New-York tribune., 1902-07-01
FLIGHTFROM BERN UDAPEN
BOER sTOWAWAY ARRIVES HERE AFTER
ESCAPING FROM BRITISH DETEN-
TION CAMP.

on the steamship Trinidad of the quebec
Steamship Company. which arrived yesterday
were two stowaways. one Of whom proved 10
be Boer prisoner, who had escaped from the
detention camp at Bermuda. His name was
August Albrecht and he told the immigration
officials wild story of his escape The other
Irish-American named Johnson who
had found himself stranded in Bermuda
Albrecht is thirty-six years old and a native of
Germany. At the outbreak of the Boer war he
enlisted. with several others. and went to South
Africa. There he served under General JOubert
at the battles of Spton Kop. COlenso and
Magersfontein
on March n. 1901 he was captured, with
10 other Beers. while serving under
General Dayas. He was wounded twice
in the knee. and was removed to the hospital at
johannesburg. After remaining in the hospital
for several months he sent to Durham and
from there to Cape Town. About ten months
ago he was sent to Bermuda. The camp in
which he was detained was the inner smaller
one Darrells Island which is separated from
the Island OF Bermuda by stretch of water
about five miles wide. Scattered about in this
channel several smaller islands Albrecht
said that the British officers issued a prOcla-
nation to the Boer prisoners saying that the
Boer had ended and that they to take
the oath of allegiance to England. Albrecht
fused. with many others to do So and decided
to escape
The inner camp Is surrounded by barbed wire
fences, and another fence of wire runs length
wise across the island. Albrecht procured two
blankets, and, under cover of darkness on last
Friday night crawled to the first wire fence and
began to work. He first wrapped a blanket
around his body, and then covered the bottom
strand OF wire with the other. By crawling
under the fence and working with his hands
he managed to push up the wire until he had
made an opening large enough for him to crawl
through. The blankets prevented the barbs
from penetrating his clothes. and so he reached
the other side Of the fence without suffering
any injury.
After good deal of hardship he managed to
reach the water front, where the outer or
larger. camp lay. He then tied his clothes into
a bundle and put them into a canvas bag,
which he tied on top OF his head Lowering
himself into the water, he struck out for the
shore OF the nearest island, which about
mile away. This called Long Island, and
before reaching the mainland three other islands
had to be touched on by him. His rests on the
islands kept up his strength, so that he
able to reach the main island OF Bermuda after
having been in and out of the water about two
hours.
Unknown 10 him. soldiers had been placed all
over Bermuda. watching for an escaped prison
er who had run away from the camp. taking
little boy prisoner with him. on the Tuesday
before. Albrecht landed the mainland dirty
and unkempt. The steamship Trinidad was ly-
mig close by. and the soldiers mistook him for
one Of the stokers. Albrecht went on board OF
the steamship and crawled top OF the
boilers. Some of the sailors gave him
some soup and bread, but did not say anything
about his being on board.
At 4 o'clock on Saturday afternoon the other
stOwaway gave himself up to Captain Frazer,
and sent down into the stokehole to work.
"a OF n Fra grfd fhnf he hAh aln
hanging around the dock. before the steam
ship left, but had supposed him 20 be private
detective looking for Boer prisoner
Albrecht gave himself up TO Second Engineer
Hattersly Sunday afternoon, and then told
his story TO the captain. At Ellis Island AL
brecht said he had a brother in GreenpOrt.
Long Island. who had farm there
Commissioner Williams said that. while he
could not pass judgment the case until to-
day, Albrecht would probably be released Up
a late hour last night no claim had been put
I'm by the British Consul had any official
notice been taken OF the BOer prisoners arrival.