The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-10-15
DRESSED THE MEN
LIKE REAL DUDES
TWELVE-FIFTY FOR A SAILORS
SUIT SHOCKED KING EDWARDS
REPRESENTATIVE.

His Britannia Majestys consul, W.
r. Hoare, was a defendant this morn
ing in the United States District court
in a suit brought against him by Rosen-
berg and Company, for clothing fur
nished to the crew of the lost bark
Fannie Kerr. When the sailors landed
on Hawaiian soil, they were without
belongings, having lost practically all
they had when they deserted the i'll
fated bark just before her decks blew
up, 800 miles from Kauai. The Brit
ish consul, carrying out the policy of
his government decided to see that the
men were supplied with clothes at the
expense of King Edwards "administra-
tion,' but according to some of the
testimony produced before Judge Estee
the men didn't get the kind of clothing
John Bull is willing to pay for, tol
sailors.
THE order was to give the men cheap
suits" said Judge Stanley attorney for
the consul, "and not suits to go round
sparkling in" 1t appeared that the 26
men from the Fannie Kerr had gone
to Rosenberg's with Captain Bray, car
rying the consuls order for outfits, and
had refused to take ordinary sailor
clothing. Rosenberg showed them some
suits worth 81 or so, but the ship
wrecked men wanted better things.
Some of them, who We're officers and
supposed to dress better than fo'ksle
hands, went as high as $3.50 for suits
and Rosenberg produced in court du-
plicates of the shiny black suits they
got. They We're only good for sailors
to spark" in declared Stanley, and the
British government didn't provide
sparkling uniforms for sailors who were
shipwrecked.
There were hats costing as high as 50
each, instead of sailors caps at two per
quarter, and underwear politely des-
cribed to the court as neither garments
were recklessly purchased at 81 a suit
After this socks at fifty cents a pair
were natural.
The bill for the 26 sailors outfits was
1870, and the cuts which it was claimed
that the court should make amounted
to $lO3. Consul Hoare took the stand
and testified that he had given an order
for the clothing to be supplied, but had
directed that all the men be treated
alike and that they be given the cheap
est clothing. When he found a bill for
Sunday suits and discovered that the
mates and secured different outfits from
the men, he refused to pay the bin. If
it went to the imperial government, it
might be sent back and he preferred TO
settle the dispute here.
r.. A. McInerny and c. Girdler were
called as experts on the value of the
suits of clothes introduced in evidence
but the value for the money was not so
much disputed as the right to sell such
good stuff under the consul's order. Nc
Inerny thought the suits too good for
sailor outfits.
Rosenberg claimed that Captain Bray
acting as the agent of the consul, had
Joined in the purchases, and that the
consul was therefore responsible. He
had given the men what they demanded
The case was argued at length by e. S.
Gill for Rosenberg and Stanley for the
consul, and costs of the various ar
ttcles being much discussed, and Judge
Estee took the matter under advise
ment. The costs of the action will be
more than the amount involved in a
decision of the dispute