The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-21
INHUMANII'Y ON
THE HIGH SEAS.
The FIRST AND SECOND OFFICERS
OF THE SHIP ARYAN
ARRESTED.
A CONVICTION NOT CERTAIN.
THEY ARE CHARGED WITH BEAT
ING AND WoUNDING SOME OF
THE SAILORS.

The arrival of another deep-water Amer
lean ship furnishes, as is often the case, a
tale of cruelty on the high seas. 1t must
not be imagined, however, that American
shippers are any worse than those who
command British vessels. The captains
and officers of the latter are not amenable
to United States laws and one-half of the
complaints made by sailors on those ves-
sells never reach the public. On an Amer
lean ship it is different. If sailor has
grievance he makes it known as soon as
the vessel reaches port and the Govern
ment at once investigates the case.
The American ship Aryan locked at
Harrison-street wharf yesterday. AS soon
as the sailors came ashore they went to the
Office of the United States District Attor-
ney and swore out warrants for the arrest
of First Officer Henry st. Clair and Second
Officer James Mcdonald. The two mates
were arrested and held in $4,000 bonds each
by United States Commissioner Heacock.
st. Clair secured his release, but Mcdonald
had to remain in Jail.
According to the story told by the sailors
there must have been lots of trouble on the
Aryan during her voyage to San Fran
cisco from New York. The com plaining
| witnesses were Jan Wolf and Henry STRAIT
IOIu. LII lis SiOTy 10 Gne Onlbeu
| States District Attorney Stratford said:
"The trouble began the day we left New
York. The food was poor and the men
| grum bled. The first and second mates
were DULLES, and SO we were in hot water
from the start. On the 10Th of October
last we were shifting the staysail. Henry
| Friethoff, the cabin boy, had hold of the
and Mate Mcdonald got mad. He seized
a Delaying pin and knocked myself (Friet-
| hoff), Jasper Ceruti and S. Wolverton
down like SO many ninepins. | was laid
up week after that little racket.
Shortly afterward l was aloft loosing
the topsail. When [ came down Mate
| Mcdonald asked me why / hadn't an
swered him when he called. said l did.
He got mad, called me liar, struck me in
the mouth and loosened all my front
teeth, struck me again and bled my nose
and only stopped when the captains wife
| came on deck.
ION the 18th inst. we were wearing ship
| In the excitement of the moment l forgot
| to say sir when | answered him. He
struck me in the face, called me foul names
| and when | ran away he followed me
around the main hatch, threw me on the
deck and struck me again. Off the Horn
We were hungry all the time and when a
complaint was sent aft the captain called
| US "a ID lot of old hens / was not
the only one that suffered. A sailor named
| Macarthur had three teeth knocked down
| his throat. Jan Wolff was dashed with a
ropes end every time he angered Mate St.
Clair. On January 9 last he fogged the
lad in a most unmerciful manner. Sem
megen, another sailor was also the object
of his fury. He was kicked and beaten on
| several occasions and the captain had to
! interfere. The entire crew will testify
| against the first and second mates and we
| hope to secure conviction"
When the crew of the Aryan was paid
off yesterday there was more trouble Some
of the sailors were from so cents to 81 in
debt to the ship, while the remainder had
all the way fran 81 to $50 coming to them
after a tive-months' voyage. The slop-
chest was used to the best advantage, and
almost every one of the crew had charge
of from $50 to $50 against him on that ac-
count. The men grumbled great deal
at the charges, and their protests drew
forth some comments from United States
Shipping Commissioner Gwin. "The law
should be amended said he, $50 as to al
low ship-owners fair percentage on goods
sold to sailors. Then the articles in the
slop-chest should be divided into two
classes-woolen and cotton goods, and a
first and second quality of other articles
As it is now, the law fixes the price al
which everything is to be charged, but il
does not mention the quality. In conse.
quence sailors are compelled very often to
pay an exorbitant price for an article that
is not worth cents. For instance. the law
allows charge of So % for gum boots, and
the captain charges up that sum. The
sailor objects and says the boots were moi
worth 81. What can do in the premises
The law is on the captains side and the
sailor must pay. am now using my best
endeavors to have the law amended" Ii
the meantime the crew of the Aryan are
stranded in San Francisco without cen
in their pockets.