The Savannah morning news., 1903-10-03
E.z.FOR SHANGAAIERS
HENRY HARRIS STORY OF HIS
FORCED VOYAGE.
WAS ONE OF FOUR VICTIMS
FILLED WITH WHISKY AND SHIP
PED ON AUSTRIAN STEAMER

Harris Remembers the Name of One
of the Members of the kidnapping
Crew Had Hard Struggle In
Foreign Countries, and Said
American Consuls Would Not Help
Him at Au-Was Thrown in Jail
on His Arrival at Boston.
Henry Harris, negro who has just
returned from a voyage of several
months duration, tells thrilling story
of how he was induced to go aboard
a ship in Savannah harbor, and per-
suaded to sign sailing papers which
took him over nearly the entire world.
Harris was seen at the residence OF
Mr.. Simon N. Gazan, No. 219 Abercorn
street, last night, where he is en-
ployed. A4
ION Dec. 49," said Harris, "a negro
named Jack johnson, and white man,
whose name 1 can't remember, came
to me and asked me If 1 knew where
there were any men who wanted to
sail on a vessel that was going out
in a few days. told them that 1 knew
of one or two that l thought they could
get to go on the ship. We started out
and they told me that they would give
me dollar for every man that / Sc
cured for them. We saw several, but
none of them wanted to go. 1t was
getting late in the afternoon, and we
stopped in barroom down on West
Broad street, and several of the men
in the bar commenced drinking with
us. Just about dark we all started out.
All Hands Drunk.
I'VE were so drunk that we did not
know where we We're going. The man
with us got us to sign some papers,
and carried us down to the wharf to
help him get some sacks out of
row boat. We We're all willing to help
him, and we followed Johnson, and
the whiteman. When we got down to
the waters edge we were all told to
get in the boat We were then rowed
out to where an Austrian ship was
lying. There were so many ships tied
up that she could not get to the wharf,
so we went round on the further side.
II remember going up on the deck,
and didn't know anything else until
we were out to sea, and l was told
to get out and go below and pass coal.
/ asked the man who woke me up
where was 1, and he said l was on a
ship bound for Barcelona, and that
l had signed papers to pass coal for
the trip for SIS.
Landed In Barcelona.
II knew that there was no use
kicking. l found that three other ne
groes and one white man had been
persuaded to come aboard. We made
the trip alright, and landed at BARGE
Iona after about three weeks trip.
We went at once to the American
consul, and showed. him the money
that had been, given us, and he told
me that l had 81 and the others about
the same amount. That was all that
we got out of the trip. The name
of the ship was as best 1 can re-
member it., ConFeid. From Barcelona
l went to Belgium, thence to Norway
on a Spanish sailing vessel. / went
to see the American consul. everywhere
could find one, but they always said
they could do nothing for me. / told
them that 1 wanted to go back to
America. Thev would not help me,
except one in Brussels, who gave me
some small change. to, keep me. from
Stranded in London.
Il got separated from the other men
who were on the boat with me, and
finally landed in London, where 1 man
aged to make living for a month or
two, and through the influence of the
American consul there / secured pas
sage on the steamship Manchester for
Boston. When l arrived at Boston /
was put in Jail for ten days, and when
released made my way to New York,
where l was taken sick, and had to go
to the hospital for several weeks. When
I was sufficiently recovered they gave
me passage to Savannah, and 1 came
here as soon as l could get here.
1.-The man named Jack Johnson is in
Brunswick now, and I have seen the
white man in Savannah since 1 came
back. They are the two responsible for