The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1902-02-20
THE MAN IN THE 30"
Johann Beclz's Story CT His Ey.
traordinary Ocean Voyage.
TRAVELLED III a PAOK.TG CASE.

TRAVELLED III a PACK ZIG CASE.
sf0yvaway Tells His Experience.
During sixteen Days In ships Hold.
Felt Hands of Wutch 10 Fol.ow
Nights and Days-Bullt Air Castles
While Rats Gnawea az His Cage.
1he following interview with Johann
Beck, the packing box ni.ia. Is Tie
6rst authentic statement made by aim
since his arrival in tht United STAGES
81 the steamship Palatia He said the
ether day: Il have made no statement
whatever up to this time Ii | have
been quoted. the interviews were false.
Until now have not been permitted
By the doctors to talk. and. besides. |
could not have done so had wished
to-"
Here Is verbatim account of his
story In part as related to the New
York World on the top floor of st.
Nary's hospital, Hoboken. y. -:
IL came to America in a box" said
Beck to ii 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 had
no regular employment ! worked u
few days or weeks. then was idle for
weeks saved my money as we'll as
could. but never could keep any
thing
Johanna? She is my sweetheart.
do not want to tell her flmily name.
She is ut home now with her family in
Wissmar. Mecklenburg. Germany. She
was sick in Hamburg. where she haL
employment. and she had t. undergo
an operation In the Ve~eins hospital
Then she went home
.'As soon as can make some money
shall send FOR Johanna. and we shall
be married. met her first in 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 Eave anything because |
earned barely enough to pay for my
lodging
why not go to America and earn
money and send for JohannaY |
thought. But how should | get to
America? Steerage passage was 120
marks. aud never had more than 20
or 80 marks at q time. 1t was early
Ia November that began to think of
sending myself to America in a box
rs freight. Where | got the idea / do
not know. The more thought of the
plan the better 1t seemed. l have good
self control. was not afraid. weigh
only 100 pounds when | am In health,
and l felt sure that ] could easily be
carried around without danger Of being
dropped or hurt.
81 went to the office or the Hamburg
American line on Tuesday. Nov. IL. and
learned that there was no express
steamer that week. but that the steam
ship Palatia. Captain Reessing. would
sail for America on the following Sat
: urday She would take fourteen days
or less. they told me-perhaps only
twelve days. | had very little money.
and | made up my mind that ] could
not wait for the Eeyt express steamer.
.For two marks bought in second
hand lumber yard the packing box IN
which came here For 30 pfennigs
bought q few STRIPS Of thin stuff about
two inches wide and an eighth of an
inch thick to make the false bottom Oh
the box lid "a sort of rack in which /
could carry collars. stationery. nechties
and other things that are easily injured
and which must not be put down III the
box with nae For few more pfennigs
l bought four latclles or thumbscrews.
to fasten The lid on to the box had 10
eyes for these catches TO fasten in. bet
the storekceper gave NE eight nails.
which afterward drove against each
OTHER in loops like eyes. | carried the
packing box home TO my lodgings on
the evening of Wednesday. Nov 10 !
told INV lapGlady | was going to ship
all my belongings over to America My
REM was paid up to Saturday night. SO
she did not care
Il began 10 fit up the box on Thurs
day morning A carpenter friend CT
mine lent me the tools cut up strips
of the thin stuff for battens and nailed
them on the inside of flis box lid so
that il was all sold like door Thea /
built tile false bottom or rack. On the
box I'D and put in it all my small be-
longinGs | bought for 81 pfehnigs a
piece Of thick coarse cotton cloth q
feet 6 inches long and feet vide |
got an armful of hay IN stable and
carried ii home. packed it ID the boz
tom of the box for a bed and tucked the
cotton cloth around ii.
i bought PROVISIONS for my box in 3
store around tIe corner from my .odg-
ing | paid mark Is pfennigs for four
teen pints OF SETTER water. 30 pfenn..gs
for one pound Of dates and marks for
two and a half pounds of chocolate /
knew that the chocolate alone would
sustain life. but added the. dates as u
luxury.
Il worked all day Friday and most
of FRIDAY night packing my clothes III.
the box and putting away the pro-
visions carefully 50 that could find