The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1918-03-30
STATEMENT OF
CAPT. 7. |. MORSE

l am issuing this statement &c
the public will be acquainted with
the facts concerning my removal
from the office of Construction In
spector, representing the U. s.
Shipping Board of the Emergency
Fleet Corporation, at the Union
Bridge and Construction Oompa.
ny, now building six ships for the
above fleet. My appointment
come from Mr.. Chas. N. Crowell
District Supervisor. His office is
in room 1916 Carter Building,
HoustoD, Texas.
After serving some time in the
above capacity, a question arose
between an Inspector and myself
as to the statement made by said
Inspector which l thought very
arbitrary on his part He told me
that his authority. for the state
ment came from Mr.. Orowell,
which doubted as | was sure Mr..
CTOwell was too big a man and
held too responsible a position to
issue such an order. / wrote to
MIR. CrOwell several letters asking
him to please affirm or deny the
statements but his answers evad
Ell the question at issue. | went
in person to Houston, called at
Mr.. CrOwell's office, fiudiDg him
not in.
Mr.. Martin, Assistant Supervls
or, called me into his office and we
had a very pleasant interview on
the subject. However, Mr.. Mar
tin SAID to me, "As Mr.. Crowell is
the big boss, | Will refer your
case to him and will advise you of
the result OF bis decision. This
occurred on March 10Th. | return
ed here and assumed my duties on
the work on March 18th. An off
cial of the Union Bridge and Con
structiOn Company met me in the
yard and said, "Do you know that
Mr.. Richardson ia hereP / replied
that l did not but l would look
around the yard and would be
pleased to meet him.
The aforesaid officer and myself
met Mr.. Richardson but found
him in snch condition from what
| decided was an over indulgence
of intoxicating beverages, and his
talk was Of such nature the Off
cial and l left him. | went to the
tool house door and was standing
there when Mr.. Richardson ap
preached me and began a TRADE
Of abuse against me and everyone
around the yard. | replied to
him by saying that here comes the
gentleman who is at the head of
this yard and you can make your
complaints to him, that | would
not listen to him. He then went
to where the said official was and
continued his abuse of me in par
ticular.
Patience had ceased to be q vir
tue and | may have said things
that did not sound we'll. I told
him that had too much respect
for myself and the badge l wore
to have a personal encounter on
the Government Yard but would
see him outside the gates. He
answered "all right, will 90 ont
side now." l was on duty but as
soon as the whistle blew l went to
the gate but he had gone up town.
| was Informed that one of his
friends had gotten him out of the
way, 80 failed to see him that
night. The next morning this
same friend of his told me tha'
Mr.. Richardson would be at the
yard this morning to see me and
desired to Ieinstate me. ans.
wered that if the power of dis
charging or relnstatiDg rested
with such men as Mr.. Richardson,
he (his friend) could carry this
message to him. That l did not
care to be relnstated. Richard
sou had told me that my time
would stop Monday night and as !
was advised by the U. S. Inspector
that letter from Mr.. CrowelI had
been seen aud MIR. Richardson hao
absolutely power. On Wednes-
day morning sent my badge and
card to Mr.. CrOwell.
On Monday morning Richard.
son came TO the yard and walked
up to where | stood and stuck out
his hand and | told him that did
not want his hand and further
did not want him to speak to me.
Which advice he took and walked
away. In the evening he came to
the yard with a friend of mine for
the purpose of reinstatiDg me.
said to my friend that | would
rather he said no more to me
along these lines. Just at that
time Richardson walked up to
where we were standing and
turned my back on him.
This statement is for the sole
purpose of satisfying my friends
away from here. As resident of