The Portland daily press., 1900-01-29
Hearing Before U. s. Commissioner
Bradley.
Men Complained They
Couldn't Get Pay.
The Sailors viii BE Returned
to the Bark.

On Saturday afternoon seven OF the
sailors who arrived ct this port several
days ago on the British bark Mary "A.
Troop, were taken before U. ). Commits
sioner Bradley on the charge Of being de-
serters. For over three hours the On
was thoroughly rehearssd. Soon after
this vessel reached Portland these sailors
went to British Consul heating and COM
planned that they had experienced consid-
cradle trouble In getting their pay from
the captain. The consul Investigated
the case and decided that the men had
deserted the vessel and as such were
entitled to little sympathy. The captain
had given orders to the men that they
must not leave the ship without his
permission and they had seen ht to dis
otey his orders, SO the officers Of the ves-
sci say. But the m en- were bound to hnd
out II they could obtain any satisfaction
and consequently they interoeded with
the federal officials with the result that
q libel was issued for the payment OF the
wages Of the men. 1t was upon the hear
ing OF this libel that the action before
Commissioner Bradley took place on Sat-
urday afternoon.
Dennis A. Meaher, Esq. appeared as
the counsel for the seven saiiors while
British Consul Heating represented the
SIDE of the captain and mate Of the YES
sci. The names Of the sailors are Alex
ander Mignorat, Guissard Pierre Gull
lou Francois, John w. Pratt, Jams johann
sen, Jeel Swepsen and Harry Fredriksen.
As applicable to this case attention was
drawn by Mr.. Meaher to the treaty that
had been made between the United
States and England in the year ls92,
whereby an agreement was made that
British seamen In an American port
could be arrested on the charge Of de-
sertion ana that American seamsn In a
British port could also be arrested for de-
sertion.
Mr., Meaher waived a reading OF the
count against the men and then Capt.
Frank L. VALLEY Of the bark took the
stand and testified at considerable length.
He had the articles OF the ship and
also the log book which, with tho per-
mission Of the British consul. he pro.
duced and handed to the commissioners
for examination. As near as the captain
could reooilect the articles had been
made out In Hamburg last June.
TT was present when all of these men
signed" said the captain, ''and / reoog-
sise all of these men. When they signed
they had one name, but after getting
aboard ths ship they went under other
names. These, men left the bark with.
ret any authority from me and they TOOK
heir clothes with them. have not seen
any of them since and none of them have
offered to come back to the ship. Before
they deserted / talked with three Of the
Frenohmen, who told me that they were
going ashore right quick. l told them
not to do that, but II they should, !
would have them put in jail had no
conversation with the Others"
In answer to = question by Mr.. MeAher.
the captlin replied that his crew consist
cd of 10 men. Both the first and second
mate had been discharged and at the
time Of the desertion Of these men the
only officers left were the captain and
the steward. Three OF these sailors had
shipped a. substitutes, but none OF them
had signed after the ship had left port.
Six OF the crew had shipped from Lon
don, but one had not reported. clearin a
out and taking advance money with him.
The vessel had been chartered to come
to this port to load and ID was unoer
tain how long . stay would be made In
Portland. This crew was to do the work
OF loading the cargo and In short to dc
anything that the captain might ask OF
them.