The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-09-27
HE'S NO SHANGHAIER
SAYS OLSEN, BUT HE GAVE $1,000
BOND.
TO ANSWER FOR KIDNAPPING
EIGHT SAVANNAH NEGROES WHOM
HE SOLD INTO SERVITUDE.

Harry Olsen and Jack johnson Ar
ErOes Sold to Austrian Bark Alice
and Taken to BristOI-OIsen Re-
ceived $2OO-Says 1t Was Expense
MOney-ShHnghaied Negroes Afro
ciOusIy Treated and Discharged
at Bristol without "A Cent-Taken
in Charge by American Consul.
Harry Olsen. who was arrested yes
terday under eight warrants, sworn out
by United States Assistant District At
torney Alexander Alderman, under di-
rection of the Attorney General, was
released from Jail under $1,000 bond
last night.
Olsen, together with a negro named
Jack Johnson, who was arrested at the
same time, is charged with kidnapping
eight Savannah negroes and selling
them to the officers of the Russian
bark Alice, on which they were trans
ported to Bristol, England, and dis
charged without a cent. The negroes
claim that they were forced aboard the
Russian bark, and were made to per-
form the most mental labor at the point
of a pistol.
The account of their sale into servi-
tude and the atrocities practiced upon
them are contained in atfidavits made
before United States Consul Lathrop
at Bristol, which were forwarded to
the State Department, and by the Of
ficials sent to Mr.. Alderman. The
names of the eight negroes are John
Porter, Joe Easterlin, Jesse Hall, Will
liam Jones, James Gilliard, Ben Mani
gault, Moses Smallwood and Benty
Washington. Nearly all of them are
young boys.
The Negroes story.
The negroes, according to their sto-
ries, were approached by Johnson, a
runner of Olsens, and offered jobs of
loading lumber at Sapelo. Anxious to
make a little money they went with
johnson down the river. The trip
was made on a tug, on which Olsen
was in charge. When Sapelo was
reached they were ordered to board the
Alice, and on refusing were told that
they would have to swim ashore If
they didn't.
Capt. Grant, of the Alice gave Olsen
5000 for the men, for which Olsen gave
a receipt, which is now in the hands
of the district attorney. Olsen ac-
knowledges the receipt of the money,
but says that it was spent, in great
part, in buying clothes for the men and
in paying the expenses of the tug down
the river. The negroes, when arrested
in Bristol were ragged and dirty and
there was not SOU in the crowd.
They tell of the most awful atroci-
I1af he ia
with heavy irons and kicked until they
feared they would die. In this sort of
treatment the officers delighted. When
Bristol was reached they asked for
their wages, when Capt. Grant, told
them that far from being in their debt,
they owed him IS each.
Under Protection of Consul.
The double quartette of ebony-hued
Americans We're taken under the pro-
lection of the American consulate. They
will be transported back to Savannah
as soon as may be. The State Depart
ment referred the matter to the De-
partment of Justice and the Attorney
General, in turn, referred it to Mr..
Alderman.
Olsen and Johnson were arrested by
Deputy Marshals Wilson and Pearce
and brought before Commissioners Ry-
ais. Their bond was fixed at $200~in
each case. The first nearing OF the
case will be held on Oct. 20.
United States Attorney Alderman,
who has been at the Pulaski, returned
to his home in Macon last night.
Olsen is already under bond for his
appearance to answer the charge
against him for kidnapping, in a sim
liar manner. young Joseph Terrell
Rucker and John Seage from this port
several weeks ago. 1t will be remem-
1aof 10 taken
away aboard the British bark Kambira,
hound for Santos RraZil