The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-12

with unooncealed disgust by the officer Of
the deck to whom they present themselves,
happen to be around. 1t has happened that
deck officers to whom deserters have an
ho9 nov themselves on IeceiVIng shaps nave I'VE
the master alarms, rather than engage in
the job OF hunting up records and undergo
ing all the rest of the worry incident to the
suTrendering of deserters. This, of course,
is strictly forbidden by the regulations, for
both in the army and navy deSerters who
come into camp or aboard ship are required
to be immediately confined nd held for or
ders from Washington. But II Is very often
arrange t s and the higher cher au
Enlisted men in both the army and navy
detest deserters who surrender themselves
detest them for their lack of gameness.
Moreover, deserter occasionally gives him
self up at an army post where the guard
house happens to be free of prisoners, or
aboard ship where the brig, or place or
confinement, may be temporarily without
any occupants. He then makes guard duty
for additional sentries. soldiers or marines,
and thereby brings upon himself additional
dislike and animosity.
Even in foreign ports it often happens
that are PERM 70 nepar on IrH ,
part of commanding officers to hold them
(even though it be known that they are
about to desert) or to bring them back to
the ship after they have deserted. As
matter of courtesy the police authorities or
foreign countries make every effort to ap-
prehend deserters from ships spreading the
flags of countries with which their own ma
ton may be upon good terms. but assistance
of this character is not often asked by
American commanders whose ships are full-
handed.
THE WAY 1T IS DONE.
When a bluejacket or marine has decided
to desert he says very little about 1t, even
to intimate friends among his shipmates.
but for some mysterious reason that has
never been. satisfactorily explained and
probably never will be the word is nearly
always passed around among the men for
ward that so-and-so is about to go over the
side. Occasionally the same news will get
aft to the wardroom, but officers have dis
covered the futility of bothering their heads
about intending desert ars. The intending
deserter always waits until he attains the
first class on the conduct class list OF his
ship, which permits him to draw all of the
money uue MIN e1cepi q Iion,h pay llla.
is always carried on the paymasterS BOOKS
for all hands. Meantime 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 almost nothing
to shipmates or gives away. The things he
can use, as, for example, underwear, he
does UP in a small package, together with
what few family photographs, letters and
trinkets he may possess and wish to keep
and gives the bundle to the bum boatman,
who stocks dinghy with tobacco, SOAP
brushes and such small articles and sells
them at eXorbitant prices to men Forward
ex -bluejacket or marine himself, is always
on the side of the man who proposes jump
ing ship, and he takes good careAof the in
tending deserter's bundle until the man
claims 1t ashore. The bum boatman 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
without waiting for his discharge. He
makes a small commission on the outfit.
" onthy money day comes around and he
intending deserter draws all the money he
has earned except the months pay re-
taiped.
Then comes the day upon which he is en-
titled to go ashore. He goes and simply
forgets to come back. The officer of his
division reports him absent without leave
for ten days-and every time he does so
there is a general grin along the lines Of
men forward assembled al quarters-and
then he Is marked on the ships log as de-
serter. The chief master-at-arms. who mas
probably known all about 1t since the day
of the deserters departure. goes through
the form of looking through the wire lock-
or of the man who has gone and, OF course,
finds nothing, except perhaps, an old cap
ribbon a worn forage cap or soiled watch
mark or rating badge. If the deserter ever
gives himself UP he may have to serve from
one TO three years at the naval prison at
Mare island or ct Boston. but he Is not
hunted. Marines who desert from navy
Yards however are carefully sought for by
the civil authorities of the town contiguous
a he