Year: 1877

eais sea JustIce In soUtkworth's Court


Thurs,day three German sailors made a
complaint before Judge Southworth against
a captain of schooner in the basin. he
supplied them with edvice, and directed
them to demand their wages Of the captain,
and report progress. They charged that he
had refused to pay Them anything Of their
wages from Galveston. They disappeared
and were not heard of again till yesterday,
the captain having had them arrested for
larceny and locked up in the Parish Prison.
No doubt they might have stayed there If
the committing magistrate had not discov-
cred they were beyond his Jurisdiction, and
requested Judge SOuthworth to take them
Of his hands. A request from him then
brought them, the captain, small colored
boy, an officer in charge and a lawyer be-
fore the commissioners count.


The sailors stuck to their story that they
had been paid nothing. The captain said
he had told them Friday morning at eight
O'clock that he was going away for the
day-that he was sick, and left them. He
| did not go, but stayed and watched. Be-
tween four and fve-his affidavit said six
| and seven--he detected his cook carrying q
bucket Of provisions from the cabin. He
declared that they had broken open the
locker to get them, and had them all ar
rested; that he had paid bill of 50 for
them, and, they admitting this, wanted
them all arrested for prejury. But as they
had not sworn to the contrary, bat only
that he had paid them nothing, Judge
Southworth failed to convict them of this.


The colored boy, whom none of the sail


ors had seen before, said he had come from


Madisonville; that he had seen two men


break open the locker, and told the cap
tain.


The bucket being exhibited, contained
about fifty cents worth of -four, rice, coffee
beams and peas.


Judge SonthwOrth told this extraordinary
captain that not having discharged the


men, he must pay them; that as they lived
altogether, and the cook had been sccus


toned to go every day to this same lockel


for the days food, he bad the right to e


for it, and it was not larceny. He also told


him it was grievous wrong for him Il


lock up three men, all his crew, four days
two of them being innocent by his owl
statement, even though he had suppOset


the cook was guilty.


The captain said he never would pay, bu


the cream of the affair rose to the top jus


then. One Of the men had been examining


with great attention the boys pants, an


declared they were his. When asked hoy
he knew he said he made them. The bO
denied it, and said he brought them froZ
Madisonville. Examined further, the esailO


discovered he was also wearing his cap an
shirt. The boy, cornered, told the Office


the captain had given them to him.


All this was by-play, but carefully note
by Fred, the judges lively factOtum san'


forum, who called his attention to it. Th


captain caught his cue at the wrong en-
and clustering at the boy demanded if b


had given the clothes TO him. The bO
shivered little, cried, was about to say nj
when the officer logged his memory and
told the whole story, how he had seen notl


ing, but the captain had given him th
clothes and taken him on board and tol


him to the two men, pointing them on


had brOk p into the cabin.


The boys appearance in his borrOwe


clothing was ludierously like the bulldoze
!. witnesses from ouachita who testified the
j had voluntarily voted the Democrat
4 ticket, but whose manner showed that the
! would all like to be as bold as one who sai
: he never would have done it if he he


thought the Democrats would have won Il
election.


It was the captains turn to show emotio
but he mastered it, and still declared
: never would pay. A libel was made Ol
against the schooner, the boy carried bag
: to the city court, an affidavit made al
Z steps taken for suit IN rem and IN pers
!. maDu, apd if the captain sticks and the la


ter case turns out according to preceder
q he will wish he had paid the $50 or 8
/ honestly due, instead Of the thousand OF
! his trickery win cost him.


I Moral; Pay your debts and don't try
|. cheat sailor when he can hail Unit
! States commissioner.