The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-28

the owners and captain Of the Mar6chal
de Gontaut, could be held liable to
$500 in fines under sect ions ASIA and 45l5
of the customs laws. These sections pro-
vide for fines OF 5000 each from the owner
and the captain who ships an unwilling
man who has not signed articles. II was
finally determined to refer the whole matter
to Washington. When reply had been
received Mr.. Stranahan made this an
nouncement:
I'VE have decided that the captain OF the
Martchal de Gontaut did no intentional
wrong in taking this boy on his ship. He
Will not be held liable for any penalties in
view OF the agreement to the shipping OF
the boy, made by the father, Christopher
Thompson of 200 Front street, Brooklyn.
We have directed a revenue cutter to pro-
coed to Sandy Hook take of the officer
left there by the Gresham this mornin &
and inform the captain that he il at liberty
to proceed on his voyage.
AS the Thompson boy had not signed
articles to go on the voyage and did not
want to go, there was nothing to do but TO
take him of the bark, He is now at liberty
to go where he will There will be no court
proceedings IN the case at all. However,
we will make a full investigation Of the
methods used in inducing the boy to go on
the voyage on the pretenca, IA he claims,
that the vessel was a coaster and was going
on short trip. If there Is any way OF
holding criminally liable the persons who
shipped this boy it will he done"
Mr.. Won Briesen WAS very indignant when
he heard that the Marechal de Gontant had
been released He declared that the bark
should have been brought back and the
captain punished for taking boy to sea
who had not signed articles.
Either the boy was illegally taken on the
bark he said, "or he was not. Collector
Stranahan cannot take the boy from the
In rk md IAn craa hpt IL rxtt srNytr
ing injustice somewhere. 1t is too late, now
that the bark has been freed, to do any
thing, but | can assure you that we will get
after the men who shipped this boy and see
if they cannot be punished"
Mr.. Abbott said that, leaving aside the
question of whether any wrong was done
by the captain OF the bark in the first place
by taking the boy 1t was clear case OF
shanghaiing when French sailors left the
bark and going aboard the water boat
Scandinavian dragged the boy back. A
crime was committed right there. he said,
for which the bark's captain could be pun
ished. The only course for the captain
of the bark TO pursue after the boy left
his ship, said Mr.. Abbott was to
proceed against him IA deserter To take
him off forcibly was shanghaiing, pure and
simple
Young Thompson. who is a few weeks
over 10, is a bright boy. His father Ia a
sa'lor' ~. sayS el s, ne Mas ",iii,g 'o ~
w | e,.O, .", ~ ~; '' n, ~ 81
~ no caln'e oft d. w ''ii1 poao"sn Gnu liz
was employed by a man named Brown,
who gets crews for sailing vessels. On the
understanding that he was to take trip
! on coaster ne Salo' ne agreed 10 snip on
noat Brown was 10 seIect ht Sl+ Tho'th,
! hlS iather, ne says, was WIN nun when ne
agreed 70 go ana he received 81 advance
money from Brown for his services
On Tuesday, Thompson says, he went
to the French Consulate with three other
men and Bates and agreed 10 snip on the
Marechal dc dontaut. lie signed no papers
he said. lie was then taken 10 Staten
Island where he had several drlnks with
Bates and some, other men and IN the early
| morning went aboard the DARK AS s"on AZ
he got on her. he says he realized that she
was deep water boat tie made inquiries
and found he had shipped for Yokohama.
Then 1t was that he tired 10 escape Inc
boy made no charge OF Ill treat ment, save
that he was loo ed up until the bark got
past SANDY HOOK
christopher thompson inc boy iather'
said yesterday, that the boy knew re was
going, to he Orient He said he had had
trouble with him before. The boy was
always ready TO go anywhere N'n'iI s'aTtlhR
time came, when he usually wanted 10 naGk
| out. AZ no tine' said tne lather, was ne
deceived az TO he destination OF me PARK
william y leonard, IN cl,drSe o!, ulie lorelen
| TANK service Oh Lle ,lahuaru w S,noinpaIy,
S'I' Yesterday .naI ne poy 'lal Iri,.,e, a'T'ty
mlu Will .r hs sa.u Az, ne M,s "e'e''e" as W
"I.S NJ .ll' '3a RS, NaH LILY sL 1905, - T..
a,;,, 9 ,.. ,.'' ~ NV w. m
Ttold NV, tbo,, ,b,, ,bo roy,a go ,,vn',IJ taEa
t ,', ,.oa a.',, LIZ ~ tLot bis os,i
"a,in, ,Sas VnIo%a,"n Va sa;d ha v,o,
a~ranarja 10 tIot co wa shinnod b;,