Evening journal., 1913-11-19
20 SEAMEN
ARE HELD AS
MUTINEERS
Only Two Of Crew Of Manga
ReVa Released After
Hearing
THESE WILL BE
USED AS WITNESSES

feLlfc0 lnC CndrRe OF mulinA dShluhi
Otto Tongler, cook, and Second Mate
Siegfried Snobohm Of the ship Manga
Reva, but held the other twenty
members OF the crew under $500 bail
for the December term OF Federal
Court which convenes on December
Q. This was done. after Lee Wallace,
member OF the crew, who is charged
with mutiny along with the others,
had concluded his testimony. Wal
lace was the last witness and when
he concluded J. Frank Ball, who is
defending the sailors at the instance
of the British, Norwegian and Ger
man consuls. in Philadelphia. asked
that Me sailors be dismissed. claim
ing It had not been shown by the gov
ernment that Captain Townsend had
been relieved OF command OF the
ship, but that the men had been put
on short rations
Commissioner Mabaffy cited laws
from the penal code and cases from
1915 to 1866. These precedents stat
ed that neither brutality, unless OF
the worst character, nor shortness of
rations constituted sufficient reason
for a revolt.
Mr. Ball then announced that the
defense would not put in any testi-
mony but would do so at the proper
time" He asked that the defendants
be released on nominal bail, say
ing that two Of them we're young and
he urged that they be held under
$1,000 bail. District Attorney John
P. Nlelds objected and Commission
er Mahafiy said that the bail would
bo $4,000 in each case.
Following the bearing, Hongler, the
cook, who had been dismissed, went TO
several Of the. crew and shook their
hands. saying he was sorry for them.
Second Mate Snob0hm also spoke to
several OF the crew. The defendants
were later handcuhed and taken to the
workhouse 20 await trial
Wallace, who was the last witness
called by the goverpment, caused a sur
prise by his testimony, which was to the
effect that he was informed the day be-
fore the revolt that mutiny was to
occur At the time he did not think it
would come to O head, he said, and when
Attorney BAH asked Wallace to whom
he had repeated this tale the day be-
fore. Wallace started 10 point out the
men, who were standing in the court
room United Stotes District Attorney
Nields said their names were Suley and
Tucker. agents OF the Department Of
Justice. Wallace said that he had not
been promised any immunity but had
been asked On Monday to tell them the
truth, which he did.
When the hearing reconvened al
2.15 o'clock in the afternoon, Tongler
the cook, who testified In the morn
ling. was recalled for cross-examina
ltion. He appeared more COLLECTED
than he had been In the morning. anS
was explicit fn his answers. Ths
cook said he knew what the scale
for ratlons was under the American
law. but he admitted that the scale
while said to be posted. was not used
This was because the captain hat
told him several days before the re
volt to give the crew full and plenty
but not to be wasteful. After Tonglei
admitted knowing the scale, Mr. Bal
asked: "How many pounds Of breas
land biscuits were given a man eacl
day?" Tongler inquired: why d'
you ask that" and as Mr. Ball per
lslster, Tangler was told by Commits
lsioner Mahaffy to answer. He said tbs
men were given one and a half pound!
of soft bread and a half pound o
biscuits. Before he answered this
however. he had fished in his pockets
for a piece of yellow paper from
which he read.
n Ball asked the witness II he ha
not refused 10 give the crew lime juic
and the cook said he was not require
j to give this until the supply Of fires
! vegetables had given out Mr.. Ba
asked Tongler il Captain Townsend ha
not cut down the rations and Tongle
} said that once he had measured out th
sugar and coffee, and later the cabi
I boy told him the captain had said
I was too much. After that TOngler az
mitted he did not weigh out the SUI
n ply. The cook said that he did not hay
b. TO do that until the following Saturda
= and that was the day OF the mutiny
e Iongler was asked II he had not
. the presence OF reporters on the revenl
j. cutter .Onondaga, said that the capital
had ordered the rations cut down OF
:, hall He replied that he did not. Tom
Ter was then asked II lie did not remcn
II Der telling the cabin boy TO weigh o.
e. the food and he replied that he did II
J, time that Captain Townsend fell dow
4. the stairs OF his cabin was then refe
i. red TO, and Tongler said il seemed
v If the captain had plenty on boar
6 when he tumbled. When question:
about the orders TO steer west by sout
ID alleged to have been given by the ca
= tain when the vessel struck bar at {
:. breakwater, Tongler said he heard I
orders and he himself had said: "Whai
s. the use ol steering when she's aground
m Tongier after whispered confe
d ence between Attorney Ball and vi
te Consuls Ford and Moe. Was asked
/, the attorney how many years he b
been at sea. The cook replied abe
8, thirty in all, but not all the time
e, sea. "If 1 had been I would be &C
cred With barnacles." he added.
!. went 10 sea in 1873, he said, as
4. boy In the galley helping the coz
? and he named several American "
e sells he had sailed on.
Mr.. Ball. In order 10 try TO pre-
of that Captain Townsend was ne'
\ out OF command Of his ship. ask
the cook If the captain or first ma
n We're never I'm charge OF the vess
n. The cook replied, We'll. / know Il
for a fortnight Captain Townse
" nayigated the vessel, but not unC
r. his own Objection"
Tongler was then excused and ~
% lace was called. The first word
3 any trouble he had. he said. v
g. when John A. Hersfall. on the nc
in of October "a. said to him. DO }
l. know there is going to be a mutin,
AT this. he said he laughed. and wa
= cd away. Later, he said. nearly
the watches met in the forecas