The evening world., 1908-03-05
EvA'S CREW HAS
TALE OF WOE FOR
BRITISH CONSUL
Only Three Left of Fifteen
Who Shipped for a Four
Months Cruise.
REST GLAD TO DESERT.
Survivors Say They Were
Beaten, Fined and Put
in Irons.
REST GLAD TO DESERT.

seaman, and Elmer Grueg. the cook. ar
the British Consulate. In this city to
day and made formal charges OF brutal
fly against their first mate and captain
which they We're compelled to endure
tits alleged, during trip lasting fou
months
The ViceConsul heard the testimon,
OF both sides and. after conferenc,
with the complainants and accused, ad
journed the hearing pending further
Investigation.
brutality at the hands OF ferocious
mate frequently set-tos with a militant
skipper and appeals for relief to con-
suls in various ports, figure in the
story as 1t was told to an Evening
World reporter on board the Eva after
she had docked at Arbuckle's Stores
foot of Jay street. Brooklyn. this
morning.
The Eva had just completed the last
leg OF a roustabout voyage when she
arrived from Cienfuegos, her last port
before heading for New York. She
h!es the British flag, her home port
skipper. Capt. II. r. Swift. refused
either to deny or affirm his sailors
yarn.
IT am very glad to see reporters" he
said. But what / do at sea on my
ship is my own business
The treatment received at the hands
OF the captain and his officer during
the early part OF the voyage was so
severe. the men declare. that OF the
original crew. OF fifteen men forward
only three stuck TO receive thed pay to-
dav for the entire voyage. They are
6eamen William Koerner and James
Holstrus. and Mess Boy Frank Simpson.
Down in the grmy fo'castle of the
old tramp. Bill koerner. twenty-three
years old and an able sea lawyer,
stood surrounded by his mates, who
now and again vigorouly punctuated
the recital with terms in corroboration
OF II and declared that nothing could
influence them to desert until the
British Consul had heard their tales OF
woe.
Seven Cooks in Fifteen Days.
'Well" " began Koerner after his
shipmates had agreed that ne should
act as spokesman, 1--WE sailed from
Perth Amboy on oct. % last. in ballast
bound to Philadelphia Trouble began
there because the cook didn't suit Our
skipper, and while We lay in port for
fifteen davs loading coal for Newport
News, we had seven different cooks on
board. We finally got under way with
Elmer Grueg who shipped in the
double job of steward and cook for
which he was to receive the wages Of
both. s55 a month.
ION the way up to Newport News
the mate, Mr. Frank. showed himself
to be a bad one He was big and burly
and set into the men on the slightest
provocation. In Newport News we got
q lawyer. who laid our complaints be
fore the British Consul and later took
the matter into the courts but all the
satisfaction We got out OF it was to be
sent back to the ship and be logged
is, fined-GS9 apiece. That was n
bum LAWYER
'"Then we sailed for St Thomas on
the trip down the mate got in trouble
with the firemer. although he is not
supposed to boss them at all He
punched one poor fellow named Frcl
Pagus up so badly that he was LAID mn
for five days. When we reached s.
Thomas three fremen went ashore t.
complain te tne British Consul This
was just before the vessel was to sail
but the captain had them arrested and
held in Jail five hours Then when they
got back on board they We're loggsa
tlS each.
while in S.. Thomas the old man
wanted me to take the cabin boys
place Jimmy the boy. he said, had
bolted with $50 | didn't shin for that
work and told him So Then he put me
In irons and kept me locked up in
room in the cabin for twenty three
hours.
Fined Cook Grues 16 Days Pay,
Just before sailing the captain de
elared that the cook had put milk In
stead of cream in his tea. and set out
% give him thrashing. The cook went
ashore to ask protection from the Con
sui and when lie got back al ten o'clock
that night the skipper logged him four
teen days pay. The next morning, be-
ShuSt bIlt NbDk IdlAtl 10 tlrn up De
fore Sin o'clock. he was logged two
days pay. This sort OF thing kept up.
until now, after four months voyage,
Elmer. the COOK, has less than one
months pay coming to him. That is
cne OF the things we want the Consul
70 straighten ont.
when We were two DAYS out to sea
On that run back to Newport News the
captain tackled the cook again, brusing
bis face pretty badly ana then put him
IN irons for five days, Then lie took me
aft to cook About al | could make
Nas soup. and gave him plenty of
ktat. He got tired OF my bill OF fare
knd took another sailor into the galley
He was worse; nearly poisoned us all
by pouring coal oil into the cracker
eoouch instead OF vinegar. Why the old
man didn't keel haul him don't know
He only threw him out OF the galley
That shortened tAners term in irons
because the captain wanted decent grub
Again. That day We had a big feast
Cake and pie was served In honor Of
Che return az the cook.
/ All but Three Deserted.
eve returned TO St. Thomas again
A3xR We had been back to Sewpor,