The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-09-01

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ssGhine Sy inspestioa eftAs pspsrssvs
that Il was written In epanlsh ana had
several seals. but Il corresponded to
NO ships papers ever seen. Finding
that he could make NO headway against
the lack Of common speech the official
departed, leaving orders with the tide
waiter TO keep strict watch over the
cargo Of unknown character and value
beneath the matches, which he had
taken the usual precaution of sealing.
The next morning the whole party
was before the municipal magistrate,
! to whom the chief Of police explained
that IL had been engaged in q riot on
board the schooner Adriatico In the
harbor, that on complaint of the cop
tain he had arrested three members Of
| the crew and that others had volun-
teered to 90 to the calaboose and had
been accommodated. He did not know
the names of the prisoners nor any
thing about the disturbance which
could he understood. The court
looked toward the five prisoners and
the one who had been In the position
Of captain and complainant; the court.
In fact, was distinctly in a quandary
and was plainly seeking way out. But
the people of the Adriatico looked
upon this as permission to state their
case or cases, which they did at once
all six simultaneously. The uproar
was Immediately intolerablc, and 1t
took all the efforts of the police and
bystandcrs to bring the party to or
der. To add to the trouble the COM
planning witness got mixed with the
prisoners and the chief Of police could
not identify him again. In the last
commotion only one man seemed to
catch glimmer Of what the trouble
was, a local character Of Apia, Portu-
gee Joe. who was one-armed boat
man. Portugce Joe had never given
evidence of very much sense, and his
English was not only dialectic, but. like
most dialect, generally incompre-
hensiblc. He saluted the court with
the stump of his right arm, and an
nounced that one Of the prisoners was
a very fine gentleman, and that he
came from the Azores, the western
islands o. the kingdom of Portugal, and
the Algarves, and that he spoke Portu-
guese. and therefore he. Joe Pereira,
would vouch for him.
The Judge employed Joe 70 establish
communication with the party and In
particular to ask why they had been
arrested. Putting his little gray hat
between his bare feet Portugee Joe be-
gan an address, presumably In his ma
tive tongue, punctuating II by wild
sweeps of his amputated arm. As soon
as he finished the six began simulta-
neous clamor. When the police had
reduced them to the speechlessness
from which they were SO ready to
break, Joe picked up his hat and
tucked It under his arm. Then he drew
IL out and made low bow to the court
and said: ''The Portugee gentleman
he says he not know"
ASK the captain why he had them
arrested" continued the court.
Joe repeated his former perform
ance, the same clamor arose, and out
Of It came Joe with the answer: "The
Portugee gentleman he say cap'n ne
not know"
On this showing, and particularly as
no prisoners names appeared on the
docket, no charge on the charge sheet
and the complaining witness had been
mixed up with the prisoners, the court
turned them loose.
Learning that the humble Portuguese
was recognized AZ official interpreter
for the Adriatico, the collector of GUS
toms sent for him and gave him orders
for the captain Of the schooner to
bring his papers ashore. Nothing ever
brought such delight to the heart of
the poor, feeble-minded Joe as to be
asked to do service to some one in
authority; a command from q consul
was thing ever 10 be remembered
In this case Joe managed to combine
both, as he got the consul's approval
Of the collectors order, and had two
samoans to pull him of in state to
the schooner. Returning, he ushered
n party of three into the presence OF
the, collector.
"The Portuguese gentleman, he my
interpret. bring the cap'n, also the
cook. They bring the pape', pape' OF
the schoon' Adriatico."
"What did you bring the cook for
Joe?' asked the collector, who was
not used to doing business with tha,
functionary on vessels. Fetch chair
for the captain, and let the cook and
interpreter stand"
"But the Portugee gentleman he
tella ne tAs cook WY big man or
the schoon' ssme thing he boss al
over"
i Rather sighting the important cook
the collector motioned his acquaint.
nnce Of the night before to take q
chair, and told Joe to ask for the pa
lpers. But II was another who pro
duced the fat tin case in which these
important documents are commonly
carried. This developed the fact thai
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