The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-08-05
According to the Story Of a Cape
Breton Man.
Tells Authorities He was
Half Starved.
Nate Doe Of the Barge Verona
Arrested.


presented BY John Moreasb, seaman,
who says his home is in Caps Breton,
does not offer many attractions to the
sea faring man II the. story is anywhere
near the truth. Mcreash told his story
yesterday to the United States Shipping
commissioner and later told part OF it
again before Commissioner Bradley. AS
a result of MoreRsh's complaint, the mate
of the coal barge Verona, now on the
ways at South Portland being recaulked,
was arrested and brought before Com
missioner Bradley on the charge Of as.
saulting Moreash, and bound over to the
September term Of the United States dis
trict court in the sum of $50.
As Moreash told his story to Shipping
Commissioner Tolman. he shipped ON the
Verona at Portland about 40 days ago as
cook. After ten days as cook the cap
tain Of the Verona told him that he was
too poor cook to suit him and the man
offered to go before the mast, changing
places with q seaman who took his place
In the galley. The trouble which resulted
In the mates arrest occurred on August
first. Moreash told the shipping COM
missioner that he had not been half fed
and was feeling weak as the result OF
poor food and not enough of Il. He was
cent to the pump TO free the barge of wat.
er, but his labors there did not satisfy
the mate who swore at him aud ordered
him to pump harder. Moreash said that
he couldn't do any letter than he was
doing whereupon the mate, John Doe
by name, jumped at Moreash and
grabbed him by the throat choking him
and afterwards throwing him from him.
Moreash saved himself from falling
through hatch way by clinging toithe
pump break. Moreash exhibited the
marks on his THROAT where he had been
choked by the mate who Is big, brawny
seaman.
On Wednesday, Moreash went to the
galley, SO he says, and asked for some-
thing to eat. The cook shouted out TO
him with an oath to gee out Of the galley
and at the same time struck Moreash In
the right eye with his fist backing the
eye and almost closing IL up.
John Olsson, another sailor on this
barge, complained to the captain, SO he
said. that hs had not been getting
enough to eat. mix up any old thing
for them," said the captain to the cook.
"They eat more than they are worth"
The bill of fare ON the barge Verona,
according to these men, was as follows:
Four ounces of bread and one cup OF
coffee for each meal, meat once week
and an occasional bowl of soup. This
man Moreash also told PRESS report
er that when the Verona was at sea the
ribband on q small boat was broken by
the sea and the captain of the large
made these men pay s15 each ON account
Of it. They said the damage to the boat
was not over s.. This part of the story
was taken with grain of salt by those
to whom 1t was told, but It was sworn
to by the men as being the truth.
Moreash did not complain to the au-
thorlties about the food nor about his
treatment by the captain nor the cook.
He did enter complaint however,
against the mate. John Doe who was ar
rested yesterday afternoon by Deputy
United Marshal Smith. The mate was
brouhgt to Portland and arraigned before
United States Commissioner Bradley
who gave the man a hearing ON the
charge against him. Moreash told his
story about the assault and said that
Doe was the mate of this Verona. Doe
when called upon to testify IN his own
behalf denied that he was the mate of
the barge. He said that he had been
shipped at the rate of $40 month,
| couldn't read nor write and was not fit
"to be mate Of nothing" He did not
deny the assault upon Moreash, but said
he was not the mate of the barge.
| Both Moreash and the man Oleson
testified that they had been told by the
captain that Doe was the Juate of the
barge and they had taken their orders
| from him as such. Doe acknowledged
that he lived aft while the other two
men lived forward and that some times
he told the men to do certain things when
the captain ordered him to tell them. At
last the fact was developed that when
| Doe WAS ON deck with Oleson WHO was
in his watch Oleson stood the entire four
hours at the wheel unless he was relieved
by Doe to go to the pump.
AS has been stated above. Doe was held
in TIE cum of $50 for his appearance at
tho September term of the United States
court at Bath and Moreash was also held
as witness in like sum. Doe was un-
able to furnish bail and went TO Jail