Shanghaiing - Revision history

Ccarlsson at 22:18, 17 November 2025

2025-11-17T22:18:21Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:18, 17 November 2025
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	“By coincidence, a ship, the Yankee Blade, had wrecked shortly before and it was believed Kelly picked up some of the shipwrecked survivors. In the excitement when the boat returned to dock, no one questioned what had become of his original revelers.” (Pickelhaupt 1996)</blockquote>		“By coincidence, a ship, the Yankee Blade, had wrecked shortly before and it was believed Kelly picked up some of the shipwrecked survivors. In the excitement when the boat returned to dock, no one questioned what had become of his original revelers.” (Pickelhaupt 1996)</blockquote>

	The above has been carefully discredited by Bill Pickelhaupt in his thoroughly researched book, ''~~[[Labor1$shanghaiing$book itm.html \|~~ Shanghaied in San Francisco]]''. The ships involved were apparently not in, or even near, San Francisco at the time the events were supposed to have taken place; in fact, Pickelhaupt finds that the ''Yankee Blade'' wreck was 300 miles south, off Point Conception.		The above has been carefully discredited by Bill Pickelhaupt in his thoroughly researched book, ''Shanghaied in San Francisco''. The ships involved were apparently not in, or even near, San Francisco at the time the events were supposed to have taken place; in fact, Pickelhaupt finds that the ''Yankee Blade'' wreck was 300 miles south, off Point Conception.

	But shanghaiing--drugging a man and then kidnapping him to work on a ship--was real. It was commonplace. A ninenteenth-century sailor's experience of San Francisco generally involved the process of being kicked back out to sea again.		But shanghaiing--drugging a man and then kidnapping him to work on a ship--was real. It was commonplace. A ninenteenth-century sailor's experience of San Francisco generally involved the process of being kicked back out to sea again.

Ccarlsson at 04:19, 22 November 2021

2021-11-22T04:19:46Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:19, 21 November 2021
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	[[Racism_%26_Restructuring_in_the_1980-81_Blue_Shield_Strike \| Prev. document]] [[Flexing Muscles at Flax: Anatomy of Service Sector Organizing \| Next document]]		[[Racism_%26_Restructuring_in_the_1980-81_Blue_Shield_Strike \| Prev. document]] [[Flexing Muscles at Flax: Anatomy of Service Sector Organizing \| Next document]]

	[[category:Labor]] [[category:1890s]] [[category:North Beach]] [[category:Downtown]] [[category:1910s]]		[[category:Labor]] [[category:1890s]] [[category:North Beach]] [[category:Downtown]] [[category:1910s]] [[category:Reclaiming San Francisco]]

Ccarlsson at 05:19, 22 July 2017

2017-07-22T05:19:35Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:19, 21 July 2017
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	A sailors wages could thus be shared by a fair number of people, excluding only the sailor himself.		A sailors wages could thus be shared by a fair number of people, excluding only the sailor himself.

	The 1897 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Robertson v. Baldwin lays bare the foundations on which such a system could exist. The court excluded civilian sailors on merchant ships from the 13th Amendment's protection against involuntary servitude with the extraordinary rationale that Seamen are . . . deficient in that full and intelligent responsibility for their acts that is accredited to ordinary adults, and therefore must be protected from themselves in the same sense in which minors and wards are entitled to the protection of their parents and guardians. (Quoted in Pickelhaupt 1996)		The 1897 U.S. Supreme Court decision in ''Robertson v. Baldwin'' lays bare the foundations on which such a system could exist. The court excluded civilian sailors on merchant ships from the 13th Amendment's protection against involuntary servitude with the extraordinary rationale that Seamen are . . . deficient in that full and intelligent responsibility for their acts that is accredited to ordinary adults, and therefore must be protected from themselves in the same sense in which minors and wards are entitled to the protection of their parents and guardians. (Quoted in Pickelhaupt 1996)

