The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-03-20
AN INSIDE VIEW

Few outsiders know OF the heartrend-
ing scenes enacted within the wire in
closed prison camps in the Barmudas.
so near TO our coast The very monoto-
ny and heat and the eternal glare OF
white coral rock and whitswashed
buildings are distressing enough, but
when added TO these discomfprts are
the confinement, the forced inaction
and continual espionage of guards
with loaded rifles the condition OF the
prisoners may be imagined as almost
intolerable. Not only are the ablebod-
led Beers confined here, but decrepit old
men and boys of tender years.
II was determined from the first,
says Mr.. DE Wet, Ito take advantage OF
any opportunity TO escape and. after
one unsuccessful attempt, which gave
me some suggestions as 20 the proper
course TO pursue. / made another break
for liberty and succeeded. ] had noted
a small tramp steamer ont in the bay,
and one night in October after supper
and prayers were over i contrived TO
get down 10 a corner OF the compound
where the fence ran into the water
waded in, crawled under the wires and
then struck out for the ships lights.
which / could see cleaning in the dis
tance. The steamer was probably
three quarters OF n mile away, but as
| am a strong swimmer the effort nee
essary to reach her was not exhausting
until / was within about quarter OF a
mile. when the tide turned against me,
and had TO swim for my life.
After being about an hour and
half in the water / succeeded in reach
n, Fnl Of
chor chain and tried to crawl aboard.
Finding this impossible. dropped back
into the water and swami around TO the
stern, where l rested by placing my
feet on the propeller blades and hang
ing on to the rudder, more dead than
alive. Fortunately one OF the sailors
happened to look over the rail and, see
ing me there, passed me the flag hall
yards, by the aid OF which and with
his assistance | managed TO reach the
deck. | didn't stay there long, but i'm
mediately scooted for the stokehole as
fast as my benumbed legs could carry
me. The second engineer whose watch
it was. finding me warming up before
the furnace. asked me who / was, and
upon receiving the requested informs.-
tion was as kind az any man could be.
He knew well enough the risk he ran
but he hid me in a coal bunker, where
l remained for nine hours, or until the
steamer had left the harbor. A coal
bunker is not the coolest spot in the
world, and when ] emerged I was about
as exhausted as I could be and live
but II served to hide me while the Brit
ish officers searched the ship. The cap
tain. who was not aware of my pres
ence, threatened TO take me back. but
was persuaded to carry me along. and
after an eventful voyage, during
which i stocked for my passage, we ar
rived in New York harbor
Il had at last reached a free country,
but was still in state of anxiety, not
knowing but that / could be extradited.
And then, again, as my hasty departure
did not permit of my taking what few
belongings / had in the compound. my
total possessions consisted OF a suit OF
overalls, pair OF shoes and a cap. to-
gether with 75 cents in cash which my
friend the engineer had given me. Like
poor old Robinson Crusoe, / began TO
think | had had dreadful deliver
ance" indeed for. though l was free
man, / was without friends and almost
destitute i'm strange land.
II was hungry, however. and, wan
dering into a restaurant on the Bowery.
/ got some cheap food and then inquired
of the proprietor IL he could give me
something 90 do. He promptly advised
me to jump into the river and wash my
self, but after awhile agreed TO let me
wash the dishes of the establishment
during the daytime and sleep on a
chair in the kitchen at night. Two
weeks OF this sort OF life was about All
wanted. and having recovered my
strength and pristine cleanliness some
what. / started TO look for a more con-
genial position. taking the first that Of
fered. as section hand on the Pennsyl-
vania railroad. The change OF climate
from the mild Bermudas TO the inclem-
ent north, together with my lack OF
warm clothing. brought on an attack OF
pneumonia. recovering from which I
made my way south as far as Jackson
vile. Fla. bringing up at st. Angus.
tine There / found employment I'm n
hotel as electrician and stayed until
the last OF February returning north
again after the work was finished and
taking up my residence in New York
city. where | hope an opportunity to re-
turn TO my native land viii offer. The
Beers are far from being beaten and
will hold out to the bitter end. which is
still a long ways off. and al the present
time they need every ablebodied man
and boy i'm their ranks"
TRUMAN L. ELTON.