Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1904-02-17
CLAIM SUICIDE WAS
CAUSED By CRUELTY


ternoon filed in Federal court against
the British bark Ivanhoe, Geo. W.
Grant, master, by w. b. Dyer, A. An
derson, J. II. Bayer and V. A. Bitner.
who state that they are American cit
liens and mariners. Attorneys A. s.
Humphreys. A. II. Crook and j. J.
Dunno are proctors for the lisellants.
London is the home port of the
Ivanhoe. On June 26, last. the vessel
was at Port Townsend. destined there
from to the port of Iquique.
Anderson and Dyer were shipped at
$50 per month and Bayer and Bitner
at $3.50 per month. The vessel was
to return to anal port of discharge
in the United States (Hawaiian Is
lands excepted).
The allegation proceeds to state:
THAT the contract of hiring and en-
by reason of the constant, repeated
and general cruelty, inhumanity and
ill-usage exercised and exerted by the
officers of said bark, upon and toward
these libellants. and each of them. And
In this behalf. these libellants show
that ever since said bark departed from
said port Of Port Townsend, at fire.
quent recurring intervals, these LIBEL
lants were. and each of them was, SUBJ
Jscted to cruel and inhuman treatment
by said officers of said bark; that said
libellants were, and each of them was,
Repeatedly and Systematically beaten
and kicked, and continually subjected
to vile and profane language and
abuse by said officers of said ship.
These libellants show that they are
not able to state with particularly all
the precise times and occasions when
they. and each of them, were so beaten
and abused, for the reason that said
cruelty and abuse was continuous and
, frequently recurrent; and In this be-
half these libellants show that so bru-
tai was the treatment of the crew of
said bark, by the officers thereof, that
upon the arrival Of said bark at said
port Of lquique one of said crew pre-
ferred to commit suicide. and did in
fact commit suicide, rather than con-
tiuue any longer In the service of said
bark.
These libellants further show that
the treatment which they, and each of
them, received during the passage from
said 1quique to the port Of Honolulu
, was not so cruel or inhuman as the
treatment they received between said
Port Townsend and said Iquique: but.
in this behalf, these libellants show
that the chief mate Of said bark fire.
quently threatened during said pas
sage from said Iquique to said port OF
Honolulu, that upon the departure of
said bark from Honolulu he would
resume the cruelty and inhumanity and
ill-usage to which said crew had been
Subjected while on the passage from
said port of Port Townsend to said
Iquique. and threatened to continue In
said cruelty and inhumanity even t.
the extent of taking the lives OF more
than one OF said crew. And, In thii
behalf. these libellants show that, by
reason Of said cruelty, inhumanity ana
ill-usage, by reason OF the aforesaid
suicide Of member Of said crew. ant
by reason OF the aforesaid threats Of
aforesaid chief mate Of said bark, thej
are, and each Of them is, In fear ant
dread for their lives should they con
tinue said voyage in said bark"
Dyer and Anderson each CLAIM
sl36.6i as wages due; Bayer claim.
s1l3.34 and Bitner, $11S.34. They als'
claim damages which, with the wage,
amount as follows: Dyer and Ander
son, each s45S72, Bayer $395.16 ant
Bitner s4OO.16, together with sxpendi
lures which they have to make durin,
the litigation.
No criminal action could be brough
for the reason that the vessel is o
British ownership and the Unite,
States penal statutes referring to cruel
ty to sailors apply only where Amer
lean ships are concerned.
pilNCA AND ilInv ,,n.$o-d.<a a