The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-08-28
RESCUED FROM
FRENCH VESSEL
Boy Was Not Kidnapped But
Merely Deceived.
THOUGHT He WAS ON COASTER
PROMPT ACTION OF COLLECTOR
STRANAHAN.

New York, Aug. e7.-The American
boy who tried to make his escape nom
the French bark MarechaI de Gontaut
yesterday. alleging that he had been
'shanghaied," was taken from the yes
sci early this morning by Collector Of
the Port Stranahan. who had gone out
to sea on the revenue cutter Gresham 20
rescue the boy The boy is named
Hugh Thompson. is Is years of age and
is the son Of a sailor Who shiUs on
coastwise vessel which plies between
Bangor, Ne, and points south.
After he had been taken in charge
by the revenue officers young Thomp-
son said he had not been forcibly taken
TO the boat, but had gone with the con-
sent Of his father. He said. however,
! that he thought he was to ship on
/ coaster. and when he found that the
/ Marechal de Gontaut was bound for
/ Yokohama and that he would be abb
/ sent foI many months, he wanted To
/ return to his home.
] 1t was after O'Clock last night that
] Collector Stranahan decided to go out
/ after the French bark. He came to
! this conclusion after the pilot who had
/ been aboard the GOntaut returned and
/ reported that a boy on that vessel was
/ locked in a closet and kept screaming
I for help, saying he had been kidnapped.
1 ne EolAeCloE put 10 sea On tue GAGolAe-AiA
/ Immediately. The Gresham came upon
| the Marechal de Gontaut after mid
night. Lieutenant Hotzchamer of the
! Gresham and two OF the crew put on
| in a small boat and went alongside
| the French vessel. The lieutenant
shouted to the watch to let down the
ladder.
'They didn't appear to understand
me-" said Lieutenant Hotzschamer, 80
! 1 sprang up the chain plates and got
on the deck. The two men stock there
talking, but I could not understand
/ them. One of them waved his arms
about and ran toward me. but
pushed him to one side and ran down
into the hold. 1 passed through the
galley and into the forecastle. There
were about sixteen hunks there, and
up forward I saw the boy. He was
sleeping. / awoke him and asked him
If he had been kidnapped. He would
not say much at first so I took him
up on deck. There was no resistance
by the crew. ! then had ladder low
cred and the rest of the party came
aboard.
Before the lieutenant boarded the
Frenchman he placed a navy revolver
iE his hip pocket. The other officers
were also armed. Collector StranahaT
was in his official uniform and sent al
once for Captain Dennierre. He de-
| manoed that the captain show hin
the ships articles. The collector said
the name Of the boy did not appear OF
them. and this. he declared was q
violation of the shipping laws. on tn
advice of his legal adviser he claimed
the boy.
Several conferences between Collec
tor Stranahan. Castor Veten tn,
French vice consul, and a representa-
tive of the Charterers of the Gontau
We're held during the day.
The collector sent al the details o
5 the case to the authorities at Washing
, ton by telegraph. but later announced
: that he had no authority 90 hold tn
. ship.
I A revenue cutter was therefore dis
= patched to the ship 10 take off tn
S revenue officer placed on board. an,
instructions were given the commando
p of The cutter TO allow the bark to pro
r coed on her way.
] The collector said he had not re
S ( ceived any formal advices from Wash
$ ington as TO how to proceed. but il /
{ understood that it was intimated t
him informally that lie should act as h
% did
f The boy Thompson was taken HON
q by his parents.