	The Rev. James Fell founded the Seamen's Institute, a social center and safe haven for sailors in San Francisco during the 1890s. In a report to the British Government on the situation of merchant seamen in San Francisco, Fell rails against the institutionalized abuse of sailors. When he tells an anecdote, he's convincing partly because he's so prissily cautious in his presentation. It's too bad he never named names:		The Rev. James Fell founded the Seamen's Institute, a social center and safe haven for sailors in San Francisco during the 1890s. In a report to the British Government on the situation of merchant seamen in San Francisco, Fell rails against the institutionalized abuse of sailors. When he tells an anecdote, he's convincing partly because he's so prissily cautious in his presentation. It's too bad he never named names:

Ccarlsson at 05:18, 22 July 2017

2017-07-22T05:18:26Z

Ccarlsson at 05:14, 22 July 2017

2017-07-22T05:14:33Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:14, 21 July 2017
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	''Image: Bill Pickelhaupt, Flyblister Press''		''Image: Bill Pickelhaupt, Flyblister Press''

	One afternoon in the 1890s, Hiram Bailey and his friend Ben (neither one a sailor) went into a dive down on the waterfront:		<blockquote>One afternoon in the 1890s, Hiram Bailey and his friend Ben (neither one a sailor) went into a dive down on the waterfront:

	“Over our drinks, I conveyed to Ben casually--for Ben knew nothing of sea-life, and I but a little more--that it was common talk about the harbour that the Benares had put to sea with two clergymen, three bar-tenders, four agricultural labourers -- all shanghaied. . .		“Over our drinks, I conveyed to Ben casually--for Ben knew nothing of sea-life, and I but a little more--that it was common talk about the harbour that the Benares had put to sea with two clergymen, three bar-tenders, four agricultural labourers -- all shanghaied. . .
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	The man in pulling the cork and joining in our conversation butted the matter of shanghaiing clean out of my mind. Calico Jim, who now sat at the same table with us, brought his glass and very suavely invited himself to join in our conversation. He gave us indeed from a special bottle a good swig -- ‘The best’ he said, complimentarily.		The man in pulling the cork and joining in our conversation butted the matter of shanghaiing clean out of my mind. Calico Jim, who now sat at the same table with us, brought his glass and very suavely invited himself to join in our conversation. He gave us indeed from a special bottle a good swig -- ‘The best’ he said, complimentarily.

	Though it is a long time ago now, I can still remember a strange but pleasant sort of drowsy feeling stealing over me whilst taking that swig and there is still silhouetted upon my mind that scoundrel's evil face intently watching me. It never occurred to me why.” (Bailey 1934)		Though it is a long time ago now, I can still remember a strange but pleasant sort of drowsy feeling stealing over me whilst taking that swig and there is still silhouetted upon my mind that scoundrel's evil face intently watching me. It never occurred to me why.” (Bailey 1934)</blockquote>

	Of course, their whiskey was drugged. Bailey says that he and his pal woke the next day to a kick in the stomach and orders to heave hard, and they labored at sea for months.		Of course, their whiskey was drugged. Bailey says that he and his pal woke the next day to a kick in the stomach and orders to heave hard, and they labored at sea for months.

Ccarlsson at 20:25, 10 June 2016

2016-06-10T20:25:59Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:25, 10 June 2016
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	--from "About That Blood in the Scuppers" in ''Reclaiming San Francisco: History Politics and Culture,'' a City Lights Anthology, 1998		--from "About That Blood in the Scuppers" in ''Reclaiming San Francisco: History Politics and Culture,'' a City Lights Anthology, 1998

	[[Image:~~Labor1%2433~~-~~pacific~~-st-.jpg]]		[[Image:Pacific-first-block-shanghaiing-site 7001.jpg]]

	'''No. 33 Pacific between Drumm and Davis streets was once the home of Shanghai Kelly, whose victims were drugged, blackjacked and dropped through trap doors into a boat.'''		'''No. 33 Pacific between Drumm and Davis streets was once the home of Shanghai Kelly, whose victims were drugged, blackjacked and dropped through trap doors into a boat.'''

