The Hawaiian gazette., 1894-04-20

When the schooner w. +. Witz-
man, now in port, was loading at
Newcastle Captain Petersen, the
master of the vessel, was ap-
preached by a Norwegian lad
named Skaar, who told pitiful
tale of poverty and privation. He
wanted to work his way to San
Francisco, and the captain finally
consented to take him, although he
really had no need of his youthful
services.
Since the vessel has been in port
Skaar has frequently told sailors
belonging to other vessels that Cap
tain Petersen and his wife were
continually i'll treating him, and
that they would not allow him to
come ashore to see q physician.
He claimed that he wanted to see
a doctor to be treated for a boil.
He told his sailor friends so many
narrowing tales that their symps-
thy was aroused and they made
an effort to have the police inter-
| fere.
Captain Petersen and his wife
were seen about the matter yester-
day and they were both very much
surprised when they heard the
charges made by the boy. The
Captain said that he had not at
tempted to stop him from coming
ashore; in fact he was about dis
gusted with him and it would be
great relief if he would remain on
land. The Captain also stated that
he had seen the Consul about
discharging the youth but that
that official declined to do so as he
did not want him on his hands.
In regard to the boil on Skaar's
face, the Captains wife made a
poultice for it, but Skaar would
not allow it to be placed on his
face, giving the reason that it
might leave a scar. Upon this re-
fusal the captain decided that the
poultice would go on whether the
young man liked it or not and he
finally did use force and the poul-
tice was clapped on.
Both the captain and his wife
deny in strong terms that they i'll
treated Skaar, and their story will
be believed by any one who
hears it.
Aside from the boys taste for ro-
mancing, he has a habit OF stirring
up anybody and anything that
comes in his way. On the voyage
up he was continually in hot water
with the crew, and on several occa-
sions the captain interfered and
saved him from getting thrashed.
He had a vicious vein in his frame,
also, and it was not his fault that
a mutiny did not occur while the
vessel was out. He got the sailors
together and after much talking he
convinced them that they were not
getting enough to eat, and ere long
loud and threatening murmurs is
sued from the forecastle. The cook
sought the captain and said that
the crew was kicking about the
food which was served out to them.
The captain went forward and
found the men eating their
supper. The bill-of-fare was
nash, stew ant corned beef.
He asked the sailors what more
they wished for and he was stag
gered when the riDgleader said |
they wanted pie" every day as
the vessel was a coaster. They
did not get the pie, however.
On another occasion the festive |
youth played a smart trick on the |
cook. The boss of the galley was
asleep one morning, and Skaar
thought Of a novel plan to awake i
him He took a steaming coffee |
pot from the range and let it rest |
on the cooks face. 1t burned the |
cook severely and the boy received
a good swift kick and several blows |
for his trick. Another time he
was sweeping the deck and in a
playful moment he hit the cook in |
the face with the broom. The |
cook resented this little act also.
The boy vas ashore yesterday |
afternoon but could not be found. |