The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-12-14
RICHMOND man
CRUELTY TREATED
WALTER HALEY TELLS HARROW
ING STORY OF EXPERIENCE
On OYSTER sLOoP. n
VIRTUALLY A PRISONER
LANDS IN WASHINGTON IN starry
ING CoNDIT1oN-TRIED TO
run AWAY.
VIRTUALLY A PRISONEl


/, f4.-Blue Tipped. his hands cut and
bleeding from the effects OF tho ice
cold salt water in which ne had been
working for weeks. and his feet frost
bitten. Walter Haley. a young white
man from Richmond. Va, staggered
into the police fcourt Tuesday morn
ing tn seek warmth and shelter.
When able to speak he begged for
something to eat, saving that he had
had nothing for twen.y-four hours.
Refreshed by food Haley told a
story If being held a prisoner on the
| Potomac on an oyster sfoop which
rivalled in pathetic and revolving de-
tails The sensational expose II the
peonage system on the oyster boats
which figured in the local courts
about two wears ago. and which re-
suited in the Imprisonment of two
Baltimore captains for eighteen years
each.
Haley told Probation Officer Massie
% having gone on board the schooner
about October 10, aud added that he
was NOT sfanghaiod
He Was Nof kidnapped
J Ne, ] wasn't kidnapped or any
thin OF that kind. said he in re-
Spouse 10 a question from the proba-
ton officer. II went or my own free
viii. and that's, what made II ali
the harder afterward when / couldn t
get away.
I wasn't there more than Two weeks
when ! saw that was really pris-
oner. There wasn't any guard over
US. hat there wasn't any need for
that-ehey kept the boat we'll off
short at night and in the day time we
were watched too closely fer Hs 10
beat it.
They made us get up at $50 in
the morning and work for an hour
or So before breakfast and then II
wasn't anything more than TIVE Irish
potatoes with the skins on and half
a cap uf coffee. II We asked for any
thing more some body cursed us or
threatened IL beat US and we soon
shut up.
After breakfast we worked hard
until noon pulling In oysters and try
ing To sell them at the little towns
along the river. and then at dinner
time they gave us some hot water
Tor soup and more potatoes--nevoy
Il bit Of meat, and only little Of
the rest. We had to work until $50
before we got any sipper. and IL was
the same thing over again. and then
we scrubbed down the decks and fell
into our wet hunks about y, only
To be routed out again at midnight
To attend To tha sails ana then more
slsep--if We could get it~tintil . in
the morning.
Then when ii came to clothes, all
we got were taken out OF our wages
Sie q mcnth--most of which We never
got. and they wouldn't give lis any
boots, only these old things tHaley
held out pair of broken, salt -incrust-
ed shoesl. and for the last four weeks
l have been working in the icy salt
water without any socks--ouly these
shoes on my feet. This pair Of socks
IRot on now l got yesterday.
once, about Il month ago. | tried
to run away. but they caught me just
as | got 10 shore and they brought
me back and the first mate kicked me
in the head and cursed me and said
that # / had been negro they'd have
killed me. bit that they We're AFRAID OF
what the police would DO to them ii
they hurt a white man. After that /
/ conldn't get anywhere near the shore
without being told 10 come back.
Just Cursed Him.
sometimes ! begged the captain tn
let ME go. but he only cursed and said
that I'd stay until he was ------ ready
To let i1ia 81 and not a minute before.
All | got for my Two months work.
outside OF this coat and the shoes, was
-, for lie made us all give him $3.50
Tor letting us OFF three days before the
month was AZ. We had to pay our
own way up here yesterday. and | Just
got in here this morning and a police
man brought me in here, / don't know
how ! got here from the station--but
here | am"
And Haley crcpt closer TO the radi-
ator. trying to obtain some additional
warmth from It, while he was waiting
for the ambulance which was to take
him to the hospital where his feet and
hands would be treated
With regard to this case Probation
OF Ger Massie said that it would be
impossible IN do anything to the oys-
tsrman in Washington. because or the
fact that the alleged offense occurred
In the Virginia waters, and Haley
would have to go there To make his
complaint.
Il raised $500 couple of WARS ago
and sent two captains to Jail for eigh-
teen years apiece, and I think It's about
time was started another crusade CT
the same kind
--~--------------------~--
Catches Desertcr.
Sergeant Shepherd Tuesday night
-tz.ll 4 AL