New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-03
STEWARDS PUT IN IRONS.
SERIOUS TROUBLE ON THE TRANSPORT
MINNEwASKA.
ONE OFFICER ATTACKED WITH cLEAvER By
THE CHEF. AND ANOTHER ASSAULTED BIT A
wArTER-LroUoR AND OTHER STORES
sEcRETED. AND GENERAL MIeMAN-
AGEMENT IN THE STEWARDS

| wAITER-LrQUOR AND OTHER STORES
sEcRErED. AND GENERAL MIeMAN
AGEMENr IN THE STEWARDS
DEPARTMENT ALLEGED.
Sons Of the crew attributed Il to the fact that
| the steamer carried the red and yellow pennant
OF the sunken Spanish vessel, Reina Mercedes. ana
| others thought there were other causes but cor
tain II IA that the United States transport Mime
| waska which moored at tho Columbia Stores
| Brooklyn. yesterday afternoon. had moro than It's
] share OF unpleasantness aboard during the trip
| TO Santiago and back -Four men were thrown into
| irons. half dozen more were docked three days
pay each. and. II her bad luck were sticking 20
her. one Of the 'messboys fell into the hatchway
yesterday. and Is at the hospital suffering from
| Internal injuries
| The trouble originated IN the stewards depart
! ment which is in the hands Of man who knows
! about ship than he was able to learn
| at summer hotels. where he had previously en-
| ployed his time The stewards name Is ". j..
| MscGoveran and not only his name but his love
| for whiskcy would indicate. the of1cers OF fhe
| vessel say. that he is a Scotchman. He was IN
stolled steward Just before the transport started
| for the South four months ago. The Minnewaska
| had been the Persia Of the Atlantic Transport
| Line II had flown the British flag. and when IL
| was turned to the United States Government
| there In the wine locker large supply OF
| whiskeys and wines One Of the hrst things that
| Steward MacC,overan discovered was this supply
| Of good drinking. and he kept the secret in his
| own department t.t
| When the vessel reached Savannah supplies were
loaded aboard her for the sailors at Santiago. and
Major J. l.. Wilson. quartermaster, United states
| Volunteers, went, aboard to take charge OF her
| One Of the first questions he asked was whether
| there any liquo- wine aboard. and the
| steward said positively that there was nothing OF
| that sort except VIVA: had aboard with the
| Army supplies
The stewards department went wrong from the
| start tho officers say. The stewards and cooks
| were intoxicated at Inopportune times. and were
| insolent and totally without knowledge OF how
| TO manage such a department ship Before
| Santiago reached Of the assistant stow.
ards had TO be taught what his place was by being
| threatened with irons
At Santiago Major Wilson. Surgeon ". r. Lee
Patrick II, Cooper third offcer Of the vessel and
| others went the wreck Of the Reina Mercedes
Mr.. Cooper rescued the pennant from the side rail-
which under water This pennant noated from
the mainmast Of the Minnewaska when she entered
| New York Hsrbor yesterday.
The troops that wsre taken the Minnewaska
at Santiago squadron OF the "a Cavalry.
| battalion Of the District Of Columbia Volunteers
battalion Of the s3d Michigan Volunteers the
balloon detachment. OF the Signal Corps and de-
tachmcnt OF artile--. ....
The 40 men did thei- own cooking. and IL must DO
written to the credi. Of Major Wilson that 1t was
declared by the inspectors at Montauk that no
other transport had reached there with the men IN
such good condition But the forty oficers COM
p,alned loudly and perpetually. The cooking ano
food, they said. not what they should be. be-
Of the slaring ignorance and Incompetence OF
the stewards department The first open rupture
between the officers Of the steamship and the
stewards department came when the chef. Louis
MERCER. assaulted Third Oicer Cooper with meat
cleaver for giving him perfectly proper order
This happened on the morning the vessel left Sant-
ago Harbor. and Mercier has been under irons
since He will be turned over TO the United States
civil authorities in New-York and prosecuted for
characterization A few days later Anthony Rupert.
the second cook. put in irons for insubordina-
ton but as his ca Sc was not quite so bad be was
put TO work forward. after being locked three days
pay. One Of the soldiers then installed as
cook but the twenty men In the stewards depart
| ment kept In the same old way. and half OF
| them were fined from time to time.
| On tn. third day from Santiago the Government
supplies Of liquor and wine gave out. and the ON
| GERS were much surprised at noting considerable
| drunkenness thereafter not only among the stew
| ards men. but among the soldiers. 1t was after
ward found out that vino and whiskey were sold 10
was learned tina! coffee, tobacco and other, stores
| were being sold from the Government supplies.
| gust q and the men di.enibarked the next day.
| Then the boat was moved out three miles and put
kins gave an order to a man named Pose, waiter
the wt ss s SOM. os s thru ehe
GERS wen. to the captains assistance: and Pogs
| was put In irons He and MacCioveran. who had
| been making threats, 1t Is alleged were at once
| turned over to the Sheriff OF Suffolk County The
captain made search OF the vessel. and found In
| wine locker about thirty bottles Of wines and
whIskey which the remains Of the full supply
| with which the ship started from New-York.
Late Thursday afternoon Deputy Sheriff Wells. OF
Suffolk County went before United States Commits
s!oner Morle in Brooklyn with two men from the
Minnewaska. who are believed to be the steward
and the first cook and asked that they be confined
in Jail pending the Ming of charges Of insubordIna
ton and threatened assault against them The
deputy-sh had only letter from the captain.
setting forth the facts. and Commissioner Morie
was unable to issue warrant In the absence OF a
sworn statement. The deputy next took the men
before Commissioner Shields, but he refused 10 act
because of lack OF jurisdiction. 1t Is not known
where the deputy sheriff next went with his pris
day afternoon, and load again with supplies for
Santiago.