The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1893-04-06
THE END.
WOULD NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

Military Prisoner Who Success
fully Defied Regiment TO Arrest
Him.
1t is custom in the British army
that whenever a regiment Is trans
ferred from one colony to another pris-
oners who may be in the jail are
handed over to the outgoing corps and
continue their sentences at the new
station. In one case, related by the
New York Tribune, one of these jail
birds made up his mind that he would
not leave the colony, Private Johnson
was one of the smartest men in the
corps, and, furthermore, he was an ex-
cellent groom and almost Il Gordon
bleu." He had one sad failing. He
was thief His regulations had, how
ever, been generally small, and he had
escaped serious punishment. One nighI
q large store in the town was broken
into and a considerable amount of
money stolen. 1t was concluSively
proven that Johnson was the thief and
he was sent to jail When the regi-
with some other soldier prisoners, was
to be handed over according to custom.
When, however, his cell was visited it
was empty. and there was not a sign
of Johnson anywhere A search was
made in every direction and at last
prisoner pointed to q cocoanut 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 he
threatened, then Stormed and sWore.
in the ranks of those who make their
mood, but did not move. The fact was
reported to tho colonial secretary, who
recommended that the fire engine be
called cut and the man washed down.
The chief of the fire department hardly
thought it was consonant with his dig
nifty to wash 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 probably true, for the tree was a
tall ono
The case was again referred to the
colonial secretary, who took it. before
the governor. His excellency was hay
ing luncheon with some of the depart
ing officers and their friends and was
having a good time. He was yexed
that at such a time he should be
troubled with official work, as hastily
glancing over the document he added
the following Instructions: "Cut the
id fellow down. l mean the tree"
This could only be done by the en-
cheering department, so orderlieS were
sent out to find the chief engineer.
While all this was going on time was
slipping away. Almost all the troops
were on board the troop ship, and,
as these vessels wait for no one, the
escort which had been sent to bring
Johnson down to the ship had to hurry
off. not to be late itself. Johnson bel
lowed a farewell, and despite the
strong language of the warden still
laughed and did not move. Before the
engineer department had come to a
conclusion as to how to cut down the
tree and lower it gradually, the troop
ship had up anchor and was steaming
out of the harbor. Then Johnson
climbed down the tree and finished
his sentence on the island, to which he
had taken fancy. His conviction had
carried with it his discharge with ig-
nominy." He settled in the island and
was soon in easy circumstances. He
had undoubtedly hidden his stolen
property, and after his release dug it
up and started in business. When
Johnson was last seen he was flourish
ing and had a large cocoanut grove
around his cottage.