Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-24


In Justice Harry Stigletz' court at san
Pedro, will be heard case involving
the shipping and unloading or cattle
on ocean schooners, which possesses
more than passing interest for all VINO
are interested in the humane treatment
of animals, and one In which accord
ing to the complainant and others VINO
have taken part in the prosecution OF
the case, will be revealed the most
shocking and brutal system of unload
ing cattle ever known in the southwest,
although, IL reports are to be accred-
tied, the system Is not employed alone
by the four defendants in the present
case. but has been in vogue for firteen
years at San Pedro and other western
ports. wherever cattle or horses are
transported In small craft.
In the case at San Pedro four men
were arrested in the early part OF last
April charged with unioading py sns
method In question, and were arraigned
for trial April 20, but were granted
continuance until May 20, at the In
stigation of the Holland Wool COM
pany, which is said to own the cattle
The men pleaded not guilty, waving
trial by Jury, and the case will be
fought, 1t is claimed, to the higher
courts IL necessary. They were re-
leased on bail, the captain of the YES
sci, John Kellem, giving ball in the
sum of 5000, and the others. Frank
Gonzales. Leland Gregory and Frank
Bekert, being each released on 500 ball.
The system which 1t Is alleged was
used by these men in loading and I'M
loading cattle, as well as the treatment
the animals were subjected to during
their trip, constitute one of the most
revolving stories ever brought to the
attention of the public.
Without Food or Water
Forty head OF cattle. many Of which
were damned for forty long hours with
out food or water into the hold OF the
schooner Edith, which is said to be but
fifty feet long and eleven feet wide,
with hatch five by five feet. were
brought into San Pedro. 1t n alleged.
Sunday, April 5, and unloaded on the
Southern Pacific pier by means of an
improvised derrick attached to one OF
the vessels masts, the ropes being tied
around the necks of the cows or steers
and the animals lifted high in the air,
and-almost strangling-thrown up on
the deck from the bottom of the hold,
which 1t is alleged is about five feet
deep.
Coming from the barreil, desolate
desert island Of San Clemente, these
cattle had but little nourishment with
which to stand the trip, and when they
arrived at San Pedro are alleged to
have presented a pitiful spectacle. so
gaunt, bony and weak that many of
them staggered, unable to stand, on
the way from the wharf to the corral.
On arriving at the corral, several blocks
up a steep hill from the pier, these ami
mails stampeded at the sight of an offal
heap and began ravenously to de-
your It.
Such is but part OF the story told by
eyewitnesses of what they characterize
as one of the most inhuman and in
credible systems Of cattle shipment and
treatment ever conceived, and as a re-
suit of which the first test case has
been begun in the arrest of Capt. KEEL
lem, a South Sea islander. who had
charge of the schooner Edith, and tbs
men of his crew. What win be un-
folded I'm the prosecution OF these men
1t is promised by those back of twill
reveal one of the most horrible ex-
amples of cruelty In the annals OF ami
NAL history.
The complaints were sworn to by
Humane Officer p. A. Rambo of San
Pedro, whose attention was called by
Frank r. Atwood, a private citizen, ia
the method of unloading the steers. Mr.
Atwood declares that when in the name
of mercy he appealed to the men to
desist from lifting the half starved
creatures from the boat In such inhu-
name fashion he was grossly abused
and insuited by the captain Of the boat
and toldyto mind his own business"
Among those who assisted Mr.. At
wood in his fight for the protection OF
the animals were Mrs. w. A. Weldon
wife of DIR. Weldon, the quarantine
officer OF the port of San Pedro; Miss
Maud Norris, Mrs. Frank Atwood and
Or. and Mrs. r. G. Smalley, all but the
4 first named being residents OF Los An
eeles who. were witnesses to the un-
loading of the stock by the neck and
hoofs, in a starving condition after they
had been forty hours on the ocean with.
out food or water, and forced to lie or
their sides or kneel, cramped up, in tho
low hold of the vessel during all the
long days and nights Of the voyage.
Mr.. Atwood declares the shipment OF
cattle In this manner Is no uncommon
thing, as he has learned by investiga'
ton, and which statement seemed cor
roborated by inquiries made by a re-
porter of The Herald at San Pedro last
night.
Interfere in the matter. He says II
Justice to Humane Officer Rambo and
others that as the cattle were Away:
unloaded from these small boats fal
out at the end of the Southern Pacific
pier, where the lifting of them by the
neck would not attract attention, thu
practice was unknown to the better
element of citizens. who seldom have
occasion to visit the end of the com
mercial wharf.
Revolving Story of Cruelty
The story IL told by Mr.. Atwood and
Mrs. Weldon, and as certified to by
others who on this occasion CHANGED
to be on the wharf and see the un-
loading, is horrifying to all lovers OF
Justice In the animal kingdom, and
calls for a rigid investigation Of the
methods set forth In his narrative, ir-
relative of the findings in the present
prosecution of Kellem, Gonzales, ct al
1T happened to be with Miss Norris
and my wife," said Mr.. Atwood, when
we noticed four men on the schooner
Edith, which is a craft much lower
than the landing near the end Of the
wharf, unloading bunch of cows and
steers by the neck. They had lifted
but two or three or the animals Out
of the hold in this manner when we
hurried forward to investigate. Wnai
we saw was beyond our belief.
"There ere, as we thought, thirty
seven OF the animals on the deck and
in the hold-a number much larger
than the law would limit--but 1t was
afterward that In taking the animals
to fod and water we had lost three
of them and that originally there were
forty, which makes it much worse, Il
true, as the boat seemed to me unable
to accommodate much over hair thal
number. and then scarcely without
cramping them to a most cruel degree
1.-THE method OF getting the COW o.
=