The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1911-11-10
PUT ASHORE
BY ANGRY
CAPTAIN

Passengers, Indignant at Ac-
ton, Hold Mass Meeting on
Board Steamship Alameda
in Protest--Offered to Pay
Boys Fare-ffard Time for
Little "Stowaway."
~ wouldn't bring him back fee
81 900"
This was the answer given BY
Captain John johnson 10 the en-
treaties OF the passengers on tho
steamer Alameda when they discoy-
cred he had ordered f5-yesr-old
Ralph Swan, "stowswsy" from
Cordova, put ashore when the big
steamer got abreast Of the San
Juan islands.
The wind was shrieking its bit
tercst when the third mate and two
sailors. acting under tho strict
orders Of the stern captain, seized
the lad and put him In a little life
boat On the bleakest. most dismal
point OF the island, miles away from
the nearest camp. the boy was left
alone. clothed meageriy, and with
only % cents In his pocket. All
around him he could see snow.
snow. frozen snow. and he didn't
even have an oyercoat TO cover his
back.
Passengers Astounded.
The Alameda arrived here last
night. and the passengers told the
story.
The passengers at first did not
know what was happening. When
the lifeboat was lowered and the
boy showed into II. the realization
OF the act staggered them. ft
hardly got away 100 feet when a
dozen men offered 10 pay the boys
entire passage from Valdez. But
the captain turned a deaf ear to
them. Capt. II. S. DE Pne. himself
mariner os experience. and five
Yukon shippers, were astounded at
Captain Johnson's actions. Captain
De Pne asked TO have a wireless
message sent Immediately to the
company In Seattle hnt CAPTAIN
johnson re.iaec 10 send 1t at first.
Finally he ordered the wireless
operator TO send II. but the passen-
gers interviewed this morning arc
dubious as to whether il was really
transmitted AT any rate. the COM
pany failed TO reply.
Nothing Unusual.
There Is nothing unusual In put
ting a stowaway ashore when the
steamer reaches the first piece OF
American territory" said X. r.. Pier
son. superintendent OF the Alaska
Steamship Co. this morning.
Both the crew and the passengers.
however, are indignant al the heart
lessness with which the boy was
marooned. The boy had paid his
way from Valdez to Cordova. but
his money gave out there, and he
was anxious TO get to San Francisco.
He Is the son OF John Swan. of Val-
deg, who built the Swan block there.
and was at one time a very wealthy
man. He has lost his fortune in re-
cent years. and the boy has been
working in the North. His mother
is dead
Young Swan was not discovered
as "stowaway' until yesterday
morning at s o'clock. Despite the
sharp. cutting atmosphere. the cap
tain put him to work scraping a
steam pipe He was hoisted above
deck, as high as possible, splen-
did target for the bitter. driving
wind.
The temperature at one time fell
10 z degrees below zero, and the
boy. lashed TO chair up In the air,
was still weakly attempting to obey
the captains commands, when tho
storekeeper warned the skipper
that the lad was likely to fall az
any minute from sheer exhaustion
and exposure. He was then allowed
to come down and set to work
cleaning lamps.
indignation Meeting.
Just exactly at I o'clock the big
boat was stopped and he was put
ashore. When the passengers learn
ed what had happened, they called
meeting, and, en- masse, passed
resolutions denouncing the captain
and urging his dismissal.
Capt. Johnson left Immediately
last night on the steamer Victoria
back TO Alaska.
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