The Hawaiian gazette., 1914-10-20
SEAMEN
ARE SHANGHA|ED
Sailors Of 0. J. D. Alters, In
County Jail, Charge Master
With IlI-Treatment
they win Be Returned To Orient
I Aboard ShinyO Maru,
October n

shanghaled on their present voyage sew
eral Of the crew Of the German refu-
gee steamer D. j. ID. Ahlers, who
are in the county Jail awaiting trans.
portation TO Calcutta, are bitter In
their complaint Of the treatment given
to them aboard the vessel for two
months.
According to several Of the petty Of.
icers Of the Ahlers, yesterday, in the
county jail the vessel was in Takn on
July 20, discharging European cargo,
when wireless message was received
Tor her to return to Tsingtau. There
was still quantity Of Dalny and Hong
kong freight in the vessel, which later
was discharged at Tslngtau The Ali.
ers then was loaded with 5000 tons Of
coal, which afterwards was delivered TO
German war vessels and merchantmen
IN the South Pacific.
Alleged Promise or Master
The crew Of the Alters are Fast In
dams and British subjects. When they
learned that war had been declared on
August 4 they grew suspicious as to
what the destination Of the vessel was
to be. They stated their objection to
going 10 sea in the vessel and the Brit
ish consul at Tsingtan was sent for 70
/ UI|||MM|
the crew Captain Eelbo Of the. Ahlers Is
alleged TO have assured the crew that
the vessel was bound for Japanese ports
with coal and that return would be
made to Tsingtau within two weeks. at
which time the crew would be paid off
and sent home to Tsinotau.
Three German Warships
A. b. Ally, the storekeeper ON the
Ahlers, said that instead Of sailing for
japan, course was shaped for the Mar.
shall Islands, on August Q. The Ahlere
arrived in the Marshall Islands on Sep.
TENDER 2S. Ally declared that upon their
arrival they found Zone three.fun-
nel and two four-funnel German war.
ships lying there awaiting coal. The
names Of the war vessels, as we'll as
those OF several merchantmen, which
were there, were painted cut and there
was no way OF determining what the
vessels were. n
The Alters was placed alongside the
warships and all hands were made to
work night and day in getting the bun.
| Sers filled. Coal also was given TO sew.
sral Of the merchantmen.
Ally aud his eoantrymen made pro-
test 10 Saptain Eelbo, claiming that he
was making the voyage under false pre-
lenses, and demanding that they be sent
home to Calcutta as originally agreed
upon. fNs
An Unfair Advantage
"We are British sHbiects and an un-
air advantage was taken OF us when
We were made to assist the Germans In
this class Of work, y said Ally yester.
day. When we stated our objections
we were told by the officers Of the ALL
ers that IL we did not resume work inn
mediately armed men from one of the
war Vessels wonld be sent for and We
Iyould be shot do,Ii. Under these eirs
cumstanees we continued with the
work. M
Nearly Starved and Jailed
1--WE were also promised double pay
and tlonble rations when we left Using,
tau on August o. We have been near
lily starved and when we ask for .ouF
pay we are placed in this Jail Why Il
thisg Why are we herei We have com
mittod no crime, still we are In prison
1 like criminals
| When asked il he and the balance of
the crew would go back aboard the
Ahlers and await the arrival of a
steamer to convey them to the Orient,
NV replied with considerable feeling.
"Nc, a thousand times, no. We would
| rather stay here the rest Of our lives
than % back TO that vessel and be mis-.
treated We have one hundred times
more to-eat here than aboard the yes,
sci and we are treated kindly. We will
remain here until vessel takes ms
home to Calcutta
From the Marshall Islands IL was
learned the Alters, in company with the
German warships and the German mer.
ehantmen, proceeded to Christmas Is.
land on September 10. Here the yes.
sells halted for seven days and addition.
u coal was given to vessels that needed
lii.
.nlers Was At Papeete
"A cruise then was made among the
Marauesas Islands. From here the war
vessels and the o. J. ID. Ahlers steamed
TO Tahiti. The Ahlers lay within three
miles of Papeete when that city was
destroyed by the two German cruisers,
The vessel was placed out of range OF
the cruisers and the crew aboard watch
ed the destruction of the French city
from the decks. From Tahiti the Ahl,
ers steamed to Honolulu, arriving here
on October ~.
An understanding has been reached
between British Consul Gordon and
German Consul Rodiek, whereby the
crew of the Alters will be sent home
on the Shinyo Maru on October ~.
Tailor Aseh is facing a serious prob
| lem In feeding his sixty-twO charges.
They are Mohammedans and are for
hidden the eating OF flesh fsod unless
one Of their "mullahs" or priests kills
the animal with certain religious eere-
monies.
Decline Goat with Thanks
There are four Of these fmullahs" in
the crew Of the Ahlers, but the ques-
tion of applying them with whole
beef 10 hin. with the county treasury
at the low ebb that II IL, Is causing
1 Jailor Asrh much worry. There Is a
! GOAT which has made its home NJ the