The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-12-01

W. ay when we left the vessel at the pier.
I promised not 70 N / could help, 1t, but one
Of my superiors was on the dock when we
got there and he directed me TO bracelet
the boy when we passed down the gang
plank, and there was nothing else Tor H.
I didn't hear the talk Of the passengers
lined up on the rail, but I'll bet there we're
some surprised expressions among them,
Western Hemisphere and about five million
plunkerinos,' the young fellow sayaReiy
remarked to me as ! put the irons on MN,
and, although he was a schemer and pretty
bad at bottom, ] couldn't help but Feel a
bit sorry for him n minute or so.
"A year or so after that ] brought a man
from Yokohama who had done a big thing
In the way Of bond forging about three
years before here In New York. He was
finished duck of about forty, and he capti-
waited all the passengers on tho Empress OF
China on the first night out by his clever
singing Of Chink and Jap songs to his own
accomplishments on the piano. lie was a
lot on the sing, but he wasn't half as good
a singer ~ he was a poker player.
There were half u dozen naval Officers
a number OF American and British mer-
chants. and a lot Of tourists on the steamer,
and my man took the spare change OF most
Of them at the game of draw before we
pulled into Vancouver. i watched his
game throughout and 1t was absolutely on
the level. But there were two or three
hard losers aboard and the mute rings OF
these reached the shippers ears the day
before We got into Vancouver. The captain
was the only man besides myself and the
purser who knew that the man was a
prisoner, and he sent for the man. went
along with him to the shippers cabin,
You've been robbing my passengers,
said the captain TO my prisoner.
You're n liar the man came. back
at the captain 30 swift hat the old man
turned white.
Right then l hoped him, for ] saw that
there was going 20 be a heap OF an alter
cation In that cabin. / snapped the irons
OH him and took him to his cabin, where
i handed him a few lines OF conversation.
I knew, as | say, that he had played fair
with the passengers who had sat into poker
games With him, but nevertheless Induced
him TO put into envelopes the approximate
amounts Of his winnings from each OF them
and these envelopes | slowed with the
purser to be handed back to the losers after
] had left the ship with my man.
Il don't suppose the recipients OF those
envelopes AVE ever played cards with
strangers on ships since. It's foolish TO
say that a prisoner shouldn't be permit ted
such circumstances. No mans q crook
until he's convicted, and if travellers are
idiotic enough to play cards with strangers
that's their lookout.
Another time I brought from Honolulu
TO San Francisco a young New York physi-
az W lNN h'NAAANb - 'I - -
loin game. had done a lot Of check-kiting
for big money and Jumped for II. We
made the trip up on the Australia. II hap
pened that the surgeon Of the Australia
was taken down with the mumps the first
day out, and the captain asked me II my
Mantle skipper was next TO the sltua,
ton, at ~that-would volunteer 10 attend
the sick during the trip up. My man was
only too glad 10, and he had a busy time
of il, for we got the tail-end Of a typhoon
the second night out and that was about
the sickcst ships company ! ever saw,
There was one old gentleman, a proml-
nent coast financier, who, on account OF
his heart disease, went pretty close to the
dead line when he was taken down with
the sickness Of the sea, and my medical
prisoner had to go the limit to keep the
breath in him. The old fellow was eX-
ceedingly grateful and offered the young
man all sorts Of Inducements 70 remain
In San Francisco when We got there and
set up a shingle.
I'D like to- ne replied, g%rinning az me
rather m~ournfully, but ] have some very
pressing engagements in New iork-ohe
In particular
when, at San Francisco. he found out that
was taking the young doctor who had
virtually saved his life back TO New YORK
for trial on a pretty serious set OF charges,
hut he was a sta and when he got over
his establishment he remarked TO me quietly
tina he'd see what could be done for the
Young fellow. When the prisoner got 10
New York he was called upon by the old
San Franciscan's New York lawyer, and
inside OF "A month or 20 the bad mess Wa
Strengthened out. through the aid OF the
old C~alifornian's checkbook. and IA" young
medical sharp that ] brought from Homo
ulu that time Ia now In good pracuce In
San Francisco"