	''Photo: Chris Carlsson''		''Photo: Chris Carlsson, 2015''

	[[Image:Rincon Boarding-Houses-Steuart-Street-1912 Horn 0062.jpg]]		[[Image:Rincon Boarding-Houses-Steuart-Street-1912 Horn 0062.jpg]]

Ccarlsson: moved book cover here to delete unnecessary page dedicated to Shanghaiing book

2016-06-10T19:59:12Z

moved book cover here to delete unnecessary page dedicated to Shanghaiing book

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:59, 10 June 2016
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	[[Shanghaiing and its Abolition \| Abolition of Shanghaiing]]		[[Shanghaiing and its Abolition \| Abolition of Shanghaiing]]

	~~Book reference:~~ [[~~Labor1~~$shanghaiing$book ~~itm~~.~~html~~ \| Shanghaiing in San Francisco]]		[[Image:labor1$shanghaiing$book_itm$pickelhaupt-book-cover.jpg\|200px]]

			'''For an in-depth look at the history of Shanghaiing in San Francisco, order a copy of this book from ''' Bill Pickelhaupt, 380 Monterey Blvd., #209, San Francisco, CA 94131for $17.00 postpaid.

	<hr>		<hr>

Ccarlsson: added new photo

2014-09-29T23:51:23Z

added new photo

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:51, 29 September 2014
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	[[Image:Rincon Boarding-Houses-Steuart-Street-1912 Horn 0062.jpg]]		[[Image:Rincon Boarding-Houses-Steuart-Street-1912 Horn 0062.jpg]]

	'''Boarding ~~house~~ along Steuart Street where sailors lived while in port, c. 1912.'''		'''Boarding houses along Steuart Street where sailors lived while in port, c. 1912.'''

	''Photo: John Horn and San Francisco National Maritime Museum''		''Photo: John Horn and San Francisco National Maritime Museum''
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	[[Racism_%26_Restructuring_in_the_1980-81_Blue_Shield_Strike \| Prev. document]] [[Flexing Muscles at Flax: Anatomy of Service Sector Organizing \| Next document]]		[[Racism_%26_Restructuring_in_the_1980-81_Blue_Shield_Strike \| Prev. document]] [[Flexing Muscles at Flax: Anatomy of Service Sector Organizing \| Next document]]

	[[category:Labor]] [[category:1890s]] [[category:North Beach]] [[category:Downtown]]		[[category:Labor]] [[category:1890s]] [[category:North Beach]] [[category:Downtown]] [[category:1910s]]

Ccarlsson: added new photo

2014-09-29T23:50:35Z

added new photo

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:50, 29 September 2014
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	''Photo: Chris Carlsson''		''Photo: Chris Carlsson''

			[[Image:Rincon Boarding-Houses-Steuart-Street-1912 Horn 0062.jpg]]

			'''Boarding house along Steuart Street where sailors lived while in port, c. 1912.'''

			''Photo: John Horn and San Francisco National Maritime Museum''

	[[Shanghaiing and its Abolition \| Abolition of Shanghaiing]]		[[Shanghaiing and its Abolition \| Abolition of Shanghaiing]]

Breiter: added synopsis

2014-03-23T22:21:33Z

added synopsis

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:21, 23 March 2014
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	''by Georgia Smith''		''by Georgia Smith''

			{\| style="color: black; background-color: #F5DA81;"
			\| colspan="2" \| '''As the demand for sailors grew in the late 19th century with San Francisco’s growing importance as a port city, the practice of Shanghaiing, or the kidnapping of eligible men to be sailors on outbound ships, became common. While occasionally wildly exaggerated, there is some truth in the prevalence of these accounts.'''
			\|}

	[[Image:Labor1%24shanghaiing-drawing.jpg]]		[[Image:Labor1%24shanghaiing-drawing.jpg]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:18, 21 July 2017
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	The most elaborate Shanghai Kelly anecdote runs like this: three ships lay anchored in the Bay waiting for crews, and Kelly decided to make a pile of money by getting crews for all three. He chartered a paddle-wheeler to throw a birthday bash for himself, and issued a blanket invitation along the waterfront. Ninety people packed the steamer. Then:		The most elaborate Shanghai Kelly anecdote runs like this: three ships lay anchored in the Bay waiting for crews, and Kelly decided to make a pile of money by getting crews for all three. He chartered a paddle-wheeler to throw a birthday bash for himself, and issued a blanket invitation along the waterfront. Ninety people packed the steamer. Then:

	“Kelly, the story went, first ordered the boat south toward Alviso. But as the merrymakers drained the barrels of booze and grew more intoxicated, the steamer turned around and headed out the Golden Gate into the Pacific Ocean. By that time, the partygoers were in a stupor, drugged by the liquors knock-out potions.		<blockquote>“Kelly, the story went, first ordered the boat south toward Alviso. But as the merrymakers drained the barrels of booze and grew more intoxicated, the steamer turned around and headed out the Golden Gate into the Pacific Ocean. By that time, the partygoers were in a stupor, drugged by the liquors knock-out potions.

