The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-05-10
A DESERTER IS DROWNED
SOLDIER FROM THE SENATOR
LOST IN THE CHANNEL.
Was Private David l.. Johnson-Fre-
quently Said he Would not go to
Manila-Was Drunk.

Private David l.. Johnson, Company
!, 18th u. S. Infantry was. drowned
i'm the channel yesterday afternoon, ap-
parently in an attempt to desert from
the army and the transport Senator, as
the latter was leaving for Manila.
It is said that Johnson was
drunk at the time the Senator sailed
and was taken aboard from the police
station by a corporals guard. He had
repeatedly said that he would not go to
Manila and apparently he had created
a feeling among his comrades that they
did not care to have him go.
The circumstances fof his drowning
are thus narrated by Captain John G.
Lorenzen, the pilot who took the SEN
atOr out to sea- The Senator left the
Oceanic wharf about ten minutes after
4. The pilot boat as usual, was towing
ceeded out the channel, was towing
along the side by line made fast near
the bow on the starbOard side. The
boat itself was probably abreast the
bridge of the steamship and twelve or
sixteen feet from the side of the YES
sci. The vessel was going at half
speed and had got as far as the fourth
buoy, the fifth being the last The mate
of the vessel was forward on the main
deck on the starboard side making
fast the anchor in position
AT this point the mate and the boat
men in the pilot boat called out Man
| overboard!' / at once went to the side
and saw the soldier. He had let him
self down on the line towing the pilot
boat and when I saw him he was just
about letting go of it and dropping in
| to the water | called out to the boat
| boys to let go the line. which they did,
and instantly signalled to the engineer
| to stop his engines, which was done
! instantly. The soldier was heavily
! dressed, had on his coat, but as he
| reached the water, seemed to me to
| strike out swimming. OF course the
| pilot boat was under way and did not
| stop instantly when the line was cast
| off, and it was some seconds before the
| boys could get her under control of the
oars and in position. The soldier pass
ed between the ship and the pilot boat
and as the pilot boat passed him, the
| boat boys reached out to grab him and
| one of them actually had his hands on
| the soldiers back, but was unable to
| get hold of him.
THE soldiers on board of whom there
| were scores along the rail, who saw
their comrade go overheard, did not
| call, and when the boat boys and mate
did he soldiers cried hush" as though
they did not want the military officers
who were on the upper deck. to know
that man was overheard. They seem
| ed to believe he was trying to desert
and were willing that he should.
THE boys in the pilot boat searched
around for the man for some time, but
he sank before they could get the boat
about and go back to where he had
| been passed by the steamer and the
pilot boat. After he sank he never rose
again. can hardly think he was
drawn in by the suction of the propei-
Ter and struck by the blades, for he
must have been six or eight feet from
the side of the vessel and the propeller
was stopped and dragging through the
water by the time it passed him. Still
this may have been his fate.
THE Senator waited some time in the
channel and then waited outside fol
the Ohio. The pilot boat, after maklnl
a thorough search, followed the Sen4
tor outside and brought me back"
The pilot boat boys say that after
the soldier struck the water, he mad,
two or three strokes as if to swim, anC
then seemed to collapse, and sank. Hi
pipe, common brierwood pipe, float
ed free from his pocket and they pick
ed 1t up. They gave it to his comrades
aboard the Senator, among whom ther
was quite a clamor for it as sOuve
mir.
A young man who worked his pass
age here on the Senator says tha
Johnson came from Illinois. He receiv
ed his pay yesterday.
letter was sent by Colonel Smitl
to Colonel Rubin here by Pilot Loren
; zen, giving Johnsons name and com
pany, and asking that Colonel Ruhlil
make efforts to recover the body an,
properly care for it,
Colonel Rubin has offered a rewar
of $40 for the recovery of the body an
today has two boats crews out look
ing for it under the direction of me-
from the quartermaster's department