New-York tribune., 1907-07-30

passengers OF ill-treatng them whilo at sea.
The vessel arrived here last Friday.
PAU Silberman. Ii Russian. twenty-four years
old. who IS now at the Hebrew Sheltcring
Home at No. 229 East Broadway. told "A heart
rending story yesterday Of the cruelties prac-
tised by some Of the crew. He was not a pas
senger. Before the steamer sailed from Ham
burg he applied for place as a chemical ensi-
neer, for which. according TO SHERMAN. the
agent at Hamburg offered him 60 marks a
month, So
Siberman said that after the steamer sailed
for New York he worked two days as an as
sistant electrician. Then some machinists came
TO him and told him to go down into the stok-
ers' hold and shovel coal This, according to
Silberman. he refused To do and several OF the
crew threatened him and hit him with their
fists. Throughout the trip. he said they kept At
him. Before the steamer reached New York
he said. his feet and hands had swollen twice
their natural size. He was attended by the
ships surgeon, and after having his feet and
hands bandaged he made to go to work
again. When the steamer arrived at her Ho-
boken pier he got leave of absence and came
to New York. He was directed to the -erh
Israel Hospital where his injuries were Ie-
dressed.
Silberman then sent the Hebrew Shell
tering Home. AT the Home yesterday he was
lying a sofa with both of his feet and hands
crutcheS. given to him at the hospital In tell
ing his story he said his father. who is julius
Silberman. is a wealthy cloth manufacturers liv-
ing at Alogopo Russia. He said he studied
chemical engineering five years at Brunswick.
and before he left Hamburg ne got a contract
with large sugar refining house In Merbitz
He wasn't ready to take up the work however.
and decided TO come to New York. He said he
was heir TO 100000. which he was soon to get.
To corroborate his story Of cruelty ship
Home who said he. too had received rough
treatment from the This friend Ernest
Neuwirth, a Hungarian Jew. who Is sixteen
years old. held a job a sweeper. for which
he got 10 marks month. or about So -. He
said that while doing his work the seamen often
hit him the back with a rubber hose be-
cause he didn't go fast enough to suit them.
Both Sberman and Neuwirth said they would
not go back to the steamer
While this cruelty was going on, Snberman
said, committee went to the captain. but he
refused TO listen to the complaints. The crew
threatened to put SiIberman in irons or throw
him overheard, the said, if he didn't shovel
the coal properly.
There were also five immigrants at the Home
yesterday, all Of whom said they were i'll
treated and abused by the all the way to
this port. Isaac Lipner said that while he was
praying of the tore a prayer shawl
from him and roughly treated him. This kind
of thing, he said. was common.
Silberman said that thirty-two stokers and
trimmers were treated so badly that they have
deserted the steamer. They all got a leave
of absence when the steamer docked and. ac-
cording TO the Russian, will not go back.
Secretary Frankel of the aid society said that
the directors would meet to-day to discuss the
situation and look into the The whole
matter would be placed in the hands OF Com
missioner Watchorn. he said.
julius p. Meyer, assistant general manager
of the Hamburg-Americ Line. said last night
that the affair had not yet been brought to
his attention. He said however. that he would
make a thorough investigation to-day.
IF such thing has really occurred" said
Mr. Meyer, "the guilty will certainly be
punished I can't understand how such n thing
could have occurred without coming TO my
notice and l shall look into the case thor
nnphlY"