping-maSter who had
shipped the crew, and tried to throw him
into the hold. Mr.. 5 ammell used his fists
to good advantage, and more than QUE OF
his assailants felt their weight.
They also tried to drag Fred Scott, one of
the ships quaTtermaSterS, to the rail, as IL
to throw him overheard, but the lad broke
away from his brutal assailants. The sight
OF the twenty or more stalwart police officers
made most of the union men skip for home,
but large crowd lounged around the head
OF the dock, though the presence of the men
with the stars and clubs prevented any fur
Their display OF hostilities, and the work of
taking on the cargo proceeded as ii nothing
had happened.
A DECoY TELEGRAM.
Soon. after the arrival Of the police mes
senger-bOy boarded the West Indian and
handed Mr.. Scammell a telegram, which
read as follows:
Mr. ScaB,mell-SIR: Please come to ]. Lat-
fms Office, 46 Beale street. want to see you on
matter OF great Importance at once, and
oblige II. o.
Mr.. Scammell showed the message to
Captain Dunleayy and was advised not to
go to 46 Beale street. A visit TO the place
showed that the message was a dec0y, and
no doubt bad Scanned gone there he would
have been at once attacked. though no one
answering to name with the Initials at
tached to the message could be found.
ORIGIN OF THE TROUBLE.
AS soon as things had quoted down Cap
taiu Scott left the vessel and went uptown,
swearing that lie would have the leaders of
the mob arrested. Angry murmurs arose
from the crowd of union men on East street
as he drove along, but none of them dared
lift hand to the plucky skipper.
The trouble arose over the fact that Cap
tain Scott had shipped crew of non-unlOn
men. The West Indian has made two trips
to the north since she arrived on the Coast.
The first was made with the crew that
came out from England. On the second trip
a crew of union men was shipped, bat they
only stayed on her until she came back to
this port, and then quit. The men claimed
that they were not treated right by the
ships cook.
TAKEN AT THEIR WORD.
After the invaders had left the vessel
the officers of the union told CAPTAIN
Scott he could ship whom he pleased as he
could not induce another union man 10 go
in the steamer. The captain took them at
their word. The report that the union took
two of the men ashore is untrue. After the
police arrived some of the men went
ashore for their clothes and were not mo-
Tested as they passed through the crowd of
men on the street.
The West Indian is bound to Victoria and
has all the passengers she can carry ac-
cOrding TO law. Several captains went on
board of her after the trouble and informed
Captain Scott that they approved of his
action and stated that they would no longer
be dictated to by the union, but would ship
just whom they pleased and would carry no
more union mrn. There are many sailors
in port and the captains and ship-OwnerS
seem determined to make stand against
the union, and therefore more trouble will
surely follow.
BEATEN OFF IN ANOTHER QUARTER.
A crowd OF union men also boarded the
schooner Gem, lying at Fremont street
Wharf, yesterday morning about the same
time as the trouble on the West Indian, and
made determined effort to force the crew
on board her to leave. This crowd was also
driven off, and the arrival of the police pre-
vented any further trouble.
Unions street Wharf on Wednesday night,
and beat him severely before he man.
aged TO escape. He was about to board
mans name could not be learned, but in
glad TO escape with his life.