The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-17
CRUELTIES
AT SEA.
Charges Against Capt. Merrill
of the Montgomery
Made by Members of the Marble
heads Crew.
.BRUTALLY 1NSULTED
Half Starved and Denied Ordi-
nary Liberty.
Allegations of Barbarity That
Need Investigation.

Buenos Ayres, Jan. 1.-THE tragic sui
eide of Lieutenant Commander Green, OF
the United States warship Montgomery,
is but the elimination of a series of
heart-burnings which have distracted the
ships force during the past six months
The story of these annoyances goes back
to the call at the Port of Montevideo in
May last of the Marblehead. While in
port the commander of the Marblehead
gave liberty to eighteen men, seamen and
apprentices An emergency call took the
Marblehead to sea before these men
could be gathered in. and the result was
that they were left, and were subse-
The story of what followed is best told
by one of the young seamen whose con-
nections in his native state are IN the
very highest circle of political celebrities.
This young man says:
I'VE have suffered during our connec-
ton with the Montgomery worse than
the men who complained of even Captain
for a captain a man d good deal worse
than Sigsbee ever dreamed of being,
Commanded J. p Merrill Having under
him eighteen men, of whom 1 am one
who We're accidentally left by the Mar
blehead at MonIevloeo. When 81 she vent vent
is doing his best to make life miserable,
not only for them, but his entire shlP, $
ceTse his manhood rebeIIed AGAINST the
tyranny inflicted upon him. and another
has run away because he could not
stand the brutality Of the captain. On
Merrill was holding. court, he told one
man that he would take one officers
listed men and ordered him into irons.
The man told him that he would never
ran over the gangway on to land and,
of course. he was safe as soon as he was
mast on the 4th of December and asked
Commander Merrill for liberty. as 1 have
iations allow ' a IN man liberty at least every
three months He refused me telling me
a disgrace to the American navy, and
that if he had been secretary of the
beach. He also told one of the men that
he would come right down on US. that
every officer and man, himself included,
were prejudiced against US. The execu-
tive officer made the remark that II he
had his say we shoqld never go ashore; |
told Commander Merrill that would
communicate with the department. and
he ordered me not to do 50. I asked him
what should write home?
Every man on the Montgomery is
anxious for the world to know the story
of how we are mistreated. If the people
outside only knew Of things going on in
the navy they would be struck dumb.
There is not a day but five six men are
put in irons for some trivial offense
ships, such as smoking or washing clothes
calls, and SO on. In other ships. men are
allowed each a ditty-box. say 2x115 feet
square in which to keep tobacco. towels
soap; writing and sewing material, and
ing the day and which would be broken
in his bag. In other words, he is allowed
to keep his box in any way he likes. and
there is nothing he cares so much for as
his ditty-box-, Here even this is denied
him. These boxes are allowed by the
department and all ships supplied
with them by the builders. The Montgom-
cry had them also, but when Commander
Merrill came they were all thrown over
board and forbidden to all except petty
officers. One man bought some eggs from
a boatman who had Merrills permission
to sell them. As. soon as he bought the
eggs Merrill called him up and made
him throw them overheard. Some of the
men bought slippers to wear at nights,
and these went overheard, too"
With flashing eye the young seaman
cans boast of that man whom the, de-
himself q, good example of virtue; pa
triOtiSm. honor and subordinatiOn, should
tread down and treat like slaves men who
are his equals if not his superiors, on
the outside, just because he is their
perior in rank? When we first came on
the Montgomery Commander Merrill put
US all in q mess to ourselves; We did
we had to borrow pan to cook the
food. Out of what we got we were
barely able to make meal. The
scraps we had left from dinner furnish