Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-02-24
PLlCATION
WITH NORWAY
Sailors Held as Witnesses
in Jersey City Explosion.
peofai to rho EVENING NEWS.

Special to the EVENING NEWS.
Trenton, Feb. 24:-Serious COM
plications may result from the
charge that the United States has VII
olated its treaty with Norway by the
detention OF three Norwegians In
Hudson county as witnesses In the
recent dynamite explosion at Com
munipaw. A question involving this
treaty has been raised by habeas
corpus proceedings instituted in the
United States court here to bring
about the release of three sailors
who are being detained as witnesses
SO that they may testify against Ar
thur Hamilton and others implica-
ted In the catastrophe. 1t Is charged
that the sailors are Illegally detain-
led In unclean quarters, improperly
fed apd otherwise inhumaneIy
L4xszzSs SSasa7-
Ths sxftaf6rs zre: Trysvs AndsT
son, second mate or the Norwegian
sailing vessel .Ingrid,, Arthur Ras-
mussen and Siguard Nilsen, youth
ful seamen of the same vessel. The
seamen are under twenty-one years
of age and Anderson's name is used
in the applications on their behalf.
An order has been obtained from
Judge Rellstab by Counsellor Frank
lin w. Fort, son OF former Governor
Fort, who Is representing the pris-
oners, directing Sheriff Kelly, OF
Hudson county, to appear before the
court next Monday with the trio.
Detective Boarded Vessels.
The habeas corpus application re-
cites that the vessel, of which the
prisoners were crew members, was
at her dock near the Central railroad
when the detenation took place. De-
tectiyes boarded the vessel February
8, and questioned the crew After
Anderson, Rasmussen and Suguard
Nilsen had willingly told all they
knew of the explosion, they were
asked to come ashore and make
statements In writing, according to
the application. Because OF the alb
sence of the captain from the vessel
Anderson at first declined, but later
consented after he says the prepar-
ing of the statements would take less
than an hour.
After getting the sailors ashore,
1t is charged, the detectives had
them arraigned as witnesses and
held In default of 1000 BAIL The
prisoners contend that since then
they have been confined In Ave
rooms with thirteen other persons,
all guilty of various crimes, and
some of them charged with murder.
They further charge that they have
been forced to associate with these
criminals and that they have been
denied the right of seeing their
friends. They say that consul gem
eral OF Norway stationed in New
York, has not been permitted to see
them. They assert that their quar-
ters are infected with yermin and
that the fare Is poor. They charge
further that they have been COM
PEELED to contend with other out
RACES contrary to the rights allowed
them by the treaty between the Uni
ted States and Norway.
Other Allegations.
Among the other allegations made
In the application against the au-'
thorities responsible for these ar
rests are: No legal commitment, no
given for hearing, and
violation of the treaty which guaran-
tees the crews of vessels sailing un-
der the Norwegian flag to ply about
the ports OF this country without In
reference, except when disobeying
the law. The applications AYERS that
the sailors have committed no crime
and that their imprisonment Is a
violation of the constitution OF the
United States. The case has been
taken up by the Norwegian govern
ment and counsel has been Instruct
ed to endeavor to prevent the men
suffering further alleged Injustice.