The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-06-10
THE "STIFF CATCHER''
Supplies Men to work on Cattle Boats for q
onsideration-The Miserable Lives.


An unfortunate. woe-begone. half-starved
youth appeared at the United States Embassy
in London a couple OF months ago. The story
he told was that he was an American citizen.
| hat he had read an advertisement calling
for able-bodied men to work their way across
the Atlantic in cattle steamers. that he had
made application and been accepted, that hehad
shipped. that on the voya ge he had been starved
and. otherwise maltreated. that when the vessel
had arrived he had been left on the dock to
shift for himself, though he had understood
that he was to be sent to his destination In
Europe.
The story was investigated. and upon the
strength OF the investigation. the Embassy
issued a warning to young Americans to
beware OF these free-passage-for-work adver-
tisements and work out their superiuous ener-
gles at the monotonous plough tail OF the
commonplace farm.
An officer Of a line that carries cattle between
this city and London Endorsed the warning
| OF the Embassy while explaining the circum-
stances:
That a man should be left stranded like
that on a London dock" he said. does
not surprise me. II is nothing new, but II
is not our fault. We are absolutely helpless.
BY the law Of the United States there must
| on every cattle steamer be q certain ratio Of
attendants TO the number OF cattle or horses
| carried. Now the shippers consider that the
legal ratio is far too high. Their own interest
| requires that the beasts be well looked after.
| consequently they send along what they con-
| slider a sufficient number Of skilled hands, who
understand the needs of cattle on shipboard.
The notions OF the shippers, however. do
not coincide with the theories of the trainers
law requires two or three. In doing 50. how
for the discrepancy will be filled up without
any ~exertion on their part. Among the float
ing population there are 10 be found a multi
ians. Hunsarians and the like, who have been
lured hitler BY the Legends OF vast wealth ae-
densely ignorant and generally incapable have
proved utter failures" The sole idea OF these
unfortunates Is to get nome again by hook or
here Is lack of funds TO pay their fare across.
These people. though suspicious OF strangers.
are credulous when dealing with, their W
countrymen. Among the latter there are a
number who fatten on this credulity.
Round about the Battery and on the East
Side there are nnmberless little establish
ments. run mostly by Jews, whose business
consists in lending money at exorbitant inter
est and fleeing their neighbors generally They
call themselves bankers money changers
or someIh hing Of that kind. but to seafaring men
they are known as 'Stifi Catchers.' The stiffs
are the homesick wretches | spoke Of. and the
catching y a simple process; ~ advertise
they can obtain men passage across the Allan
tic on cattle steamers. The applicants are
many. To each the stif catcher promises
that he will not only have him carried across
tho ocean, but conveyed to his destination.
Moscow, ST., Petersburg. Warsaw. Naples.
Budapest. wherever !. may BE-; u For this
as he can get. and in return gives to the appli-
cant a piece Of paper. which, he swears. Is as
good as a ticket.
as I not f it y IN t yidd RsReI and ls m the s of,a.r Is q w .IsSeIg
it IL presented simply tears 1t up. However, he
must have men. and he doesn't care a rap where
they come from. Then begins a couple OF
exile. | may say here. that II he really Is a
worker. and has intelligence. he will have no
trouble at all. In fact. in some respects, he
will be better of than the ordinary man before
But mighty few of the stiYs are workers.
As a matter az fact, a man who does not UNDER
stand the ways Of cattle Is worse than useless
creatures these stiHs. They have no physique
or stamina and probably cant speak English,
generally sick-channel fever. We call II. For
the sick man in the fore hold there Is no consid-
Grafton. II Is q case OF work or starye., Those
who are up and about commander all the food
served, and the man who is to get any must be
there To takeit and fGht for II u necessary. As
for watches. money or valuables. they are not
safe for a moment In that gang. ! have had
poor. weeping wretches come to me and COM
! plain that their money and iewelry has been
stolen. But | could do nothing.
To go down and make an investigation
among those wild beasts would be taking ones
life in his hands. Not even an officer would
do II, except in cases OF real emergency, Some
times the s,in's clothes are taken, and when he
arrives at London, God knows what becomes
Of him, The catcher's promise 10 send him
10 Warsaw. Of course. Is not worth the paper
1t IL written on. II Is none Of the company's
business.
And there are worse things thnn starvation
down in the fore hold. ] can't state positively
but | have good reason to believe that there is
many a man that ships on n cattle steamer at
New York and never reaches London, What
happens to him? He il first robbed. and then
when he goes to saueal Is chuoked overheard
with a knife In his gizZard. or course, we never
hear ANYTHING about II. We don't attempt