The morning call., 1891-04-20
STRUCK A SNAG.
How Cruel Captains Care Was
Effected.
A Fighting Crew Shipped on Board the Har-
vest Queen Hostilities Begun-The
Officers Subdued.

"Every paper you read has some story to
tell of the brutal treatment received by the
crew at the hands of the officers" said an
old salt yesterday of nearly twenty years
experience.
"Once in a while the officers run against
a crew that will fight, and then, as a rule,
some one is sure to get hurt.
81 shipped in the old Harvest Queen
some years ago in New York. l was fiat
broke at the time or l would not have
shipped in her, as she was known as the
hardest packet that ever crossed the West
ern ocean. Her three mates were all big
men. who had been chosen for their shoul-
der-striking ability, and you can bet no
man ever made two trips on the old tub.
She was perfect hell on salt water. No
man ever thought of getting watch below
during the day time, and the food was OF
the worst quality and not too much OF that.
81 did not see the rest of the crew until
after / got on board. She was bound from
New York TO Pensacola and from there to
Liverpool.
A STUBBORN CREW.
II was ON board but a short time before l
discovered that not over four of the crew of
twenty men had ever been to sea before and
/ made up my mind that belay ing-pins
would be flying in a jiffy.
Everything went all right until next
morning, as the captain intended giving the
boys a chance to sober up little before go
Ing to sea. We were called early and
washed down the decks and got breakfast
before Eeaving up the anchor. We had
hardly swallowed our breakfast, however.
when the third mate stuck his head in the
door and told us to get on deck, man the
windIass and be - quick about 1t.
g / was smoking, and turned to put the
pipe away, when one of the men told me to
finish my smoke, as they were in no hurry,
and if the mate was he could call again.
81 saw at once that there was going to be
fun, and began to size up the crowd. They
were all young men and had a hard look
about them. | also found out that each one
OF them had siX-shooter.
PREPARED FOR A FIGHT.
'In few moments | heard the mate COM
ing forward on jump, and the next second
he rushed into the furecastle like mad bull.
6 Get out of this, every one of you, or Pll
kick the liver out of you. l want you to
come when called, and come a-running, or
I'll help you.' said he.
''Still not a man moved, and the big
mate, who no doubt expected to see the
men run like flock of sheep, stopped the
torrent of words and Looked at the crowd.
The man who had told NE to finish my
smoke was sitting close to where the mate
was standing, and rising to his feet con-
fronted the big bully as he glared from one
to the other.
"'Are you the mate of this ship?' he
asked. If you are, | want TO tell you when
you come into the forecastle TO come in in a
decent manner, or you will go out good
deal quicker than you came In. What's
more, If there is any fighting to be done this
trip we might as well do it at once, so the
sooner you start the sooner you will find out
the sort of a crew you have got
PICKED FOR THE OCCASION.
"By this time the mate was speechess
with rage and he went ait as II the old n lex
was after him. | was then told that the
crew was picked expressly for that ship,
and if l did not want to be kicked around l
must stand in with the crowd.
In short time the captain came for
ward. He had cigar in his mouth. but was
not smoking, and | could see ne WAS white
with rage, although he tried to appear calm.
DO you men refuse dutyP he asked, as he
got To the forecastle door.
None of US refused duty, but when you
send your mates to call us tell them
they are calling men, not dogs said one of
the men as lie went out on deck, and tile
rest followed.
s.We soon got the anchor owe short and
had the tug fast alongside. The captain
then called US all aft. Now look here. men,
said he, i want no nonsense aboard my ship.
Ii you came here to work l want you TO
work, but il you want fight you will be ac-
commodated. Now 60 forward, an d the
first man who dares give any back talk I'll
lick him till he can't crawl
THE CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.
"The words were no sooner out of his
mouth than a young fellow sprang at him
like tiger, and the next instant they were
at it tooth and nail The three mates and
the carpenter rushed to the captains assist
ance, but were told to stand back, or they
would get dose, too. The fight did not last
long, for the captain, although n good-Sized
man, was no match for his opponent, who
was one of the best fighters in New York.
In few minutes his face looked like
beefSteak, and he was covered with
blood. Then the young fellow stepped
back and asked the old man if he
wanted any more, but the captain
without reply. staggered into the cabin.
The men then turned on the mates and by
the time they got through there was no fight
in them. The captain. as soon as possible,
went ashore in the tug to get the police, but
for some reason several hours passed before
they got off to her, and when they did there
WAS not a man on board, as all hands had
been taken ashore by boardihg-house
master in tug
WELL TAUGHT LESSON.
"The captain shipped another crew and the
men. made the round trip without having had
any trouble with the ofiicers. The Harvest
Queen was a good ship after that. Ii more
of the mates were served the same way we
should soon hear the last of the oft-recurrng
brutal treatment of men on American ships"