Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-07-12
A ASTOWAWAY SLEUTH
ODD VOCATION OF AN OLD SAN FRAN
CISCO 8OATMAN.


man pursues "A queer vocation. lie is n
water front character" and his bust
ness is the sleuthing OF stOwaways.
He doesn't run his prey to earth.
however, after the manner of other
hunters OF human game. Tie runs it TO
water
This weather hardened. wrinklcd man
is at once the terror and the friend of
would be stOwaways. He is known As
Captain Jack, but his name has half a
dozen variations. all of which smack Of
the salt, salt sea. These are some Of
his aliases: Wharf Rat. Water Fowl.
Sea Dog. Whaler. old Man Jack and
The BOatmau.
His stock in trade consists of his
shrewdnesS in "spotting stow" aud
battered but seawOrthy old boat which
rides the water by night and day
through successive seasons. The towns
attractions do not lure him from lis
long accustomed hauutS Among the
mastS. figGvch"aiS. p.cis AMI piles.
sails. nets. striE-,rs and multitudinous
varieties of merchandise that crowd
the bays edge.
Captain Jack came out OF his sea
shell OF reserve l0n@ enough the other
day To tell a bit of what he knows
about that venturcSomc creature Of
chance. the Stowaway. who would
fain voyage out OF port without the
previous fOrnality Of paying for pas
senwcr privii, -.s.
I've been in this business "A long
time" he said. IAN | can centrally
spot stow
"lpinerent ones has different meth
ods. Some hangs round the docks
afore ship sails. ofrcrin to lend n
hand, OF propoSin to work n passage
somcwhereS When they find this
don't go The way they want il to. they
commence to talk big-in0uire bout
sea weather. the cost of Il cruise rho
time II takes 70 git TO the islands or
Alaska or Panama. They're always
just a-goin TO make the trip. Bur
there's sOmethin 80 hungry an home
sick an tired lookin about 'em that #
gives 'em dead away-lcastwavs il
does TO a person who's spent a good
many years studyin their kind.
Others, though, wait tn the last
minute, then come hustlin along as If
they was too rushed to buy Il ticket
or as If they had one IN their pocket
why, I've even been asked 10y 'em to
row EN- out TO ship after she'd got
clear out into the stream. If n skipper
happens TO be good natured. he'll slack
up an take passengers aboard. An
after all that bother I've had 10 bring
'em back again, for nary n red did they
have.
This class OF deadheads is centrally
supplied with clothes, gripsacks. hat
boxes, steamer trunks. canes. urnbrcl-
las, cameras. foldin chairs an some
times servant"
Not n valetF"
Sure. That's what we sailors call
putin on a terrible lot of dog. Them's
the fellers that always has friends
'mong guvnors. rajahs lords. dukes
an conSulS, an likewise money To burn
but always across the water some
where's. don't mind the men. but
hate TO tackle n woman"
Women stowawaysF"
Sure. When the Klondike boom
was ON, l used To bring in as many
women us men. Some was only
girls-litue slim things. goin TO the
Icy gold mines with no more outfit
than the thin clothes they stood IN.
The easiest part Of the slows plan
III maxim an escapeis the gittin aboard.
Nobody knows who's who the day
ships leavin port. If she's crowded
SO much the better. The stow can
hide in the hold without bein spied.
But It's mighty hard To Kit past the
Heads, for by that time the ships
been searched an the slows yanked out
on deck"
Captain Jack spoke truly. The
stowaway who passes the Heads has
run the gantlet safely-unlcSs an in
coming vessel be at hand to convey
the intruder back again.
When the final gong has been sound
ed, the warning "An visitors ashorer
given. the gangplank withdrawn.
the last rope loosened and the screw
turned. the vessels interior is care
fully explored. Meanwhile Captain
Jacks weather beaten boat is speed
Ing in It's wake If stOwaway be
discovered a signal is sent from the
pilots bridge and Captain Jack is
quickly alongside \ rope ladder is
lowered. and. toward it the purser or
other officer and his aids escort the
discounted STOW"
Every day" continued Jack, 81
fetch in men an women that want TO
git away. They're broke. an thought
they'd try their luck in some other
place. | lump most Of 'em off at
Meiggs' wharf. It's a heap easier for
me an for the slows. There's more
lumber there an fewer folks to stare
Some Of 'em turns out all right. an
some is afterward fished out OF the
bay. Then they so to the coroner.
y dead man, II seems. is worth more
TO the city than live one"
And thus II is that the stowaways
sooner or later all journey with Cap
tain Jack-sOme TO begin life ali over
again. others TO lie for a brief time
on marble slab at the morgue
marked "Unidentifed."- San Fran
cisco Examiner.
On her wedding day the Danish peas
ant Girl wears "A Sin,ple ernNx.n 90 ,,,,.,.