The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-09-28
THE KARLSEN CASE.
a Sailor Who Claims to Have Had to Cut
His Own Toes Off.

trial before Judge webb; libel broughJ
by Edward Karlsen, a sailor, against the
barkentine Golden Sheaf, with damages
fixed at $4,000. This libel, brought
through Benjamin Thompson, his attor-
ney, alleges that in February, 1892, he
shipped at Philadelphia, on board the
Golden Sheaf, Captain Chandler. for
Caibairien, Cuba, and return, and arrived
in Philadelphia again in April the same
year. He alleges that at the time the
vessel left the Delaware breakwater the
weather was very cold, and that he was
suffering with chills and fever. He
claims that while sick he was ordered
aloft by the mate, and remained there
until he was too much exhausted to do
duty; that the mate then ordered him
below; but short time after the mate
was ordered by the captain to haul him
out of his bunk. He further alleges that
the next day he was forced to do duty,
all the time suffering either from a
burning heat or severe chilli That
while he was at the windlass his feet be-
came extremely cold, and later began to
swell. That his feet were SO sore the
next day that it was all he could do to
stand, and that the next day he could
not stand at all.
He further alleges that on the arrival
of, the vessel at Caibairien he asked for
doctor, but the captain refused to call
one unless he had the money to pay the
bills himself. He states that he was I'M
able to leave the vessel to seek for meci-
cal assistance, and claims that owing to
the hot weather his toes began to swell
and decay, and that he was obliged HIM
self to get razor and cut off the de-
cayed parts. He says he cut off all the
toes on one, and portion of the toes on
the other foot. He states that on the re-
turn of the vessel to Philadelphia he
was sent to the marine hospital, where
he remained SO days, and has not been
stand by Mr.. Thompson, and was closely
examined regarding the above points,
and told straight and well connected
story. He was sharply cross-examined
by Hon. George E. Bird, attorney for the
captain and owners of the Golden Sheaf.
He denied that he expressed his graft
tude to Captain Chandler for his kind
ness to him. Mr.. Thompson rested with
the examination of this witness, but said
that he might desire to introduce anoth-
er witness later on to prove single
point He also reserved the right to put
in evidence the report of the weather Of
fee for the days mentioned in the libel.
DR.. Warren was called, and testified as
medical expert. Mr.. Bird then called
Captain William Chandler, of the Gold
en- Sheaf. fine looking specimen of the
Yankee ship master. he said that when
he went on board the Golden Sheaf, after
Karlsen, and the rest of his Grew were
shipped, the mate said, captain, |
think we've got a drunken set of men,"
1t proved SO, and he was obliged to lay
at anchor until they sobered off. He
said that he did order Karlsen from be-
low, and that if he hadn't obeyed he
would have been pulled out. He denied
that the man was sick at the time, and
said that he had no sympathy for
drunken man. The mate is now dead,
of the steward, are scattered; but the
captain said he tried his best to do all he
could for Karlsen after his feet began to
swell. He did not believe that their
condition was the result of exposure
while on board the Golden Sheaf. He
said that the man said once, 'My own
father couldn't do more for me,' to
which the captain replied, You're like
all the rest; when you get ashore you'll
be the first to black me and say abused
you.' He denied that Karlsen asked for
a doctor, but when the Golden Sheaf was
at Cay Francis, 16 miles from Caibairien,
he did ask if he could be sent to hospi-
tai. He could not be put ashore, for
there is only the house of the customs
officer and ranch or two at Cay Francis
and the light house.
The captain said he went to Caibairien
a place about as large as South Portland,
reached with difficulty owing to the I'M
certain winds, and after a passage made
uncomfortable by the great number of
sharks in the bay, there saw the only
doctor in the place, and followed his di-
rections in the after treatment of the
man. He believed that it would have
killed the man to have been taken to
Caibairien through the hot sun. The
nearest hospital was at least It's miles
distant. He said that Karlsen did cut off
his own toes, but it was after they had
lost all feeling. Within two hours after
the Golden Sheaf arrived at Philadel-
phia he had the man in the hospital. He
paid him in full for the passage out and
back, not as matter of right, but be-
cause of his sympathy for him. MI.
Bird also called Mr.. Mears, the steward,
who supported what the captain had