Seizing Control

The ship was docked at Swan Island, on the Willamette River, in Portland, Oregon.  The Captain went ashore with the ship's papers and to arrange for the cargo unload - so that the required inspection could take place.  The time to act against the Captain was now or never to the thinking of the crew and the gangplank was withdrawn from shore.

The Captain was outraged, no ship had been taken from a captain in modern history, and he called the police. The local longshoremen, of course, became interested in the police arrival and so came along to the dockside where the ship sat.  Father made the formal charges against the Captain and negotiations began.  Unfortunately, the police stance was drop the gangplank and father's demand was the arrest of the Captain.  And so, a standoff which would last for months began.

Now the story becomes convoluted as, the Longshoreman's Union became involved.  Since, this was a ship and the Seaman's Union seamen aboard were involved in a "strike"  - the longshoremen blockaded the Portland facilities in sympathy.  Now to join with them were the truckers and like dominoes eventually everyone was on strike in Portland.

The police were far from sympathetic with the entire situation, the Immigration and Naturalization Service became involved in demanding the release of the ship and the arrest of the "mutineers".  The Oregonian newspaper, was the only real voice those on the ship had - and its paper ran numerous stories concerning the voyage and particulars.

However, the stand off was to change, as a human interest story was to grip the nation and father would meet my mother because of it ...