The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-12
WILL FIGHT 1T OUT IN COURT.
First Omcer Owens of the Minncwas-
Ia to Sue the Captain.

kn to Sue the Captain.
First Onlcer A. S. owens of the steam
ship Minnewaska. transport No. "a. who
was discharged from the ships service day
before yesterday by Mai. Wilson of the
quartermaster's department, has engaged
W. r. Leaken, Esq, to bring suit for three
months wages against Capt. Hopkins,
commanding the transport under whom the
first officer signed seamen's articles, and
whom he claims is responsible for his dis
charge.
The diniculty between Maj. Wilson and
the first officer has created considerable
talk. 1t was First officer owens, and not
Mr.. Griffith who was promoted to first
officer upon Mr.. owens discharge, with
whom Maj. Wilson had the wordy set-to
which resulted in the former leaving the
ship. Mr.. Griffith is now first officer.
Maj. Wilson Is Of the quartermaster
department, and came here from Newport
News the day the transport arrived.
Mr.. Owens, who is an English officer,
said yesterday that his discharge was
without just cause, and he proposes 90
fight it out In the courts The night the
transport reached here, he said, a couple
of men, whom he took to be porters,
brought a large box to the wharf a which
the ship was lying, and called out to the
first officer, who was sitting on deck, that
the box was to be taken on board. The
officer declined to receive it. The men
demanded it be taken on without any
further words. They produced no author
ity and after some talk, the first officer
persistently refusing to receive the box
without learning what 1t was or where or
who 1t was from, they left An hour or so
later, Mr.. Owens said he was called TO
from The wharf in a peremptory manner
by some one, demanding 10 know why he
had not taken the box on board, and TO
do SO at once, under penalty of immediate
discharge
And who are you, pray?" he asked.
81 am Maj Wilson, in charge of this
ship was the reply.
The first officer at once raised the
question of the majors authority
TO discharge him, and referred the
major to the captain. 1t was explained
that the box contained the personal effects
of the major. and it was then taken on
board. There was considerable talk be-
tween the major and the first officer that
night. The next morning Maj. Wilson and
Mr.. Owens happened to be the only per
sons at the table at breakfast. After a
moments silence, Mr.. Owens said the ma
jor turned TO him and said: You will
take your effects and leave this ship at
once" The question of authority was
again raised. After breakfast the first Of
ticer appealed 10 the captain. The latter
advised him to keep quiet, but that was
impossible said Mr. Owens. My stand
ing" he added, would not permit it."
After considerable talk the first officer Sc
cured the captains permission to leave
the ship, and he at once came to the city
and engaged Mr.. Leaken to
represent him in his claim for
wages on account of his unwarrantel
discharge from the ships service and to
set him right This is MIR. owens state
ment OF the circumstances of his meeting
with Mai. Wilson and his leaving
the transport The case he says will be
pushed In the United States Court. Mr.
owens says he has cabled to his home in
England for funds to prosecute his claim.
my discharge" he said, "is wholly with
out cause. l was guilty of no insubordina-
ton. To have received the box, which
was afterward learned 10 contain Maj.
Wilson's effects, on board without know
ing what it was AID without any author
ity, would have been manifestly wrong
The box might have contained dynamite
for aught l knew. If Maj. Wilson had sent
a note or some representative 10 notify the
ship there would have been no delay and
no misunderstanding. As ii was ! did my
duty, and Maj. Wilson. with the captain =
sanction, ordered me from the ship. l now
propose to establish my rights by law"