The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1882-03-28
Why They Deserted.


for sailors in the United States navy, were
transferred from the naval training SQUAD.
ron at Newport to the Tennessee, now
high and dry On dry-d IN the Brook
lyn navy-yard. Many of the boys were
companions of the thirty lads who have
deserted from the flagship Now Hamp-
shire of the training squadron at Newport
In the last few days. The officer In
charge of the Tennessee readily permitted
a reporter to see the boys alone, and
twenty bright and intelligent lads in the
uniforms Of the training school gathered
around the reporter between decks.
"Were there any New York boys
among the deserters ?" was the first ques-
ton. A black-eyed boy replied:
II knew good many of 'em, sir.
There was Henry w. Eagles Max Beck,
Herbert A. Stryker, James A. MCKINLEY,
James F. Cady, Daniel J. Foley, Gustav
e. Maschke, william II. Mch1ellon, Ber-
nard ). McKeDn aud Arthur Van Ette."
Other boys knew Stephen H. Miller OF
Careyvllle, New York; William Spencer
of Kingston and John J. Black of Stony
Point.
'How did they come to desert9"
''The boys had short furlough on
shore and they did not come back, that is
all. They were on three ships-the Ports
mouth, the Saratoga and the Constitution
and they had separately decided to
leave when they got chance without
consplring together at all. Nobody COM
plains against Commodore Lewis of the
New Hampshire. lie was a regular
father to us all. But we who were on a
cruise of The coast of Maine on the Ports
mouth last summer had tough time of it
under Capt. Faunt and Lieut.. Sefrldge
At anchor off one of the ports in Name
the captain had some high-toned visitors
and when they came to see us and asked
who we were he said: oh, they're wharf
rats, and at another time he called us
'beggars and thieves at Portsmouth
four OF us broke our liberty and stayed
twelve hours over time some others who
were refused permission to 60 ashore Jump
ed off aud stayed as long as they pleased.
All these were punished just alike. We had
| to take two hours on and two hours off all
night on deck, and it was freezing cold.
Almost all Of the officers like to show their
authority before us, and we are ordered
! about as though we were cattle. If we
had more privileges we would be cncourag-
ed, but we've only tue position Of war
rant officer to look forward to as the very
boatswaln or sail maker is not the most
wonderful thing in the world to q live
boy"
"Well, you knew about what you were
undertaking when you shipped, did you
ots .,.,>, rsl. .Is=-.. 81 ,-l
the boys, Va fine, athletic fellow, with
flashing eyes. "There Is the yacht Wave,
which sails up the Hudson or some other
river, drops anchor, and lies there for
boys to admire her. Then the officers
talk 80 sweetly about some of us coming
some day to be commander OF such q
beautiful craft, and it makes US wild to go
to sea. We've got nickname for the
Wave-we call her the Coaxer, or the Boy
Catcher. 1t is supposed, too, that boys
not under l6years Old are taken on, but
some Of us are only ! s. Almost all the
boys who ran away at Newport were un
der 15"
The reporter asked If the boys had any
brutal treatment to complain of. "Well,"
SAID the leader, "there was smart young
fellow named Ike Mason, from Pough-
keepsie, on the cruise with us two years
ago from Fayal to Halifax on the train
ing ship, and he was taken sick. He
| went to the doctor three times, and was
refused medicine. A day or two afterward
he died Of typhoid fever. and was buried
at sea-"
''Is your food satisfactory z"
Unsatisfactory !" exclaimed boy who
looked as though he might be a good
trencherman. II haven't had enough to
aat since I've been here. What's mush
and milk, hominy and salt pork, packed
in 1902 You can smell 1t half a mile
when it is unpacked. I've lost fifteen
pounds since left the Minnesota"
'What do you consider your greatest
hardship2"
"Our debts, sir" instantly answered
half dozen voices. "Our uniforms
cost US $2l 90 when we 20 on board
the training ship. Our pay is small, and
what through fines and outing off our
money for little offences, some Of us who
have been two years IN training haven't a
cent coming to us on the ships books. A
boy gets discouraged when lie gets 80
much in debt. He becomes reckless, and
we don't blame the fellows for deserting"