New-York tribune., 1901-11-15
MUTINY ON THE BRENNAN
CREW OF CHARITIES DEPARTMENT
STEAMER REFUSE TO WORK
WITHOUT MEAT FOR
BREAKFAST.
BREAKFAST

The whole crew OF the Charities Department
steamer Thomas S. Brennan. consisting or eish-
teen men. rnutinied yesterday morning, and re-
fused TO load the steamer on hef LOU
O'Clock trip 70 BlackweiI's Island They STOOD
around with CAPTAIN John Mccarthy, while sew
eral hundred cans of fresh mix a large quantity
of yeeeta bIes washing and other supplies were
on the pier waiting 10 be sent to the institutions
on the island a number Of the employees oii
the island who usually go TO their WORK Oh ti'e
Brennan were taken over by the CORRECTION be-
partrent's steamer ". L. Strong about an houf
later The crew Of the Strong refused TO 1ahe
the milk or the supplies. however. and the crew
Of the Fidelity. another OF the Charities depart
naent's steamers. also Joined the mutiny
The cause Of the mutiny was that the men
had no meat for breakfast. Commissioner Keller
having given orders that the meat supply shouio
be cut down to meet the appropriation for the
5epartneut 10 the end Of his term The BTen-
mans crew usually gets down 10 the East
Tyyeuty-sixth-st pier at about O'Clock IN 'he
morning. and has breakfast in Mrs oConnoF
restaurant over the Outdoor Poor Department
After breakfast they put the freight aboard the
boat and start at 80 o'clock with lot or
employees of the department for the island
Yesterday morning they were told by Mrs
s1'Connor that there was be no meat for
had ordered this. as the Commissioner wanted
10 rerreuch. The men got the impression that
:hey would not have much more meat TO the END
Of The Commissioners term. and they refused 10
eat breakfast Some who arrived late thought
that their breakfast was cut off altogether. The
men work at less than the union wages alo
have been furnished their meals as part of their
pay The Commissioner had conference with
su the slIperintendents Of his department on
THURSDAY. to find out If there was any necessity
for retrenchrnent TO meet the appropriation Tor
the rest OF the year. It was said after the
meeting that there was enough money lett 10
get along without cutting down men or eN-
penses.
The men protested loudly when Mrs. OCon-
nor tod them they could have no meat They
fled out of the restaurant and gathered on the
rier and said NO breakfast. work Cap
tain Mccarthy saying, I don't see what can
do" joined them. Mrs. O'Connor sent out and
got 81 30 worth of chops. and passed them
around among the men.
Chief Engineer Yates came down shortly after
Q O'Clock and talked 10 the men. but the latter
SAID they could get satisfaction from MIN
and went 10 see Superintendent Blair Of the
Outdoor Poor Department In the mean ume
the Strong had taken the employees to the ISL
and and the crew Of the Fidelity joined the
Brennan's crew in the mutiny.
The men went TO see Mrs. OConnor again:
She told them that she had option. but had
been tod 10 cut off the supply of meat yesterday
morning. She cid not know how long the sNS-
TEN was prevail. The men said that the
trouble yesterday morning not the whole
ground for the strike. The thing had been GO
ing for two years One day last week they
declared there milk for their coffee. ana
they had had butter for their bread for a
week The men sleep on board the poatS, anu
do not have homes ashore. do the captains
and the engineers. The fremen said they had
to nut in six or seven tons OF coal day, and
slanl dc oF.a 9th dpNi a y
never worked less than thirteen hours a day,
and sometimes worked from O'Clock in the
morning till midnight. and they could not do
the work on bread and coffee.
At 1890 o'lock an arrangement was made
with the Corrections Department to loan the
Charities Department the Minnehannonck. That
steamer took on the supplies and started for
the various institutions with them.
When Commissioner Keller reached his Of
fee he at once set 20 work to make an investiga-
ton He called Mrs. O'Connor, who told him
that she got sixteen pounds OF steak and forty
two pounds Of corn beef a day for the forty
men. This was insufficient, she said. for break
fast for forty hungry men. The first VINO came
ate all Of the meat. and there none left for
the rest who were forced to be satisfied with
coffee. which they said was colored with corn
starch instead of milk. and some dry bread
Mrs. O'Connor said that she often sent out and
spent 81 50 for steak and pork chops and other
nes Is for the men who came late.
One OF the firernen went back to work. A
committee Of the mutineers called on Comnlis
sioner Keller ard set forth their grievances.
Commissioner Keller sent for Chief Engineer
Yates. who ce7led th2t the men were stInted
Commissioner Keller then said thot he regarded
the men as insubordinates and would have
nothing further TO do with them. He called
Roundsr7an Smith ard ordered him TO drive the
off the dock. which was done. Afteruv@ I'd
the committee returned and asked if the men
had anv other recourse Commissioner Keller
said no. and ordered the committee off. They
left him after sowing that they would go TO the
Civil Service office.
Commissioner Keller manned the Brennan
with prisoners. and she de her trip et 11:,io
O'Clock He ssid he would ask for men from
the Civil Service eligible list but in the mean
time would run the boat with prisoners. He or
dered Mrs. O'Connor not to spend her money in
T4r,1i W. Ood for