Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1912-04-26
TO TRANSFER PASSENGERS
WILL BE PLACED ON BOARD CUM
ARD STEAMSHIP LUsITA-
MIA TONIGHT.
MEN ACCUSED OF MU7INY
6ALkY SAILORS ARE TAKEN BE.
FORE THE COURTS IN
SOUTHAMPTON.

Southampton, England, April &c.
The White Star liner Olympic, which
had been held off Ryde, isle Of
Wight, since Wednesday by strike
Of her firemen, today abandonea her
trip to New York and returned 70
port. This was made necessary by
the desertion of her seamen this
morning, when the line attempted to
replace the striking firemen with
non-union men.
One hundred and twenty-one pas
sengers, who were awaiting the
Olympic at Queenstown, have been
transferred to the Baltic, which will
leave here today for New York.
Fourteen hundred sacks of mail.
which were to have been forwarded
by the Olympic, will be held at
Queenstown for the Cunard liner Lus-
itania, sailing from Liverpool tomor-
row for New York and due here on
Sunday. The Cunarder is likely to
reach New York ahead of the Baltic
and for this reason the mall will lie.
entrusted to her.
The strike has serious aspect be-
ycnd the matter OF inconvenience to
transatlantic travel, as the seamen,
having signed the voyage, have row
laid themselves open 70 the charge
of mutiny. Immediately following the
walkout the White Star officia;s ap-
pealed to the authorities with the re-
suit that the Olympic's whole compile
ment of seamen, numbering 81. were
arrested when they came ashore.
They will be arraigned in oolies
court at Portsmouth charged with
mutiny.
The National Sailors and Firemens'
union repudiates the action of the
strikers, who are said to have been
advised by the seafarers organization
which recently withdrew from the
parent body. The firemen of the
Olympic struck Wednesday five min
utes before the vessel was due to sail
for New York. Their grievance was
the alleged failure of the company to
properly equip the steamer with life
boats. Subsequently deputat ion Of
union firemen witnessed test of the
life saving apparatus and, being salts
fled with the same. agreed to return
to work.
Meantime, however. their fellows
had dispersed. leaving word that
they would not rejoin the ship unless
1S f1remen who had remained
aboard when the others left were
discharged. This concession was re-
fuced by the company. which said it
would lay up the Olympic rather than
surfer coercion.
Officials of the lire forthwith be-
gan to recruit a new force Of firemen
from Sheffield, Liverpool and Porsss4
mouth and yesterday announ-el the
Olympic would sail at daybreak to. |
day. This morning tugs containing
25O firemen to replace the strikers
came alongside the Olympic and were
putting the new men aboard when
the seamen struck. They declared
they would not work with non-union
men and promptly clambored over
the ships side into the waiting tugs.
Captain Paddock appealed for as.
sistance to the cruiser Cochrane.
whose commander boarded the steam
er and warned the crew that any Of
them taking part in the strike after
having signed for the trip would be
guilty Of mutiny. This had no ef
feet on the seamen who proceeded to
shore.
Here they were met by a strong
force of police and placed under ar
rest on the ground that their pres