The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-11-16
HOW JACK TOOK TO POLITICS.
A Swede Sailor Quits Sea Rowing TO
Dabble in Ceucuses and Such.

A Swede Sailor Quits Sea Rowing to
Dabble in Ceucuses and Such.
A case quite interesting to shipping men
was before Commissioner NJ. A. Connolly
yesterday, showing how a dissatisfied sea-
man and clever lawyer can make it
rather uncomfortable for captains who are
careless about shipping their men.
The schooner Joseph W. Hawthorne left
New York Oct. q, and arrived here last
Saturday. 10 take on board cargo Of lum-
Der for Dixon. Mitchell & Co. Before
leaving port two Of the seamen signed for
the trip. failed to report for duty and. be-
ing shorthanded, Joseph Olsen. a Swede
who can speak English only with certain
linguistic DISCUSSES, and who is utterly un
able to read it, even with spectacles, was
impressed into service in New York, rep
reservations being made 10 him that he
was going to Savannah and no further.
Olsen sized up this city last Sunday and
Monday, and liking its appearance and
the superior article Observer Smith fur
nishes in the way of weather, he con-
cluded to stay and incidentally TO take
part in the caucuses and primaries that
are going on, his lungs being in prime
condition and his knuckles well hardened.
Some Of his countrymen from aboard the
ships in port attended Monday nights
caucus and returned to their boarding
houses along the Bay late that night in
an excessively stimulated condition, re-
porting a glorious time and very enthu-
siastic over the institutions of this coun-
try, especially as exempified at the SYM
postum at odd Fellows hall.
Olsen has been in this country about
two years, and being of a studious dis
position decided TO locate here for a short
time at least, and learn more about the
ways of selecting the chief magistrate of
one of the thriving municipalities the call
for Tuesdays primary being then pub
llshed in the daily papers and dissem-
mated among the habitues of Bay and
Price streets by the lieutenants of the
two candidates, With strong hopes of a
repetition on Wednesday night of Monday
nights miniature Donnybrook Fair, things
began to look up on the north side of the
Bay, and seamen We're seeking informa-
ton as to how many minutes they would
have to be residents of the town to be-
come members of the Patriarch's Club,
with the right to vote at its caucuses So
journing in town with such free exhibit
tions on hand beats working seven days
out of seven and standing dog watches
while the icicles form on ones whiskers,
so Joseph demanded his discharge and
wages to that very day.
Capt. Olsen, from New England, stood
on the quarter deck Of the good oil
schooner Joseph W. Hawthorne, with the
shipping articles in one hand and the Of
fetal log hook in the other, worked him
self into fine frenzy, and vowed by the
sacred Goldfish of Massachusetts, that there
was no man in these forty-four United
states and territories, in Guiding Alaska,
who could compel him to pay off one of
his, men, not until he got good ready so to
do, a sentiment which so agitated the
Stamese cook aboard that on top of the
of condensed bp uvae
there appeared a fine crop of butter.
Joseph was quiet and blonde, as nearly
all Swedes are, and he was cunning, too,
so he hied himself on shore, sought out
United states commissioner, stated his
troubles and trfbulations, and. recogniz-
ing his own deficiencies in the matter of
smooth and easy manipulation of the Eng
hsh language, retained George A Mercer
Jr., Esq, to represent him. When the
cause was heard before the commissioner
II was shown that Olsen signed the ship
ping articles not in the presence of a
Onlteu states shipping commissioner, but
somewhere in the dizzy maze of
South street, that part of New
York in which it is said, the
policemen are little bit yellow.
1t was represented to Olsen by the agent
OF the vessel the one whom he met in the
Juhsles OF South street, that he was to
| go to Savannah only, there to be dis
charged, although on the face of the artf-
cles it appeared that he was to return to
the port Of final discharge. Olsen not be-
ing able to read and the agent failing to
read the articles to him, like Lord Bate
man, he sailed away for a year and a
day, for all he knew to the contrary. he
being blissfully ignorant of the terms of
the contract he had signed. However. at
| the hearing, Mr.. Mercer successfully at
tackled the validity of the contract, and
! Joseph Olsen is to-day somewhere along
| the Bay with his bag and 1912. the net
/ profits of the trip, in his inside pocket.
anXiously awaiting the posting of another
/ circular on the door of II Whitaker street
! Three other seamen on board of this
! schooner complained of being compelled
/ 10 DO unnecessary work. on Sundays, but
/ We're sent back to the vessel by the COM
! missioner he deciding that the men had no
/ just cause for complaint.