The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-05-04
A SAILORS YARN.
How Jim Wards Bold Scheme
Fooled the Pars0n.
An Artful Villains Clever Trap Preacher
and Runner Fall Easy Victims-"wers
You Ever shanghaiedi"

A dozen old sailors gathered In a we'll
known resort on East street last night, and
after some talk about wages and the pros
poets of soon going to sea again, turned
their conversation to the subject of snaug-
haing.
After several of the men had related what
they knew or heard of men being drugged
and carried on board ship. the question was
prOpounded: Were any of you ever
shanghaied % All but one Of the party
shook their heads, and in reply to the gem
eral demand the solitary old tar related his
experience, as follows:
Twas shanghaied in Quebec, but 1t was
some years ago when there was more of that
kind Of work going on than there is now.
You know that the st. Lawrence is frozen
over every winter, so the men left ashore
skip to the States where they can get ship,
and then returning in the spring leave the
vessels, as the wages are sure TO be high
and men very scarce at that.
JIM WARDS RUNNER.
The boarding masters were often unable
to supply crews for the ships ready to leave
and then they resorted to shanghaing. The
notorious Jim Ward did more of this than
any other man probably that ever robbed
sailor. 1t was cold day when Jim could
not rake up some kind of crew if the cap
tain offered sufficient inducement
Twas on the first sailing ship that got up
to Quebec in the spring of 1872, and had
made up my mind that was going to get a
pretty big advance before ! went down the
river again. l had been there before and
thought knew the ropes, but / was fooled
AS soon as got ashore l went to a private
boarding house, as | knew If the boarding
house men got me In their clutches it was
good-by to the advance. l had a little
money and kept quiet for a few DAYS, look
ing out for a chance to ship. One day
was downtown and in passing Wards place
ran up against him. The first thing knew
| was inside his saloon, and then Jim of
fered me a Job. He said his runner was
sick and he wanted a good man to take his
place. There's lots of money in the busi-
ness" said Jim, IF man amt too par
ticular."
SATISFACTORY INDUCEMENTS.
The inducements lie offered were pretty
big. ] accepted the job and that night was
installed as runner and sailOr-catcher for
Mr.. Wards hotel
Jim told me he was trying to get crew
for the ship Monarch one of the worst old
tubs that ever foated, the only thing that
kept her afOat being the cargo of lumber
on board. Nearly every man ashore fatty
refused to go in her. At last the captain
applied to Ward for a crew, and as he
offered big bonus for the men Jim went to
work and soon had fifteen of the twenty
ready to go on board.
The ship was dropped down the river
about ten miles, and everything was got in
readiness to sail as soon as the men were Sc
cured.
One night five of the fifteen who had
agreed to ship skipped out and in order to
save the rest it was decided to take them
all on board. When this was done | secured
the city high and low, and Jim did the same.
Between us we secured eight men, who were
then taken down to the vessel. Ward told
the captain he could not get another man,
but the skipper refused TO pay over the bo-
nus until the full crew of twenty were ON
board the ship.
FUTILE EFFORTS.
Ward and j went back to Quebec and
while going up he told NE IL l could get a
man he would do the same AMI then we
should get the cash. tried hard to get 4
man around town, but they kept clear of
me. However. Jim told me he had his man
ready to 90 On board. | ought to have
kept my eyes open for trick, but as the
fellow showed no sign of treachery / never
dreamed that he would begin then, but he
did
That night Ward said we had better take
his man on board or we might lose him.
With that l got the boat ready. l know
that out OF the eighteen men on board, not
more than ten bad ever been TO sea, be-.
that was small matter. Jim gave me a
couple of bottles TO take down with us as
it was cold night, and then be started 10
get his man. In about half an hour he
came down to the boat and to my surprise |
found that the man with him was none other
than minister, who preached in the Sailors
Home every Sunday.
A BOLD SCHEME.
knew Wards reputation as fighter too
well to make any remarks, and as soon as
the pair were in the boat We showed off and
started down stream. / soon found out
that, fearing to lose the bonus, Ward had
made up his mind to get the men by fair
means or foul, and had fixed an the parson
as one of the victims. Ward went to the
man with a story about sailor having
fallen from aloft on board a ship lying
down the stream and that the man had
asked TO see a minister. The kind-hearted
parsOn listened to the story. and putting on
his oyerc0at kissed his young wife and
started out on what ne supposed was an
erraEd of mercy.
We had taken several drinks on the way
down, and just as We got alongside Ward
handed me the bottle, saying we might as
well finish 1t. took good drink and that
Ndo bUo lhob AuCM. WIG L CHIle TO MY
senses l was lying in bunk and by the
motion Of the vessel knew we were out Of
the river. AS soon as l could / went on
deck, and the first thing saw was the mate
trying to dive the poor parson up the main
rigging.
WARDS FLIGHT.
To make my story short we reached Liv-
eIpoOl in thirty-hye days. The first thing
the parson did was to have the eaptai1
arrested, and | was called as a witness.
The old man was convicted and got one
year in prison, and then, with money fur
nshed him by friends. the larson returned
to Quebec, determined to have revenge on
Ward. was taken along, and had made
up my mind to do what 1 could to get even
on Ward; but when we got there we found
he had got wind of what was coming and
sold out his saloon and skipped to Pensa-
cola.
HnDCEfC NAN