New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-05-12
CHINESE CREW MUTINY
COOLIES DASH FOR SHORE
Held Up by Customs Inspector at
Point of ReUolUer.

AS the Norwegian tramp freighter Hercules
warped into her pier at the American Docks. at
TompkinsviIle. Staten Island, yesterday twenty
Cinnamon, members of the crew. made rush
down the gangplank in effort to leave the
vessel They were held up ct the point of a re-
volver by Inspector George Samuels. of the
Barge Office. who had been assigned to the ship
The inspector was fearful that some member
Of the would escape from his charge, and
while he covered them with his revolver he blew
his whistle for assistance This summoned
dozen policemen. When they tried to force the
Cinnamon back their ringleader Wah Ming, as
serted that he and his companions would Kill
themselves before they would return to the Her
cules- They were placed municipal ferry
boat and taken to the Barge Office.
The men appeared famished, and Matthew F.
Coneys. Deputy Surveyor Of the Port sent out
and purchased sandwiches and coffee. The men
fought for the food like wild beasts.
According to t, story told by Wah Ming, the
twenty shipped from Shanghai. China, on May 1,
1905 and had been since then at sea. The snip.
they said. had taken on cargo of sulphur at
CHILEAN port. and their last stopping place was
at Charleston 6 G He said the crew Of
twenty-five Cinnamon had been living on such
scanty food that they were half dead from hun
ger In addition to this he said they had been
beaten and abused by the officers.
A single days rations, according to his story,
consisted of a small tin of beef for fourteen men
He also said that they had shipped for a year,
and that they not to be paid until they had
completed their time Some Of the men were
paid 81 a month and others 50,
Captain Rasmussen and First Officer Bjerk
of the Hercules denied all the statements Of the
crew regarding i'll treatment. An effort will be
made this morning to put them back on the
boat
When the crew reached the Battery landing
the men were told that they were TO be taken
to Pell street, where they would meet many Of
their countrymen. 1t was only on this promise
that they could be persuaded to continue They
said that they would kill themselves rather
than submit again to the starvation and bru-
tality which they said they had been forced to
endure on the Hercules
Ing Chang. a Quartermaster, showed a large
scar on his forehead and said two OF his teeth
had been broken out: He said that he had re-
ceived these injuries at the hands of one Of
the officers when the boat was on the high seas
Through interpreter, Wah Ming said that
the crew had been promised SIS month when
they shipped at Shanghai but that once they
we're out of sight of land they were told that
they would only be paid half that sum.
on the entire Journey. occupying eleven and
a half months. the interpreter explained, the
men had lived on rations scanty that they
were weak from lack OF food On some occa-
sions he said they had lived on small glass
Of sugar for twenty-four hours The crew be
neved. they said. that the officers OF the Her
cules wanted 10 kill them, that they would
not have to pay them off when their time was
UP. When the men grew surly at times under
the treatment, they said that revolvers were
held to their heads to force them to their tasks
When the enormous basket of sandwiches and
the buckets OF coffee had disappeared smiles
spread over the Chnamen's faces. and they be-
gan to talk rapidly among themselves. Deputy
Surveyor Conveys said that he had never seen
more piuful sight than when the Cinnamon
made a rush for the food
A Delesandro. an inspector from the emigra-
ton bureau was called in by Mr.. Conveys to see
what could be done with the Cinnamon. II was
at first intended 10 take them all TO Ellis Island
for the night but It was finally decided to let
them sleep on the benches in the Barge ONCE.
When told that they might have to go back
to their ship the men made motions as If they
we're drawing knives across their throats. indi-
than be sent back
Captain Bjerck OF the Hercules. when told by
Inspector Samuels Of the statements of the
crew, rldiculed the idea OF their having been
treated brutally. When Samuels held the crew
at bay with his revolver at the foot Of the
ganEplank he called TO the captain and first
mate Of the ship 10 take command OF the men
and prevent them from landing. Both officers
threw up their hands. according 10 Samuels.
and said that they did not dare interfere as
they would be killed If they went among the
men.