Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1893-03-23
PRICE ONE CENT
he woulD nor lsAvs ms eoless.


q
aud Defed a Regiment.
II Is the custom in the British array
that whenever a regiment Il transferred
from one colony % another prisoners
who may b in the JAN are handed over
10 the outgoing corps and continue their
sentences az the new station. ln ous
case one Of these iailbirls made up his
mind that he would not leave the colony.
Private johnson was one of the smart.
est men IN the corps. aud furthermars
ne was an excellent groom and almust
q Gordon eleu." He had one sal fsli.
ing. He was thiCf HIS pcculations
had, however. been generally small. ana
he had escaped serious punishment one
night large store in the town was bro
ken into and considerable amount ~
money stolen ID was c0nclusively
proved that johnson was the thief. ana
he was sent 10 Jail. When the regiment
was leaving the colony, johnson. with
some other soldier prisoners. was O. be
handed over according to custom. When.
however. his cell was visited. it was
empty, and there was not sign 10
johnson anywhere.
A search was made in every direction.
and at last prisoner pointed o. a cocua-
nut tree which grew in the middle 0f
the prison yard. and there comfortably
seated among the tuft Of leaves was
johnson. The warden at first tried a.
get the man down by quiet persuasion.
then he threatened. then stormed and
swore. johnson laughed cOntentedly az
every mood, but did not move. The fact
was reported 10 the colonial secretary,
who recommended that the FIRE engine
be called out and the man washed down.
The chief Of the fire department hardly
thought 1t was cOnsOnaut with his dig
nifty TO wash a prisoner out of cocoa
nut tree and reported that there was not
pressure of water enough 10 get a stream
TO the top Of the tree. This was proha-
bly, true. for the tree was "A tan one
The case was again referred 10 the CO.
lonial secretary. who took Il before the
governor. His excellency was having
luncheon with some Of the departing
officers and their friends and was having
a good time. He was vexed that at such
a time he should be troubled with official
work, as hastily glancing over the docu-
ment he added the following instruc-
tions: "Cut the fellow dowu. mean
the tree"
This could only be done by the emai-
neering department, so orderlies were
sent ont 60 find the chief engineer.
While all this was going On, time was
slipping away Almost all the troops
were on board the troopship. aud as thes
vessels wait for no one the escort which
had been sent 20 bring johnson down 20
the ship had 10 hurry oif. not to De lato
itself. johnson beloved a farewell, and
despite the strong language Of the ward
EN- still laughed and did not move. Be
fore the engineer department had come
to a conclusion as 10 how 20 cut down
the tree and lower IL gradually, the
troopship had up anchor-and was steam
ing ont Of the harbOr.
Then johnson climbed down the tree
and finished his sentence on the island,
to which he had taken a fancy. His con
yiction had carried with II his discharge
with ignominy." He settled I'm the island
and was soon in easy circumstances. He
had undoubtedly hidden his stolen prop
erty, and after his release dug IL up and
started in business. When johnson was
last seen, he was fourishing aud had a
large cocoanut grove around his cottage
New York Tribune.