Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-24
OFFICERS GET BUSY
STEVEDoRES ON RIVER BOAT
REFUSE TO WORK.

Can't William Geo4ehan of the steamer
Anne Arundel. of the Washington and
Baltimore line of steamers; the first Off
Ger. John L. Douglass. and other officers
now realize what Il means to handl =
IT, truck aboard the steamer and re-
move the freight between the boat and
the WIarves. The had to do this
on the last trip between LeOnardtown
and ttis city. Jhe work causing the boat
~ reach here this morning f-om Baltimor1
about four hours late The trouble was
caused by the refusal OF ten colored mem
bers of the crew to work They were
placed In Jail at Leonardtown It is
stated that the refusal of the men to work
was due to failure to arrest the captain
OF dredge boat Tor an assault on Ar
thur Campbell. one OF their number
The trouble happened last Tuesday
evening, before the steamer left the Pa
tapSCo river on the way to this city 1t
appears that the captain of the oyster
beat and a number OF dradgers boarded
the steamer to go to Leonardtown. Be
fore the boat had gone a great distance
some OF the oystermen produced bottles of
cheap whisky and treated the Colored men
working aboard the boat Arthur Camp
bell got more than his share, it Is stated
grew a razor and was threatening to use
II when the captain OF the dredS, boat
i
jured man. whose mouth was badly cut
ana his teeth loOSanad retired for the
night after h" had been struck and yes
terdaH morning when NJ arose he pro
ceeded 10 go TO work as if nothing had
happened He said he had no complaint
to make.
Refuse to Work.
Other colorcd freight handlers felt that
Campbell had been badly treated how
ever. ard they Were prepared to tak,, his
parl They discussed the affair Tuesday
night and yesterday and felt that the
oyster captain SHOULD be called t, ac-
count Just before the beat went into
ST Clements bay the colored men dis
cuSscd the question Of having the captain
OF the oyster boat arrested. and II is
stated. they wcr" angry when they were
told that no arrest was to be made
Ten OF the thirteen "ulored men en-
ploy"d aboard the boat refused to do any
more work They went ashore at Leon
ardtown with their trucks, but when they
We're certain that the captain would not
be arrested they stacked the trucks ON
the wharf and would not move them.
Campbell was willing to work but his
condition was such that he was unable TO
40 so. TWO other men in tie party of
stevedOres also refused to join the strik-
erS
Placed in County Jail.
Capt. Geoshegan tried to reason with
The men. but without success The cap
tain then appeared before a magistrate
and charged the men. under the federal
statutes. with ohstruCting the mails and
other misconduct. They We're taken into |
custody by the sheriff and placed in the
county Jail
Geoshegan. his mates and others then |
went to work handling the freight
We had good time" one of the mem |
beers Of the crew this morning said land
found that we could do the work as well |
as the colored men, but we didn't ger !
much sleep"
The hearing will be held later 1t is |
believed that the defendants will have |
TO be taken TO Baltimore for a hearing |
before United States Commissioner RoG- |
eTs.