The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-02-24
TRIAL BEGINS
Marine Court Listens
To Evidence.
Some Squalls : Captain Peattie's
Statement = Refused to
"Crow-Jack."

0rSL on the SIdHu. ne ISdu 1IOli4 Tic
ships logbook the entries made there
in during the days the ship was adrift.
The record stated that the men on trial
for refusing duty had been ordered TO
help at the hosting of the anchors
and to bend the crossjack.
The reading of the record OF entries
made by the captain of matters ether
than matters of fact was objected 70
by counsel for the sailors. The court
ruled that the evidence was relevant,
however, and so it stood. The juris-
diction of the court was also objected
to by defendants counsel, who CLAIMED
that the men were arrested for misde-
uleanor, and consequently were not
properly tried by the court formed by
the British Consul. The court ruled
against Mr.. Davis's contention again,
and an objection to the ruling Of the
court was noted by Consul Hoare. The
further examination of Captain Peat
tie resulted in the following state
ment:
1.-The men have not abused me in any
way; / have no observation to make
beyond what l have read in the log
book; the ship was in such position
that the men should have turned to,
even if only for the time being; the
men never asked permission to go
ashore and see the Consul; l think the
men have been fairly civil; Of course
when they go ashore they say things
that are not proper, but they do not
know what they are saying, Ind | do
not think it worth while to put it in
the logbook; they said they had been
too long in the vessel; cannot say that
they said anything about being able
to get more pay here; do not wish to
say anything l do not distinctly re-
member; the ship was in imminent
peril: the wind was strong all that
night and next day, and the chains
saving across her stem was dan
ger; ship would not steer nor stay nor
do a single thing; men positively re-
fused to do what required to trim the
ship"
Cross-examined by Mr.. Davis-Some
of the men were twenty-five months
and some twenty months in the ship,
while the ship had visited Japan, Pu-
get Sound, etc.; they were pretty good
men both on the vessel and in port; L
do sometimes drink intoxicating
liquor; did not drink anything on Feb
ruary II; l say distinctly l did not;
sometimes in the habit OF drinking
every day, just as a friend comes
round; it is not usual for me TO drink
every day; had none today, none yes
| terday, none on the 18th of February;
IL did not lock up VIM. Thompson, the
sailmaker, four hours on the 18th; put
him in charge of the mate; he was
slightly under restraint for about two
hours, but the door was open and
think he could have gone out II he
lchose; l did not threaten to shoo
him; have no revolver; have three
Irifes on board; some of the men have
Ibeen imprisoned here for being drunk
land disorderly.
| At TINS point one of the members o
the court made a remark that riled tn
defendants attorney and he stated tina
he did not wish to continue his eXamin
alton under any fire of disapprobatiol
of the court or any member of it.
| Upon redirect examination 1t wa
brought out that the loss to the ship b.
the breaking of the capstan and subse
quent loss of one anchor and III
fathoms of chain would amount t
some $4,000.
The first real excitement of the tria
was the tilt between the next witness
Captain W. G.. Rennie, and Attorne
Davis. 1t was misunderstanding o.
the part of the attorney about what wa
being stated as fact and what as hear
say.
Captain Rennie had stated that whe
he had boarded the ship with his re
lief crew he found the men not at worl
Mr.. Davis objected to witness sayin
| what he heard
Witness sharply denied to counst
having said he heard anything.
The attorney informed Capt. Renni
that he was addressing the court an
not the witness.
President Hoare told the witness
simply answer questions.
When that gentleman contradic
me, can't l contradict him." querie
the Captain. Then to the court.
don't see why we could not have save
cable and anchor If these men had a
: sisted; it is probable we could hav.
the men asked me what right l had
ask them questions, and told me to te
the captain to do his own dirty worl
wind was light and variable but it w.
fine weather; the ship was unmanag
able in that kind of weather"
On cross examination there was a.
other little squall between witness al
Is attorney. Mr.. Humphreys intervene
& saying that he objected to the condu
lie OF Mr.. Davis and hoped his examin
ton Of witnesses would not go befo
X a British Court. Then MIR. Davis Or
If tested and stated that he knew VIII
was meant by the proceedings and tn
e. he had been familiar with this sort
thing for twenty-five years. He w
ne told by the court that he had beg
Id by rubbing the witness the wrong We
ct Captain Milton n. Sanders. the MI
who went to the assistance of the sh
NJ was the next witness. His testimo
was the same as the story publish
IN this DaDer some time ago when
returned from the ship.
The court adjourned at 11:30
o Afternoon Session.
The afternoon session began shor
after l o'clock and Harry Evans. NJ;