	“Kelly hoisted the drugged parties over the side onto each of the three waiting ships. On his way back to town--what extraordinary luck!		“Kelly hoisted the drugged parties over the side onto each of the three waiting ships. On his way back to town--what extraordinary luck!

	“By coincidence, a ship, the Yankee Blade, had wrecked shortly before and it was believed Kelly picked up some of the shipwrecked survivors. In the excitement when the boat returned to dock, no one questioned what had become of his original revelers.” (Pickelhaupt 1996)		“By coincidence, a ship, the Yankee Blade, had wrecked shortly before and it was believed Kelly picked up some of the shipwrecked survivors. In the excitement when the boat returned to dock, no one questioned what had become of his original revelers.” (Pickelhaupt 1996)</blockquote>

	The above has been carefully discredited by Bill Pickelhaupt in his thoroughly researched book, ''[[Labor1$shanghaiing$book itm.html \| Shanghaied in San Francisco]]''. The ships involved were apparently not in, or even near, San Francisco at the time the events were supposed to have taken place; in fact, Pickelhaupt finds that the ''Yankee Blade'' wreck was 300 miles south, off Point Conception.		The above has been carefully discredited by Bill Pickelhaupt in his thoroughly researched book, ''[[Labor1$shanghaiing$book itm.html \| Shanghaied in San Francisco]]''. The ships involved were apparently not in, or even near, San Francisco at the time the events were supposed to have taken place; in fact, Pickelhaupt finds that the ''Yankee Blade'' wreck was 300 miles south, off Point Conception.
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	Blood money (which, though outlawed partway through the century, continued to be paid when necessary) was just part of the crimps' inducement. Sailors were allowed two months advance on their wages before a trip, to pay off debts and to outfit themselves for the trip. The sailor wasn't given the money: he might abscond. His creditors got it directly from the ship. This was the taproot of the shanghaiing system. According to a former seaman:		Blood money (which, though outlawed partway through the century, continued to be paid when necessary) was just part of the crimps' inducement. Sailors were allowed two months advance on their wages before a trip, to pay off debts and to outfit themselves for the trip. The sailor wasn't given the money: he might abscond. His creditors got it directly from the ship. This was the taproot of the shanghaiing system. According to a former seaman:

	“When sailors were scarce, the boarding-house master who supplied the ships with crews had recourse to the shanghaiing of any man who would sit and drink with him. Friends of the boarding-house master signed the ship's articles for the proposed victim, giving the man's name, if they knew it; but sometimes a man would wake up at sea and find himself with a new name. After the ship had sailed the boarding-house master would collect the advance made out in his favour for board and lodgings and clothing supplied. The game was very profitable. . . .” (Farmer n.d.)		<blockquote>“When sailors were scarce, the boarding-house master who supplied the ships with crews had recourse to the shanghaiing of any man who would sit and drink with him. Friends of the boarding-house master signed the ship's articles for the proposed victim, giving the man's name, if they knew it; but sometimes a man would wake up at sea and find himself with a new name. After the ship had sailed the boarding-house master would collect the advance made out in his favour for board and lodgings and clothing supplied. The game was very profitable. . . .” (Farmer n.d.)</blockquote>

	Sometimes the captain got a kick-back from the crimps:		Sometimes the captain got a kick-back from the crimps:

	''[T]he '''Pitcairn's''' cargo was discharged, her skipper secured a new charter, and two days before sailing he and the shipping-master said something to each other over a table in the Fair Winds saloon, where the shipping-master had his little private room. Here it was that he invited skippers to help him solve simple mathematical problems--easy, they consisted of subtracting something from something and dividing by two.”'' (Sonnichsen 1903)		<blockquote>''[T]he '''Pitcairn's''' cargo was discharged, her skipper secured a new charter, and two days before sailing he and the shipping-master said something to each other over a table in the Fair Winds saloon, where the shipping-master had his little private room. Here it was that he invited skippers to help him solve simple mathematical problems--easy, they consisted of subtracting something from something and dividing by two.”'' (Sonnichsen 1903)</blockquote>

