Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-12-12

Johann Beck's Story of His Ey'
traordinary Ocean Voyage.
TRAVELLED IN A PACKING CASE

stovvnway Tells His Experiences
During sixteen Days In ships h"io'
Felt Hands of Watch to FOLLOW
Nights and Days-Built Air Castles
While Rats Gnawed At His Cage.
The following interview with Johann
Beck, the packing box man." IS the
first authentic statement made by MN
since his arrival in the United states
on the steamship Palatia. He SAID the
other day: II have made no statement
whatever up to this time. IT nave
been quoted, the interviews were false.
Until now l have not been permitted
by the doctors to talk, and. BESIDES !
could not have done so had wished
to-"
Here is a verbatim account Of his
story in part as related to the New
York World ON the top floor of st.
Mary's hospital, Hoboken, N. D.:
81 came to America in box" said
Beck to reporter, because felt that
there was hope for me in this country
and nowhere else. Times are very bad
In Germany. was in Hamburg since
last January, and In all that time hao
no regular employment worked
few days or weeks. then was idle Tor
weeks. l saved my money MS well as
could but never could keep any
thing.
Johanna? She Is my sweetheart
~ <, fol "a
She is at home now with her family IN
Wissmar, Mecklenburg. Germany. She
was sick in Hamburg. where she had
employment. and she had to undergo
an operation in the Ve"elns hospital.
Then she went home
"As soon as l can make some money
l shall send for Johanna. and we shaii
be married. l met her first III HAM
burg last winter. and there she prom
Used to marry me. But we were poor.
Her illness took all her money. and
could not have anything because
earned barely enough to pay for my
lodging.
"'Why not go to America and earn
money and send for Johanna:
thought. But how should get to
America? Steerage passage was l2o
marks. and never had more than ~
or 30 marks at time. 1t was early
in November that l began to think OF
sending myself to America in box
as freight. Where l got the idea &c
not know. The more I thought OF the
plan the better it seemed. l have goot
self control. | was not afraid. weigh
only 100 pounds when l am In health
and l felt sure that l could easily b'
carried around without danger of being
dropped or hurt.
81 went to the office Of the Hamburg
American line on Tuesday. Nov. L. ant
learned that there was no expires
steamer that week, but that the steam
shin Palatia, Captain Reessing, woul
sail for America on the following SAL
urday. She would take fourteen day
or less, they told me-perhaps oni
twelve days. had very little none!
and made up my mind that coul
not wait for the next express steame
For tive marks bought In a secont
hand lumber yard the packing box
: which l came here. For 30 pfennlgs
J, bought a few strips OF thin stun aDo'
t two inches wide and an eighth OF a
!. inch thick to make the false bottom 9
f: the box Ida sort of rack in Wnlcn
T. could carry collars. stationery. .necku'
4 and other things that are easily lnJurt
J. and which must not be put down III II
: box with me. For few more pfennli
l bought four latches,. or thumbscre"
q to fasten the lid on to the box. had
; ewes for these latches to fasten IN, D
II the storekeeper gave me eight nal
1t which l afterward drove against ca
e other in loops like eyes. carried
r hacking box home to my lodgings
the evening Of Wednesday, Nov. Is.
re told my landlady was going to 81
u all my belongings over to America.
r. rent was paid UP to Saturday night,
rs she did not care.
lie II began to fit up the box on Thu
by day morning. A carpenter friend
~ mine lent me the tools. cut up str
'p- Of the thin stuff for battens and mai
he them on the inside of the box LID
ce that it was all solid like door, The
elk built the false bottom, or rack. on
ce box lid and put in it all my small
by longings. bought for 25 pfenn'gs
ed piece of thick. coarse cotton clotl
ng feet 6 inches long and 3 feet wide
tut got an armful of hay in stable
err. carried 1t home. ! packed 1t IN the
The tom of the box for bed and tucked
tire cotton cloth around 1t.
ind IL bought provisions for my box
as store around the corner from my &C
I'M ing. paid mark Is pfennigs for II
mt teen pints Of settler water, ~ prem
Use for one pound Of dates and 2 marks
he two and half pounds of chocolate
md knew that the chocolate alone W.
I'm sustain life. but added the dates
hey luxury.
on II worked all day Friday and u