The evening times., 1897-03-06
ELEVEN DAYS In TIE HOLD
A Drunken Stevedore's Brave Fight
for Life in the Dark.
He Had Nothing TO Eat But Sugar
and Only Few Drops
of Drink.

Baltimore, March Officers Of the
North German Lloyd steamer Roland, which
arrived here from Bremen via New York
yesterday, tell an interesting story about a
man who unconsciously became stow
away on the vessel, and nearly starved to
death
on February %, after the vessel had
been cut eleven days from Bremerhaven,
the steward ofthe steerage quarters heard
a faint knocking under the hatch-covering
of the steerage deck. The covering was
quickly removed, and there appeared the
figure OF an emaciated man. Many OF the
passengers. among whom were a number OF
superstitious Poles, became frightened at
his singular appearance, and wanted the
hatoh-coverings placed on again, without
letting the man on deck. They declared
he was either satan or an evil spirit.
The man was unable TO talk and was inn
mediately putin charge OF DR.. Sudekm, the
ships surgeon, who in few days brought
him back to health and strength. At New
York the man was sent ashore in charge of
the immigration nofficialsanditisn is notknOwn
by the officers of the steamer what disposi-
ton they will make OF him. but il is likely
he win be sent back TO Bremerhayen, as it
was the mans wish to be returned there.
He said his name was Philip Heckei, and
in giving an account OF how he happened TO
be in the steamer 'shold, sal d he was steve
dore for the North German LloydliRe and
on February 3. while employed in loading
the steamer, he gotdrunk andwenttO sleep
on some bags of sugar in the lower hold.
swhen awoke." he continued, 1T was
some time before ] could recollect where L
was. ThenI started 10 work my way out.
l found the hatch covering had been put
over the opening to the lower deck and
everything about me was as black as night.
Ina short while 1 also became aware that
the ship was moving, and then il dawned
uponme thatthe ship had sailed while was
sleeping 1 Go not know how long i had
been asleep before waking, but il muSthave
been until the next day, when the vessel
sailed.
my next thought was to get out of the
hold and work myself toward the steeTage
deck hatch To do this had TO place my
shoulders under the heavy hatch coverings
OF three decks aud shove them away before
Isucoeededin getting to the steerage hatch.
Ittook me three days to accomplish it, and
then L became exhausted and fell down TO
the lower hold again. Fortunately L was
not hurt by the fall as l struck on the bags
of sugar In the meansime had not had
anything to eat except a small lunch which
/ had brought on the vessel with me. After
falling back on the lower deck l was ex-
hausted and hungry and began to eat sugar
from the bags by tearing them open with
my teeth was also suffering for the want
of water, the only thing had to drink be
ing what was left of the bottle OF kuemmel,
which had made me drunk and put me to
sleep.
II tried again to make my way up TO the
steerage deck hatch, and reached il after
several DAYS OF hard labor, and just as
was on the point of giving up through ex-
hauStion Through crack saw streak
OF ght. and with what little strength was
left me 1 beat against the hatch covering
to attract attention. IL my knocks had not
been heard immediately would not have
been able to stand the strain much longer,
for when was taken on deck twas aboutto
fall back to the lower hold again. In all
I had been ia the hold eleven days. with
nothing to eat hut sugar and with not
drop of water to quench my burning
thirst