The times., 1898-11-27
JOHN WILSON'S EXPERIENCE.
PoId Sailor Boy of the. Dolphin
.SLunwhnicd.'

"ShNnghnicd."
One of the tars on board the United
States steamer Dolphin, which is now
lying at the navy yard in this city, has
lust recovered from the effects of
"shanghaiing" experience, which reads
like a chapter from one of Marryat's
novels.
John Wilson is one of Uncle Sans
bluejackets and has been on board ;he
Dolphin for many years. Last week, the
vessel being in port at Washington and
everything ship shape, Wilson received
shore leave to go to New York and spend
THANKSGIVING with his mother, who lives
In Brooklyn.
All went well until Wilson ran afoul
of some old comrades and the party
started TO have a good time on shore.
Here the narrative lapses, and two days
are supposed to elapse before the plot
winds its thrilling way.
Wilson woke up with fearful thirst
and large head and found himself on
board the good ship Tam o'Shanter.
bound for Yokohama. Wilson did not
want to go to Yokohama, but was told
that he was one of the crew of the vessel
and had signed articles. He then realized
that he had been "shanghaied" in the
good ola way anu dl Oltt SCI dbeut tt-
vising some means of escape from the
vessel. which was lying at anchor In
New York harbor.
He discovered three other members of
the crew who claimed to have been
.shanghaied," and the four awaited an
opportunity to escape This came early
Thursday morning. when, the mate being
below they lowered n boat and began the
dash for liberty.
Wilson got into the boat in safety, but
the second man down the rope upset the
little craft, and he and Wilson fell into
| the water Wilson chung to the boat.
which drifted off with the tide, and the
other man clung to the anchor chain until
rescued by the crew of the Tam O'Shan-
| ter. The two other sailors in the plan
| were drowned.
Wilson finally ged to right the boat
| and climbed into it. He sat in the stern
seat, and, being overcome by the intense
cold, lost consciousness, while the little
craft drifted around
The tug Edward NJ. Timmins sighted
the boat a few hours later and found
Wilson covered with a thick coating of
ice Capt. Roche OF the tug, took him
| on board, where he was melted out and
! recovered consciousness through the use
of hot drinks. 1t was supposed that Wilson
would die from exposure. but he recov-
| cred and was turned over to the harbor
| police.
He was then brought to the Brooklyn
navy yard, where his statements were
| found to be true, and he was placed on
| the receiving ship Vermont.
| Capt. Ballard, of the Tam o oShanter.
| Sentured into the city on Friday to obtain
| four sailors. in place of the four who had
| disappeared. He was Immediately oues-
| toned anent the Shanghai business. and
| claimed 10 know nothing of it. Wilson.
he claimed, had been procured for him
| by boarding house keeper named Muir
| ply. This is the usual manner of OBJ
| tanning sailors and he had no suspicion of
any crooked work. He paid Murphy $40.
| which the latter claimed Wilson owed
| him.
| The New York Harbor commissioners
| will investigate this case thoroughly and
will nip this revival of "shanghaiins" in
! the bud. 1t is claimed that the boarding
| house keepers use dummies" or men
| made up TO impersonate some drugged
| sailor. These dummies sign articles and
| the drugged originals are carried on
| board ship. Wilson was signed under the
| name of Wilson.
AT the receiving ship Vermont, Wilson
sent to friends for transportation to
| Washington and he arrived here yester-
! day just in time to save himself from
| being marked deserter. He has had
| all the shore leave he cares for. and will
| stick to the Dolphin for awhile.