The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1893-07-07
he WOULD NOT LEAVE THE COLONY.
A Prisoner Who Climbed T. C%ocoanut Tree
and Dcfied u Regiment.

A Prisoner VIII Climbed & Cocoanut Tree
and Defed IL Regiment.
1t is the custom in the British army
that whenever Il regiment is transferred
from II colony to another prisoners
who may be in the Jail are handed over
to the outgoing corps and continue their
sentences at the new station. In one
case n Of these jailbirds made up his
mind that he would not leave the colony.
Private johnson was one of the smart
est men IN the corps, and furthermore
he was al excellent groom and almost
a Gordon bleu." He had one sad fail.
ing. He was IL thief. His p%eculations
had, however, been generally small, and
he had escaped serious punishment. One
night a large store i'll the town was bro
ken into and II considerable amount of
money stolen. 1t was conclusively
proved that johnson was the thief, and
he was sent to Jail. When the regiment
was leaving the colony, johnson, with
some other soldier prisoners, was to be
handed over according to custom. When,
however, his cell was visited, it was
Viiilty, III tItIC was III " SlSl VI
Johnson anywhere.
A search was made in every direction,
and at last a prisoner pointed to a cocoa
nut tree which grew in the middle of
the prison yard, and there comfortably
seated among the tuft of leaves was
Johnson. The warden at first tried to
get the man down by quiet persuasion,
then ha thraota,al tlar ct,r,,n1 an1
swore. Johnson laughed c~ontentedly at
every mood, but did not move. The fact
was reported to 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 it was consonant with his dig
nifty to wash a prisoner out of a cocoa
nut tree and reported that there was not
pressure of water enough to get a stream
to the top Of the tree. This was proba-
bly, true, for g tree was n tall one.
The case WAS again referred to the CO.
lonial secretary, who took it 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 CHANGING over the docu.
ment he added the following instruc-
tons: 'Cut the fellow down. | mean
the tree"
This could only be done by the cngi.
neering department, SO Orlerlies were
sent out to find the chief engineer
While all this was going on, time was
slipping away. Almost all the troops
We're on board the troopship, and ~ thes
vessels wait for no II the escort which
had been sent to bring Johnson down t.
the ship had to hurry off, not to he lat,
itself. Johnson beloved q farewell. ant
despite the strong language Of the ward
en- still laughed and did not move. Be
fore the engineer department had com
to a conclusion as to how to cut dow
the tree and lower it gradually, TIN
troopship had up anchor and WAS steam
ing out OF the harbor.
Then johnson climbed down the tret
and finished his sentence on the island
to which he had taken a fancy. His con
viction had carried with it his "dischargr
with ignominy." He settled in the islam,
and vas 500 in easy circumstances. H
had undoubtedly hidden his stolen prop
erty, and after his release dug it up an,
started in business. When johnson wa
last seen, he was fourishing and had
large c%ocoanut grove around his cottage
New York Tribune.