The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-31
AMERICAN JACkIES DESERT
THE MONTGOMERY AND WILMING1ON
LOSE 20 PER CENT. or THEIR II
They Took Advantage Of High Wages
offered by British ships Owing I" the
Exodus of sailors From south American
Ports-Lieut.-COm Greene's suicide.

They Took Advantage Of High Wages
offered by British ships Owing to the
Exodus of sailors From south American
Ports-Lieut.-COn. Greene's suicide.
WAsHINGToN. March 3O.-In an official re-
port to the Navy Department, transmitted
through Rear Admiral Schley. the Commander
in-Chief OF the south Atlantic station. Il Is
shown that there have been a large nun Der OF
desertions from the cruiser Montgomery and
the gunboat Wilmington. the effect OF the alb
normal situation in South American shipping
circles. No report as to the desertions from
the cruiser Chicago, Admiral Schley's flagship.
has been received. but as the conditions re-
ferred to are general it is expected that she
has likewise suffered a BILE depletion
OF her complement Of men.
The report says that the British Government
withdrew It's subsidized mail steamers from
South American service and purchased a num-
Der OF other vessels engaged In that trade for
use in Transporting supplies to Cape Town and
other points in south Africa. The withdrawal
OF these ships was naturally followed by an ex-
odus OF saIlormen from South American
ports. who sought service elsewhere.
In consequence all ships putting in
10 these places are hard put 10
ktt HELL nt rupbly NSHoolb touNt AZ
Montevifeo to get cattle and dressed meat.
All Of them are In need OF men and ofer high
wages To sailors. A large muir Ser OF American
tackles serving on the Mont2o err and the
Wilmington have taken adva .tage n the high
prices offered by the British ships for came
by deserving the men.ot-war and shipping on
the supply vessels. While the exact figures
cannot be obtained. II is said that about 90
per cent. Of the Montgomery's men have de-
serted and a greater percentage OF the Will
mington's crew.
rharuaa nnhlilhah In Appariean naplnapars
supposed to have emanated from an enlisted
man on the Montgomery, that there had been
a mutiny on board. that more than 1--WE
hundred punisbments for minor offences
had been inflicted. that a great many
summary court-martial trials had been
held, aud that Lieutenant Commander
Greene. the executive officer. had been driven
to suicide by the attempt Of the commanding
officer and tho navigator to get him In trouble
on file at the Department, The charge that
| there have been wholesale desertions Is
answered by the port mentioned. IIeuten-
ant-Commander Greene did commit suicide
aud his death was promptly reported to the
Department.
Naval officers say that Commander J. p,
Merrsll Of the Montgomery is one OF the kind
Hest and most considerable officers OF the
service. and they do not believe that he has an
| 70 any plot which drove ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
der Greene to suicide. the Department knows
that this charge is absolutely untrue. The
facts and oircum stances 81 Mr. Greene's death
are known to the DEPARTING nt, and they are
such that any allegation that Com mander Mer-
rell and the Montgomsry's navigator drove
him TO suicide is unjust and cruel.