The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-10-18
HARDING TELLS
TALE OF SEA.
Grandson Of a Chicago LaWyar
Says He Was "Shanghaisd."
INVITED ON BOARD VESSEL.
Anchor Weighed and He Found Himself q
Member Of the Crew Bound From New
York 10 Calcutta

Chicago. oct "shaughaied' and
forced 70 serve as a common sailor before
tho mast on a sailing vessel bound from
New York 10 Calcutta. India, Abner g..
Harding. Jr. the grandson OF George w.
Harding a wealthy Chicago lawyer has
just returned to his home in this city
after a cruise of more than year.
Harding left Chicago. according 10 his
own story, a boy of nineteen. IN February
1900. for visit in New York city
shortly after his arrival there he made
the acquaintance OF the proprietor Of a
sailors lodging house, who invited him
on board a vessel In the harbor.
A few minutes later the anchor was
weighed and Harding carried out 10 sea
In alarm he sought the captain OF tho
vessel who coolly informed him that
contract had been signed with the lodg-
ing house keeper for Harding's services
as sailor for the next five years.
Fifteen dollars had been paid to the
keeper as Hardings wages for the hrs,
three months. Whatever other money
was due the young man. IL was stated
would be paid him in person at the end
of the time for which he had been en-
gagged. -
Harding then was told he says. that
the ship was an English vessel bound for
Calcutta with a cargo OF parahne oil
For weeks he suffered from sea-slcknesE
The work he was forced 10 do and the
wretched food provided the sailors made
him long for death as a pleasant alterna-
tive and when. I'm rounding the Cape OF
Good Hope and later I'm passing north
through the Bay of Bengal, the ship toss.
ed for weeks al the mercy OF gale that
threatened To tear her to pieces, Hard
ing. according TO his story. was indif.
1erent as TO whether he and his fellow
men survived or perished.
When the vessel arrived In Calcutta I'm
August Harding made his escape only 10
he attacked. he declares. by India fever
and confined in Calcutta hospital for
five weeks.
on his recovery he found himself with
out rTTrrfS aTTt rhp only work f1r coufd oi1-
tain was that Of sailor on board
vessel bound for British Guinea with
consignment of 100 coolies for English
companies in South America.
The coolies were herded like sheep be
tween decks and not day passed during
tho trip around the Cape OF Good Hopc
that one or more Of them did not die
A large red shark. the young man re-
lated, had followed the vessel from the
faE " t'fDSai ~ Ant Cape ana iHt OniN
amugment provided Harding and HIS
fellows by the captain was tossing tn
bodies of the dead coolies overheard 10
the scavanger below. Harding himself
became an expert I'm sueh employment
and records the fact that one dav he
tossed coolie right into the mouth
of the big fellow"
SAILED BACK TO NEW YORK.
Unloading what remained OF the cargo
of coolies at Georgetown British Guinea
The ship proceeded TO Trinidad and then
set sail for New York In reaching that
port sixty-eight days were consumed
owing 10 fierce storms encountered 81
Cape Hatteras. when the vessel finally
came 20 anchor in the harbor Harding
found himself bound by a contract he had
signed at Calcutta 10 -four wears addl.
,ional services before the mast
BY the payment OF 500 he was released
from his obligation and obtained whai
remained OF his wages for his serylces
during the voyage from Calcutta. In all
seS. Ills parents had searched for him
for a year and then given him up for
dead.