Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-06-13
DESERVING Is AN ART.
ENLISTED MEN co ABOUT 1T WITH
GREAT clScUMSPEcTICN.

decided to desert, he says very little
about it, even to his intimate friends
among his shipmates, but, for some
mysterious reason that has never been
satisfactorily explained. and probably
lever will be, the word is nearly al
ways passed around among the men
forward that So-and-So is about to go
over the side. Occasionally the same
news will get aft to the wardroom, but
officers have discovered the futility of
bothering their heads about intending
heserters. The intending deserter al
ways waits until he attains the first
class on the conduct class list of his
ship, which permits him to draw all Of
the money due him except a months
pay, that is always carried on the pay
masters books for all hands. Mean
time he makes his preparations for the
jump. He usually goes in light
marching order. Such articles of his
kit as mastering suits, pea coats, ETC.,
that are of any value he sells for al
most nothing to his shipmates or gives
away. The things he can use, as, for
example, underwear, he does up in o
small package, together with what few
family photographs, letters, and trink-
cts he may possess and wish to keep,
and gives the bundle to the bumboat
man, who stocks dinghy with to-
bacco, soap, brushes, and such small
articles, and sells them at exorbitant
prices to men forward on warships.
The bumboat man, often an ex-blue-
jacket or marine himself, is always on
the side of the man who purposes
jumping ship, and he takes good care
of the intending deserter's bundle un-
til the man claims it ashore. The
bumboat man also undertakes to look
around ashore for a cheap outfit of
clothes, shoes, and hat for the man
who is about to leave the navy with
out waiting for his discharge. He
makes a small commission on the out
fit. Monthly money" day comes
around, and the intending deserter
draws all the money he has earned,
except the months pay retained.
Then comes the day upon which he
is entitled to go ashore. He goes and
simply forgets to come back. The Of
6cer of his division reports him abb
sent without leave for ten days-and
every time he does so there is q gen.
eral grin alone the lines of men for
ward assembled at quarters-and then
he is marked on the ships log as de-
serter. The chief master-of arms, who
has probably known all about it since
the day of the deserter's departure,
goes through the form of looking
through the wire locker of the man
who has gone, and of course finds
nothing except, perhaps, an old cap
ribbon, worn forage cap, or soiled
watch mark or rating badge. If the
deserter gives himself up he may have
to serve from one to three years at the
naval prison at Mare Island or at Bos-
ton, but he is not hunted. Marines
who desert from navy yards, however,
are carefully sought for by the civil
authorities of the town contiguous to
the yard.
A soldier in the army goes about the
business of desertion with great care,
complaisance and circumspection. A
soldier does not often have much
money when he makes his escape, for
his pay is small, and the money-con.
suming canteen is never far from the
quarters. AS often as not he will leave
all of the truck IN his chest behind, for
there is nobody answering to the char
acter of the bumboat man to help him
in getting away. He will always wait
for pay day, so as to have few dollars
quietly walks to the railroad station
and puts as many miles between him
self and the post he has quit as his
money will carry him. By the time
he has reached the station his bunkies
have ,swooped down upon his chest
and looted it Of everything of value,
for the dese1ter has told them of his
intention to go and has left explicit
directions as to the distribution of his
gear. He does not Land it around be.
fore going, because by doing so he
might excite the suspicion of the first
sergeant, who generally has keen
eye in such matters.
A few years ago there was a,corporal
who deserted from Fort Wingate in
heavy marching gorder-blanket haver.
sack, knapsack, overcoat, suit of un-
derwear, pair of socks, towel, comb
and brush, lcggings, campaign hat
and cartridge belt, tin cup and plate,
and rihe-but he was unique.
Not many years ago recruit at
David's Island (now Fort Slocum), N.
Y, received word that his mother was
dying in little town in New Jersey.
He showed the captain Of his company
the letter and asked for leave of ab-
sence long enough to so to his moth
es's bedside. The captain, who
feared that the telegram was bogus,
declined to let the recruit go. The
recruit appealed to the commanding
ing officer, who refused to let him 60
on the same ground. SO, in the mid
die of winter, the recruit swan the
heavy tide that runs between David's
Island and New Rochelle and made
IL