The Washington times., 1901-09-09
A sTEERAGE AUToCRAT.
The Passenger Who Fixes the Stew
nrd Hns Many Advantages.

The recent arrest of Ernesto Sapelli.
stcerage steward of the French steam
ship La Gascogne. on the charge OF at
tempting to bribe a boarding ofricer of
the immigration bureau for the purpose
OF landing a half hundred undesirable i'm
migrants, has led to Il searching inyesti-
cation of the records of the steerage
stewards of other transatlantic lines. 1t
IS believed that the frauds pracuced by
some of these men are widespread, and
that thousands of deformed and diseased
foreigners have been put ashore who have
eventually become charges on public
charity. 1t is almost impossible for one
who has not made an ocean trip as a
third-class passenger to know the full
scope Of this officers duties, and what OPP
portuuities he has of exercising almost
absolute dominion over the crowds in the
steerage. college graduate who re
Gently went to Europe in the steerage be
cause Of slender purse, and also TO
study this class of people who travel be-
tween the decks. told a reporter yester-
day Of his experience with the steeraSe
steward, as follows:
More than an hour before the ship
started from her pier in North River the
steorage passengers were ordered down in
their compartments. There was grand
rush, Tor the hunks. Each tried to secure
one near port hole, and as there were
tTenty-Gour hunks III a sleeping room,
ventilated by only one port hole. ii was
iNely hight The bunlts 'Sere stretched on
four shelves, six hunks to a shelf and four
shelves to room. 1 was behind time .
hghtlng.for bed. and consequently found
myself with bunk on the under row,
more than ten feet from the port hole
! he steerage steward saw my disappoint-
mcnt and said:
You're too slow; but if YOU want a
better bunk / might get you one.
The word might was hint enough. and
accordingly J slipped quarter into his
hand. The steward then promptly evieted
huge ElnlanGer who had pre-Cmpted a
port-holc bunk with the words, Get out;
this is taken He then motioned me to
take possession. which | did
''Oa' the voyage my appetite frequently
revolted against the diurnal supply of oat-
meal and black coffee, which was called
breakfast. one day | noticed upon com
ing into the mess room an hour after the
meal there were several of the pdSsen-
gers eating steak and eggs. l noticed that
the steward had taken from each a coin
IN return. After that 1 had steak every
morning. for which l paid 25 cents or
more each time. The steward said he
paid half of It to the cook. When ready
to land at the European port the steward
came to me and said:
Are you going back on this boat?'
ask?
Because if you are was the answer.
lit won't cost you more than s.. III see
that you get aboard for that money, and
it'll be all right
He then told me that if / would come
aboard the ship the night before she
sailed he would stow me away and keep
me out Of sight until the ship was stiil
out TO sea He would put me under cover
when the ship was near port and let me
out the day after the ship landed, as one
of his friends who had come aboard to
see him. He said that he looked out for
a half dozen men like that on each vOy-
age, and that most of the passengers with
whom had had steak for breakfast were
'SnugglerS, he called them. 1t is said
that by such means many sharp witted
steerage steward has retired from his
place on competency after ten years of
service. kansas City Star.