The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-11-09
An INHUMAN CAPTAIN
A Tale of Frightful Cruelty on
the High Seas.
STARVED AND MlSUSED
Captain Balch Kept HIS Sailors on Such
Short Rations That They Were Com
PEELED to Eat Grease-They
Were Brutally Beaten.

SAN Francisco. Nov S-A tale Of
cruelty and starvation an the nigh seas
cqualing, IL not exceeding. that related
of the American ship A. -. Ropes. with
which the entire continent rrsoundrd
but "A short time ago. Was told to-day
in Office of the United States District
Attorney Foote by four ar live forlorn,
weak and scurNy stricken sailors
members of the American ship John a.
Briggs of san Francisco.
They told their story 10 Assistant
United states District Attorney Bert
Schlesinger and chief Clerk Sherrard.
and then swore 10 a complaint charg-
ing Capt. ]. w. Baich with having mis-
used and starved his men, while First
Mate johnson also will be arrested for
cruelty. heating and Nounding sailors
on the high seas.
The ship John 4. Briggs sailed from
Baltimore a little over FIVE months ago,
hound for this port. Before month
had passed the potato supply was rN-
hausted and from then until the close
Of the voyage no vegetables Of any sort
were served the sailors az this alone
they would not have complained, but
they say Captain iIalch absolutely
starved them. Three times "A day ihc
crew were served with one-half of a
small loaf OF bread. making about four
slices. and two thin slices of salt h"'t
or Junk. cut so thin that the poor saul
ors could almost sce through IL. bay
by day the men grew weaker on tins
diet. and in n body they complained 10
the captain. asking for more bread.
The captain promised la give them a
whole loaf He kept his promise. hut
previously gave .r,irTs To the cook To
reduce the size of the luayes.
Before Cape Horn had been reached
Two Of the men, Charles Jaryela and
George Nicholas. were attacked with
scurvy. ana the .nIfle crew had been
driven To such straits that In order Ia
save their lives they were compelled to
eat the grease used to lubricate the
masts.
All hands were shortly in horrible
state. particularly The two suffering
from scuryy. They We're 50 weak they
could scarcely wSrk the ship, and ic
! make matters worse. several storms
were encountered. On the I'D of DctO-
Der last Jarvela was addressed by First
Mate johnson. who ordered the seams u
to move quicker Al the time the ponl
fellow was nearly dead from starva.
tion and his limbs were SO swollen Will
scurvy tina, each movement of his body
caused him excruciating pain. lie re-
piled Ia the mate. saying thai he Ma'
suffering 80 that he could not moy,
quicker. whereupon johnson siruck
him. knocking him Ia the deck In his
fall Jarvela dislocatcd his right arm al
the elbow. and while he was still down
johnson proceeded Ia beat and kich
him unm,rcifully.
Again. ON Aug. :. johnson admins
tered "A terrible beating Ia Jarvela. this
time breaking his nose. Later ON n,
pretext whatsoever other than Abe
! Peterson had not obeyed quickly
enough. Mate Johnson beat the seaman
into insensibility with the handle of q
broom. Another seaman who was mad'
the recipient of much abuse was Georg'
| Nichols. who was terribly maltr, ated.
1 To-day Nichols and Jarvela. sufferinl
| from scurvy. presented "A terrible sight
Their limbs. hands and faces wer'
swollen, their skin bloodless and ghast
ly. Both men are al the United State
! Marine hospital for treatment.