The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-07-16
CAPTAIN MURRAY SPEAKS.
HAS SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT
CRUELTY.


Points out Some of the Conditions That
Might Account for This Epidemic Of
Alleged Brutality.
EDITOR STAR: The remarks in
your paper of last Monday and Tuesday
on American shipmasters, mates and
sailors is, in the main correct The
term American seamen is essentially in
correct They are obsolete or nearly
50. There are not over two full crews
of men on board United States mer-
chant vessels who are Americans.
y large NUMBER of ships go from the
Sound to Australia with lumber, and as
handling lumber is hard work, there are
many changes in the crews. The men
who shippeu there are engaged at say
$50 per month. When the snips arrive at
Honolulu they find wages to be $35 On
$40 they must then either run away
and forfeit what is coming 70 them, OF
remain as honest men and finish the
voyage to either Frisco or the Sound
where they will be entitled to be paid
off or they can COnCoCt some yarn OF
assault. Two or three swear to it be-
fore the commissioner. Then the Dis
trict Attorney gets it and the Captain
may be bona fde. Captains and mates
vary as much as lawyers vary. one is
gentleman, another a shyster. But
when every ship from Australia has a
trail of brutality, it seems strange!
passing strange. Here on the one hand
are the masters and mates, their res
probability and abilities endorsed after
an examination by the government.
Underwriters insure the ships on the
report of that examination. owners
look to it before giving employment.
They are held responsible for the care
of lives, ship and property by their gov
eminent Opposed is the band of for
eigners not one of whom can show
service in a ship excepting from port
to port Whose effort is to get clear
of work and bloOdsuck his shipmate and
when in Honolulu tell to credulous lis
teners his tale of woe about the in
humanity and brutality of the captain
or mate. 1t is simply a case of black
mailing in SO cases out of 100. Doubtless
you Will say they have the law. What
law? How administered Judge JEFF
fries had the law, before him all were
condemned. In the past, before the
State of California existed the laws
were gradually introduced in these ISL
ands and before annexation law and
order ruled, the poor or rich could
safely leave their differences before
court under the full knowledge they
would have justice dealt to them. Poll
tics did not have any weight in the
courts.
Under United States law or Canada
or in any part of America a man is held
innocent until convicted. Why shall
such excessive bail be demanded from
captain or mate? Out of all proper
ton to the offense even if true, and ut
terly beyond their means to furnish. Is
it justice that prompts such harshness
a oil fn In
on a particular class or body? The Star
of Bengals mate unable to furnish the
monstrous bail remained months in
Oahu prison. When the case was tried
he was simply dismissed free. Impri-
sonment loss of employment, blasted
reputation, ruination for life is Cali
fornia justice as administered in Homo
lulu.
Of course, a man arrested for murder,
burglary or arson if a political heeler
would not be held at such a high bond
then as the mate Mr.. Lee was held for
an unproyen simple assault in Homo
lulu.
Again in the courtroom, when Cap
tain Sodergren was being tried, the pro-
cedure seemed to me to SAVIOR very
much like | have read of the English
court presided over by Judge Jeffries,
'tind me the prisoners, and | Will md
the law" Hawaiian gentlemen who
suited ana every attempt made to be-
little them. AS master, if permitted by
my employers in Honolulu, / would
discharge all sailors on arrival there.
The increase of expenses would amount
70 little. We would save all bother OF
drunken men. By careful work by the
stevedores in competition avoid all dan
ger of stealing personal cargo and set
ting ships atire, lessen insurance and
by making Honolulu paying off port,
wages would soon find their level. Aus
tralian ports We're once 500 a month. |
But since men are paid off, crews are
Obtainable for 500. Quebec was once
similar to Honolulu but is as well or
dered today as Honolulu was a few
years since. The change would be a
very hard one on the orderly, obedient
seamen who is willing to make a voy-
age sure of the best pay in the world |
the best living and where he is paid for
Sundays, holidays or rainy days as
well as working days. 1t is a pity for
them, but the change must come. Ship |
owners and masters will look for the !
best obtainable labor when possible.
Sailors are well paid in the Hawaiian /
trade, they live better then they do
ashore, but owing to the large increase
of deep water tramps into the domestic |
trade we are getting the runaways and |
scallawags of all nations and as a con-
sequence have to do with that class as
give the police so much trouble, recum- |
bent statues in the gardens and parks, |
and leaning supports to the buildings |
on Queen street. all introduced from |
California which since the heavy mi
grafton is aptly now styled the Bare" |
State, while the migration seems to be
viewed with joy in the mainland 1t is
hard that such people are foisted on
Hawaii.
GEORGE w. MURRAY,
Master Antiope of the Hawaiian line of |
q 1 DO