The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-11-20
He WAS SOLD LIKE A SLAVE.
story Of Outragcs on the Oyster hoa's
Told by Three German Lads.

WASHINGTON. d. c., Nov. S.-An-
cher tale Of horror from the oyster
boats of the lower Potomac was uh-
folded yesterday when three boys GOV
cred with mud, their clothing torn "
sbreds. reached the First Precinct ponce
station after d two days tramp 4IOi"
CITY Point. They were taken 10 oup1'
cutler. Of the municipal lOdging-house'
next door. where they stated mat l"ey
had been Imprisoned on one OF ine sntn
oyster boats had been maltreated 10 ths
utmost and that finally one OF mem
had been sold 20 the captain OF announcer
vessel like a slave of forty years ago
All ths boys were German, and only
one Of them had any command al all
OF the English Language.
KAN Essrig. the spokesman, sald thal
he had been in this country two years
but OTTO I[ialie and Ernest fnaum ieacn-
cd this country i'm a sailing vessel only
last month and can neither talk nor UNI
derstaud English. Kari Us twtH'y-oHe
wears old. Ernest, eighteen, and QUO. Il
mere child Of sixteen.
ono is the one who claims 20 have
been sold from one ship 10 the Othei, ana
both his companions testified that they
saw ono captain hand the other .. For
two weeks they cruised about on theif
floating prisons. they said. always Wlthh
sight Of land and yet unable TO escape.
Al three of the boys look intelligent and
were able 10 write easily. Supt. cutter
remarked that one could see az the
glance that they We're not hoDoes, such
as frequently saunter into lodging
houses.
Il am going 10 communicate with the
German Ambassador tomorrow, MT.
Cutler said. "Such an outrage must be
investigated.
The BOYS. Pfaum and Kralle, told the
story of their experiences as follows:
we left Bremen on the 20th Of August
being employed as sailors on board a
now sailing vessel. the Mabel Rickmers.
Oh our voyage across the ocean we were
SO badly treated that We decided 10 leave
as soon as we reached shore. on the !ih
of October We reached Norfolk. and 80
We simply went ashore and did not sho"
up again. IL was our intention. however
10 make some arrangements so that we
could get back home for the christmas
celebrations We came up 10 balumoIt
together. but did not find any work
until one day as we were walking about
the wharyes a mau told US he had Job
on the oyster boats. lie said that ne
would give us new shoes working
clothes and Sl2 a week. He had already
made an Arrangement with this man.
Karl Esshg at $l4 a week OF course we
were glad TO accept
1--WE went away on the vessel from
baltimore on the 10Th The boat was
No. gS. and on its hull was painted WI
liam II. Villas The name Of the captain
was Gene. After we got started ont the
captain used to treat us like dogs We
had 10 get up a little after in the
morning and start 10 work az T. At y
o'clock we had lunch which lasted less
than five minutes. If any one tried 10
take longer. he was kicked ard made 20
get up. Then we worked on until late
in the night sometimes until 10 o'clock
and whenever any one refused 10 work
he was kicked and beaten until he pro-
missed 20 Keep at H. We never had one
full neal and ! do not gee how we stood
81 an"
conc dav 7 refused 70 work" Otto
said. speaking ~ himself. ~ was all
worn ont. and had a sore foot. which
got from the captain the time he threw
a big piece OF iron ~ me T told the
captain 7 wouldn't work. no matter what
happened. and so he tied nv hands to-
gether with a rope. and tied the rope
to the windlass and began TO wind II up
That hurt so that went 10 work "
Both the other boys told Of stringing-
up experiences. though not on a wind
with their hands behind their hacks and
hung in this position from the mast until
they Welded to every demand Of the
captain
I've did not get one cent Of pay. Our
clothes were all nice and new when we
lcft home, but lust look now
otto. the siytecn-year-old bow. con-
tlnued the narrative "On The third doy
Capt Gene decided 10 get rid % me. He
wouldn't take me TO shore though.
There was another cruising oyster boat
that came mp 10 ms. 1t was No. -. and
the captains name was Alonzo Lee. NV
captain said that he didn't want me
any more and then he gave me 10 cant.
Lee for g.. l worked on that ship thir-
teen days and then Capt. Lee took me
back 10 Capt Gene because he said,
he couldn't use me either Finally last
Tuesday. the captain said he would let
all three % rs ca. and also another man.
an old fellow by The name OF Bob Nov
bury. who came from PHILADELPHIA. We
went m 20 City Point. but the police
boat was around. So that the captain
would not land until that was gone.
Then he put US all ashore and offered
US a quarter each. We wanted our pay.