The San Francisco call., 1898-03-30
Jack Cole, a Farmer of Madeira, Escapes From
 a Whaler.
Claims to Have Been Taken Aboard When Drunk and
 Drugged.
Lost All His Money and Clothes and Now Awaits AdVtces From His
 Friends

Jack Cole, hailing from Madeira. claims that he was shanghaied aboard the whaler Alexander while partially drunk and drugged, and that he escaped from her by swimming ashore at z a. m. Tues day.
 According to Coles statement. he came up from Madeira a day or two ago with s127 in his pocket for the purpose of hav- ing a good time. He had only a casual acquaintance in the city, and when he landed here he allowed himself to be per- suaded to accompany smooth-spoken hotel runner to a hostelry on Jackson street, of which he appears to have but a hazy knowledge. No sooner had the run ner made his acquaintance than he ap- parently recognized in Cole good thing and determined to work 1t for all 1t was worth. The runner began by inviting Cole to take a drink of waterfront whisky, and after two or three rounds Coles recollection of what occurred is quite befogged.
 The runner stuck to Cole, who spent his money literally and recklessly. Mon- day morning they renewed their libations, and 1t must have been that Coles money was about exhausted and that the runner made up his mind it would be a good idea to get rid of him and make an additional raise at the same time. Cole says he has very hay recollection of being taken to shipping office, he thinks at Battery and Jackson streets, where he remembers signing an advance check for $50 and also shipping papers for cruise on a whaler. The advance money he did not get, and supposeS 1t went to the runner who took him there. He was taken at once on stream, where he soon fell into deep sleep. It was well along in the evening when he awoke and for the first time realized where he was. A few questions Of the other members of the crew showed the predicament he was in.
 Cole knew no more about ship an- a sailors duties than he did about, the nebular hypothesis, and at once made up his mind that he would get ashore in some way. His head was still buzzing from the effects of the liquor and drugs which he believed he had taken, but his mind was set on getting ashore. and find ing that there was no other way, he de- cided to make a swim for 1t. His com pan1ons tried to dissuade ilim, saying that he would surely drown; but he was de- cided. He thought he might better drown than go on a whaling voyage. About 2 o'clock a. m., when all hands were sup posed to be asleep, he took off his outer clothes and, with only his undercIothing on, let himself down by the chains at the bow of the vessel and started for shore He says he thinks he was all of an hour in the water, which was bitterly cold, and must have swum two or three miles, but he was determined to get ashore, and finally landed at one of the wharves- which one he does not know, but thinks it was the Jackson-street.
 Once on shore, a watchman gave him a pair Of oyerallS, and he warmed himself in a saloon. When daylight came he hunted up an acquaintance, who gave him some old clothes, and then he started out to communicate with his people at Ma dera- He expects to hear from them to- morrow, when he will lose no time in getting back to his home as rapidly as possible
 The parties who shipped Cole pretended to furnish him with an outfit for the cruise, but when he examined the bag after coming to himself the whaler he found that 1t only contained a dirty old quilt, an old oilskin suit, a second hand pair of boots and a plug of tobacco.