Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-29
ON AN OYSTER BOAT
FRANK WILLIAMS TALKS OF THE
HARDSHIP OF THE WORK.

FRANK Williams, an orphan, tWenty-One
years of age. said at police headquarters
this morning that today was the happiest
Thanksgiving day he had ever experienced.
Frank has no home. friends or acquaint-
ances upon whom he could call to eat a
turkey dinner. but he was at liberty, and
the contrast between his condition today
and a week ago, when he was an unwilling
worker on an oyster boat, was SO great
that he felt he had good reasons for being
happy and thankful. Last night the young
man called upon Lieut. feck and tod his
story of the hardships he had endured. He
wanted to be given transportation to Bal
timore, he said in order that he might APP
pear before a judicial officer and make COM
plant against the captain OF the boat on
which he was employed. Williams spent
the night at cheap lodging house and re-
turned to headquarters this morning to see
Inspector Boardman. 1t Is likely that he
will be sent to Baltimore tomorrow.
THE last home had said the young
man, was in Buffalo, N. Y, but my par
ents are dead, and l am now without
home. Two weeks ago last Sunday l was
in Baltimore. and was walking along one OF
the principal streets, when man ap-
preached me and inquired II wanted po-
sition. l told him 1 did, and that l was a
cook He said that he would get me such a
position on an oyster boat at So month.
and l gladly accepted his Offer
Williams said that he was put aboard a
boat at the wharf that night, and the
craft headed away from the city, going to
Pocomoke sound The only thing he found
on the boat that could be used as a bed
were some sacks of corn He made the
best of 1t, however, without uttering COM
plant, knowing he would not have to re-
main upon that boat many days. Two days
later, he said. he was placed aboard a
dredge boat and put at work dredging and
culling oysters, after he had spent one day
as a COOK.
II had never been on an oyster boat be-
FORE" said Williams, land the work was
new to me. Day after day l got up at
O'Clock in the morning and worked until
o'clock at night, being allowed only few
minutes for meals. If the men on the boat
spent more than three minutes at dinner
they were abused and threatened and some
times they were assaulted"
What kind of meals did they have?" he
was asked.
For breakfast he said, I'VE were given
a piece of fat pork, some bread and coffee,
and occasionally we were given oatmeal
Our dinner usually consisted Of bread and
mo1asses dish of beans varying the
monOtony two or three times a week.
He said it was impossible for him to re-
tain his strength upon such food and treat
ment, and he made up his mind that he
wanted to get off the boat. One day, he
stated, an officer of the boat beat him,
discoloring his eyes and cutting his nose
Even then he did not get chance to leave
for several days. One day when he went
on deck and saw another hand who had
been beaten he asked the latter what was
the matter.
Never mind" he says the wounded man
told him. you will be getting some of this
treatment tomorrow.
Williams says he made up his mind that
tomorrow would never come II he could
help it. He knew that the captain had a
shotgun in his cabin, and that If he at
tempted to leave and was caught there
would be trouble.
THAT night" said the young man. Il
prayed that the captain would remain on
the boat and that 1 would get an oppor-
tunity to leave for shore on the only yawl
boat he had. My prayer was answered;
but the captain must have suspected some
thing wrong, for he had the matches fas-
tened down with rope and he hardly went
to sleep. l had carried knife In my
pocket for several days. and that night it
came in handy when 1 wanted to cut the
rope. After had succeeded in cutting the
rope and getting aboard the small boat the
captain came from the cabin and called
to me to stop. l lost one oar during the
excitement and my progress toward the
shore was retarded"
Williams said that the captain fired at
him, but none Of the shot took effect. He
hurried over, the water as well as he could
with one oar, and finally he got in sight
Of the Crisfeld light. Then he saw an
shoal water and abandoned the yawl boat
From the time he deserted his boat until
about daybreak he had an awful expert
ence. 1t was necessary for him to walk
about three miles through the swamp. AT
times he came across deep pools of water,
but with the aid of a long pole he managed
to cross them. About two hours before
daybreak, he says, he reached a small
island. and he was SO nearly exhausted
that he was glad to rest himself.
Before leaving the dredge boat" he
said Il had put some pieces Of dry bread
in my pockets. and how greatly enjoyed
eating them nobody can imagine"
The young man told of the troubles he
encountered getting from Pocomoke sound
to Crisf1eld. and said he boarded a freight
train at the latter place From there he
went to Wilmington. Boarding a train at
the latter place, he said he received kind
treatment at the hands of the railroad men,
being given dinner of turkey and chicken.
After he had told his story at Headquarters
this morning he was told that the board of
charities would probably give him trans
portation to Baltimore tomorrow.