New-York tribune., 1901-09-05
POLICE IRON STOKERS
SAIL ON THE SOUTHWARK.
WHILE COOKS AND STEWARDS
SHOVEL COAL.

J sixty-one policemen went down 10 the sea in the
black and white British steamer Southwark. or
! the Red Star Line, yesterday. They went as far
sa the lower bay to keep the ships recaleitrant
striking fremen. stokers and olmen from pos
sibIe mutiny. A half hour past the forts the
squad climbed down the ladder into patrol
boat and were brought back to their stations
| The Southwark. filled with impatient passen-
gers much baggage and the United States mail.
was held al Pier No IA from II m, her regular
sailing hour until 6:35 p. She was held be-
cause the agents of the Red Star Line reruseo
to supply the places of two of It's fremen. VINO
were in Ludlow Street Jail, charged with TOBACCO
smuggling TO the extent of one pounu edch'
The twenty-five firemen said that they Woulu
not open furnace door unless the company pro-
vided substitutes for the smugglers. They said
that they belonged to union in Belgium the
tenets of which prohibited their crossing the
ocean without full complement of twenty-four
6remen So when the gong told Chief Engineer
Johannsen it was time to start. the hremen
struck.
Captain J. Dunn, of the steamer. immediately
appealed to Superintendent Shackford, and ne
sent a messenger to the Belgian consul. Chan-
ceIIor Roehact The latter sought out the union
fremen and told them that if they did not per-
NIT the liner to start each man would prooaoy
forfeit his wages of SO a month and later be
esNNANAS
Judge The men said they wanted two more men
in the engine room Consul Foehact then told
CAPTAIN Dunn to send for Vice-Consul Snithers
of the British Consulate. The latter gave the
captain permission to get a new crew for the
British ship.
Some one said that the iremen would rebel
at such a move on the part of the company.
Fear of violence inspired Superintendent Shack
ford to fill his shed full of puIicemen. They
came from all sides-Oak-st. Church-st-. Leo
nard-st Oak Slip, and nine came from the
steamboat squad. BY 80 twenty-nine blue
coats were wondering what il was all about
By that time the nine oilers and fifteen coal
passers decided that they would actively SYM
rathize with the firemen. so fOrty-six strikers
peeked out of the lower portfolios instead OF
twenty two. Then Roundsman Murphy ordered
more policemen to meet the reinfOrcemcuts of
the fremen. Inspector Cross arrived from
Superintendent Shackford that he get two men
from the steamer Vaderland. who lay half
asleep at neighboTing dock. Instead the super
intendent ordered that fOFty-SiX men he hired
at once to take the posts of the union strikers
All 'hiS OlIe 'he P'SsSIiscis WeIe p"CIIt1 t'le
deck restlessly and asking many questions,
which the ships officers politely declined to an
swer. AS the day drew on. their impatience was
Only exceeded by their curiosity to learn how
the contest would terminate The siNty-One blue
coats We're draped picturesquely about casks and
crates. and some slept sOundly.
After delay that pleased no one, band of
hremen. stokers and oilers gathered They
were locked In the money exchange room on the
pier and after many gestures and much argu-
ment they signed articles. When the last man
dropped his pen the tired crowd was hustled up
the gangplank They saw threatening faces in
the lower portfolios. and how did they know
but that a dirk two awaited them? The new
men were ready to retreat To the wharf. but they
were finally Induced to go down 20 the ship.
BY the time they had their coats off the strikers
We're iruned and locked UP in steeTage No. l.
Inspector Cross and his men placed them there
The new men began 10 balk again.