Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1908-12-31
Charming Tale Of Woe
From Two Salts
Of SaItyiIIA
SHIP VIM. P. FRYE DIDN'T
HAVE COFFEE and CUSHIONS
Had To Work Two Hours or so on
Christmas Day--Aristocrats
of the Waves

mat COHte WAS served Dul lNlCC
day is the excuse given by j. James
and william Davis. able seamen, for de
sorting from the ship William y Frye
They also complain that, on Christmas
Day, the only additional to their usual
dinner fare allowed them. was turkey
Likewise It is claimed that the captain
insisted on having the decks washed.
II is dreadful tale of privation
which the two seanien give in explain
irg why they deserted. They say that
the captain would not allow them cot
fee for dinner, that he made them get
up at o'clock in the morning. and
| that, though the Frye arrived at her
anchorage at 10 O'Clock on Christmas
morning, they were kept working and
unbending sails until noon"
It is believed that the men deserted
IN the hope Of shipping on the bark
Nuuanu ut increased pay. Shipping
Commissioner Amy says that the Sew.
all ships are noted for the excellent
food served their sailors. ...
The following letters were sent to
the Bulletin oy The two lrserters
Honolulu, 7. H., Dec. 10th.
Dear Sir:-After reading your art.
icle In the Blu lletin last night about
the American ship William p. Frye. I
think that in justice to ourselves We
ought to let you know the true facts
Of the case and to contradict certain
statements made in your paper. In
the first place the ship only carries
IS Able Seamen, 9 In each watch. The
real reason why the men left was be.
cause they were not getting enough
to eat. We made complaint about
the food on the passage and the cup
tain put one of the men in the galley
and after he was there ) days the Cap.
tain put him In the foksle again be.
cause he was giving us coffee with our
dinner, and told him that he-was us.
ing too much stores. This is the first
American ship have been In. that we
aid not get tea or coffee with our din.
ner. have been In the Atlas. one of
the Standard OIL ships, built by Sewall
IN Bath. Maine, and we always had
tull and plenty, and every dinner time
we always had tea. As regards the
festivities on Christmas | will let you
know what they were. We dropped
anchor about 10 a m. and II we had
been In good ship with a good cap.
tain we would only have made sails
fast and cleared the decks but instead
of that we We're kept working unbend.
ing sails until noon, which was un.
necessary. As regards, the dinner the
only difference was we mad turkey that
day and neither tea or coffe to wash
II down with. And as regards shore
liberty 'emphatically deny It because
nobody went ashore that night, the
ship being at anchor. Another reason
why the men left was an account of
the dirty and slovenly manner the food
was served up by the Japanese cook
the only thing We had in plenty was
work. We used to turn TO at ) a. m.
and ! been washing paintwork In
the dark when you could not see 1t. |
shall now conclude with best respects.
WILLIAM DAVIS, A. b.
p. ST. forgot to mention the fact
about working on Sunday. Last Sun.
day they wanted us to turn out at 6
a. IN. and wash down decks that being
unnecessary work that could have
been done on Saturday like any other
ship that was laying alongside of the
wharf.