Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-03

Chill Ol COHStdAl liilliCI Sioi
in salt water; their bodies broken by
scant meals Of fat salt pork and beans;
and spirit sore from the curses of
bugeye mate or the blow of Delaying
pin, men are laboring every season,
against their will in the oyster beds OF
lower Chesapeake bay, for they have
been shanghaied.
1t is a fate which often awaits the
lounger on the water fronts of Baltimore.
Philadelphia and score of other ship
ping towns. Now the Department OF JUS
tice will set about to stop 1t.
1.-The shoe fly that potent drug made
largely of cigarette ash. used in days long
gone by the bucko mates of green wa
ter schooners to stupefy the shanghai
victim. is used rarely or never by the
oyster pirates Of the Chesapeake. Now
cajolery takes it's place. Tales of fair
and short voyage. good wages, good food
and easy berths-anything to entice the
man whose layer or life is temporarily
along Pratt Or the Light street basin in
Baltimore. are its substitute. Sometimes
the victim Is invited to board one of the
low "bugeyes.'' "skipjacks" or pun
gies.' as the oyster craft are known, and
piled with liquor until he is willing
to sign for the voyage. Thur far the
government cannot interfere. But when
that man Is held at his task, when his de-
sire to leave is answered by blows, curses
and abuse. then the federal government
says it must stop.
Washington has heard many tales from
the victims. Having deserted, or at last
obtained their release. men showing the
emaciation of prfvations. the scars OF
blows and warped hands, cracked into
the Semblance OF terranin claws. Lass
through this city. stopping at charita Die
institutions. on their way home. Some
times they tell their tales to the Depart
ment of Justice.
Heretofore the men and officers of the
revenue cutter Apache, stationed at Bal
timore, have been the protectors of the
shanEhaied. but next season a concerted
effort will be made to put stop to the
practice, which had its origin in the days
of clipper ships, when every keeper of a
sailors boarding house was an agent of
a shanghaier. and when the term was
coined perhaps from the fact that the
victims were usually shipped for long
voyages to the China sea.
The law prohibiting the shanghaiing Of
men was adopted by Congress June -.
States Attorney John c. Rose of Balti-
more to meet the methods of cajoiery
which succeeded where violence had failed
in shipping crews for the bugeyes.
Whoever, with intent that any person shall
perform service Of labor OF any kind board
any vessel engaged In trade commerce among
the several states with foreign nations GU
board any vessel OF the United States, snail pro-
cure OF induce or attempt 10 procure or induce an
other by force or threats by Misrepresentation
which ne knows and believes to be untrue. or
while the person 50 procured or induced Is under
the influence OF any drug. 10 go aboard Of any such
vessel or to sign or in anywtse enter into any
such agreement to go board of any such
sci to perform service OF labor: whoever shall
knowingly detain board OF any such vessel
thereof by any herein defined. or
shall knowingly aid abet In the doing Of
any of the things herein made unlawful. snail
be fined not more than 81 900 or imprisoned for
not more than one year. or both.
Usually the shanghai victims are ne
grces or foreigners. although cases are
known when dearth of dredgers on the
oyster boats has led to the taking OF men
of standing.
Brylinski has just arrived In Baltimore
from Poland. He seeks work. but cannot
find it. The oyster season is just be-
ginning. His search for work has taken
him along Pratt street. where the sailor
drinking dives are. and Brylinski enters
the one with the biggest beer" sign.
Inside he finds a f1ashily dressed man,
affable and smiling, who Is apparently
acting as host for everybody at the bar.