Jansen v. The Sachem

This is an action for personal injury, brought by one of the crew of the American ship Sachem. On January 11,1888, while the ship was lying at anchor in Bristol roads, the crew, under the directions of the mate, undertook to rig in the jib-boom. After the headgear was slackened, and the head of the boom raised clear, the boom came in gradually, until it reached the inner jib guy band, where it jammed in the bowsprit cap. The men not succeeding in clearing it, the mate went out himself, and tried to pry the boom clear with a crowbar, but the boom would not come. The mate ordered the heel rope…