New-York tribune., 1900-12-30
POOR JACK AND HIS MONEY
WAYS IN WHICH SAILORS ARE RoRRrD
ASHORE, AND SOME PRO
TECTIVE MEASURES

Between the boarding house master and IN. GO
ond hand clothing dealer the moor -a,l - -
merchant marine has a hard time Of IL 49,, =.
reaches the port OF New-York R,,nrora -. ~.
senting the clothiers welcome Jack as be on,ars
ana the boarding house master tids him farewell
with regret when he sails OUT of tbo ha~tor
Familiar with Jacks easygoine lsbits tbo,- To-,
Their plans 10 get all OF his pay and lien ~, ~
first months wages for the next vovsq. r -,
ne s-s"s- tneS know the fns and outs of the law
50 lnoioUsIiiy mat they easily utilize it in their
schemes Few people realize how easil,, the safor
and his money are parted here in New-YorL
or the two classes the clothing deslor 4, -.
worse MS runners endesvor TO get hold of tho
slio' ss ne comes into port, and before he hns
received his pay for the voyage Coun+,n- -
JACK uesire 10 have a good time at the earliest
opportunity. they offer 20 END him money II -
turn ior this favor il is expected that he will b,
some clothing from the dealer But the cloth,nS
oeaer Goes not depend on the sale OF the clothing
for MS pront This furnishes him with lagel ~
text 1or presenting TO the sailor an exorbitan+ b
when the latter is paid on The amount of the hin,
Is usually nearly the sum Of his wages After the
GOOD time which he has had on the money lent
him. Jack is not in condition to dispute the bIu
seriously. He does not know Just how much he
really owes the sharper
In NeW-A ork most of the sailors are Maid off .,
the United States Shipping Commissioners office
Vhere they are protected in some measure The
sailors on ships that dock in BROOKLYN Are not al
ways shielded in this way Sometimes 49,, -
paid on at the ship, and when they go ashore t,ev
are al the mercy OF the parasites. If they DISPUTE
me bll which IS presented they run considerable
I'sk and are likely to meet with rough treatment
ONE OF TIE TRICKS OF TIE ..lADE.
Recently a man who had obtained Ss worth of
clothing and loan Of $ refused 10 pay the bill
Tor SIS presented TO him by the clothier He con-
tended that he cid not owe more than s9O He had
$40 in bills in his hand. This amount was snatcbed
from hlIn' ana OF course he became angry. This
vas part OF the clothiers plan. JIct as the latter
and his comDanions expected he would do tho
sailor took of his coat in the pocket Of which ya
81. and threw it the ground to be free to fight
me crowd or course il easy for one of his
enemies 10 60 through the coat and take the $50
while Jack was entertaining the others.
The Legal Aid Society took this case up and
recovered the s. taken beyond the amount of the
bill by process Of law. but could not obtain the
500 stolen because the victim was unable TO identi-
~ the man who had taken il
IT is said that a thousand such robberies +al,a
place IN the city in the course Of a year
The boarding house master gets his claim on the
sailor IN another way. The cothier appeals to his
cesire for the qualification of his appetites The
and once ashore soon spends ali his money He
Has no pace TO sleep or money with which to buy
your first months wages and viii L 1oti o,,t t
There is a law which validates such orders Vyhen
made out snd countersigned by the proper repre-
sentative OF the country of which the sailor is a
citizen. According to custom in this mort the
order natures and viii be paid a the office of the
Part Of the boarding house masters offer to pro
next VOYAGE He elibII nroIS % 10 I LOT ms ms
on board the ship in the Bay. after it has left the
the sailor has little opportunity for redress Once
The vessel has left the pier he has little or no
II sometimes happens under these circumstances
that the defrauded sailors refuse until the
wrong has been righted. The captain sends ashore
and settle his differences with the sailors This
settlement often consists in Furnishing the Offend
work.
FOR AND AGAINST THE SAILOR
The land sharpers who prey the sailor have
thousand ways to accomplish their object. It
was learned only few days ago that the place
usually selected by the boarding house keepers for
bringing together the crews which they have been
commissioned TO organize is Market Slip. Their
for choosing this place that there is less
danger Of int Interference from the police here than
The lodging house have a club known the
nced With the Paddy P Dv1r Ie c5 e%i end thro4gh h
this channel is allied with Tammany Hall The po-
on July % United States law went into effect
rohibiting runners for cothiers and lodging houses
The pier OF anchorage where they to discharge
was to prevent them from getting at the sailors
before the latter had had an opportunity to get
the United States Circuit Court in this city and
convictions found in each case.
Owing TO the smalness Of the fines imposed how
ever the pay little respect the law, say
ing that the increased profits derived from board
ing the vessels in the stream great that they
afford pay the fines and continue disre-
gard the law.
The State Board Of Commissioners for Licensing
Sailors Hotels Boarding Houses and the branch
OF the Legal Aid Society for Seamen raising
funds TO purchase launch TO collect evidence and
10 assist sailors who have been defrauded by the
boarding house masters who have obtained orders
from them. The launch viii be used TO drive n
ners away from incoming ships and give defrauded
sailors outgoing ships opportunity com
muncate with the shore 1t is hoped by of
the launch obtain so many convictions Of Offend
ers that they viii. extent at least, give up
their practices.