	A sailors wages could thus be shared by a fair number of people, excluding only the sailor himself.		A sailors wages could thus be shared by a fair number of people, excluding only the sailor himself.
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	The Rev. James Fell founded the Seamen's Institute, a social center and safe haven for sailors in San Francisco during the 1890s. In a report to the British Government on the situation of merchant seamen in San Francisco, Fell rails against the institutionalized abuse of sailors. When he tells an anecdote, he's convincing partly because he's so prissily cautious in his presentation. It's too bad he never named names:		The Rev. James Fell founded the Seamen's Institute, a social center and safe haven for sailors in San Francisco during the 1890s. In a report to the British Government on the situation of merchant seamen in San Francisco, Fell rails against the institutionalized abuse of sailors. When he tells an anecdote, he's convincing partly because he's so prissily cautious in his presentation. It's too bad he never named names:

	''One afternoon the large ship came into the bay, after being at sea for months. The crew, of course, knew nothing about the scarcity of sailors on shore, and the ships waiting in the bay for men. The crimps, as usual, boarded the ship, and extraordinary tales of the lucrative jobs on shore just waiting for men to fill them were told, the usual drinks flew round, and some of the men went with them. . . . The next morning, at 10 a.m., the writer was talking to the second officer of the ship which was waiting for men in the bay, and he remarked, “We've got our men; they're off the _______ , which came in yesterday afternoon.” He was asked, “Are they drunk?” and the answer was, “Yes, violent; we've got em locked up.” Then he was asked, “What time did they come on board?” and he said “Nine o'clock.”''		<blockquote>''One afternoon the large ship came into the bay, after being at sea for months. The crew, of course, knew nothing about the scarcity of sailors on shore, and the ships waiting in the bay for men. The crimps, as usual, boarded the ship, and extraordinary tales of the lucrative jobs on shore just waiting for men to fill them were told, the usual drinks flew round, and some of the men went with them. . . . The next morning, at 10 a.m., the writer was talking to the second officer of the ship which was waiting for men in the bay, and he remarked, “We've got our men; they're off the _______ , which came in yesterday afternoon.” He was asked, “Are they drunk?” and the answer was, “Yes, violent; we've got em locked up.” Then he was asked, “What time did they come on board?” and he said “Nine o'clock.”''

	''Now, the British Consul's office where men sign articles on British ships closes at 3 p.m. and opens at 10 a.m. Even if these men did get ashore by 2.30 p.m., which was impossible, it is ridiculous to think that, fresh from a six months voyage, they would go within half an hour of landing and sign articles on another long-voyage ship going a four or five months trip. We all know that, easily taken in as sailors are, they would never do that. They were on board the by 9 a.m. in a drunken state, and the Consul's office did not open till 10 a.m. Who, then, signed the articles, and their two months advance away? On this and kindred subjects being mentioned to a shipping authority, his reply was that it was best not to mention these things, as they had to be done in busy times.'' (Fell 1899)		''Now, the British Consul's office where men sign articles on British ships closes at 3 p.m. and opens at 10 a.m. Even if these men did get ashore by 2.30 p.m., which was impossible, it is ridiculous to think that, fresh from a six months voyage, they would go within half an hour of landing and sign articles on another long-voyage ship going a four or five months trip. We all know that, easily taken in as sailors are, they would never do that. They were on board the by 9 a.m. in a drunken state, and the Consul's office did not open till 10 a.m. Who, then, signed the articles, and their two months advance away? On this and kindred subjects being mentioned to a shipping authority, his reply was that it was best not to mention these things, as they had to be done in busy times.'' (Fell 1899)</blockquote>

	--from "About That Blood in the Scuppers" in ''Reclaiming San Francisco: History Politics and Culture,'' a City Lights Anthology, 1998		--from "About That Blood in the Scuppers" in ''Reclaiming San Francisco: History Politics and Culture,'' a City Lights Anthology, 1998