Evening journal., 1905-05-01

County Treasurer Robert Burns has
in his possession an Adams Express
order for $3.50 which he does not
know what to do with. In connection
with this money order is a remarkable
story of a sailor who while in Will
mington twenty-four years ago stole
some cotton from a boat and sold it to
secure liquor, but since has been con-
nected with and is now engaged in
missionary work in the north OF China.
His conscience has evidently been
bothering him and he has sent the
money to the county treasurer to pay
for the goods he stole nearly a quar-
ter ~ a century ago. Mr.. Burns received
the order today.
Accompanying the express order is
a letter from b. Berntsen. a Norwegian,
who is the man who stole the cotton
'snd is now in China. The letter was
sent to the county treasurer from the
headquarters of a mission in China. 1t
seems that Berntsen gave a sealed let
ter to the Rev. c. T. Dyrners a repre-
sahtative Of the mission stationed at
South Chih Ii Mission. Tai Ming-Fu,
North China. and asked him TO forward
IL to some county official in Whining
ton. Delaware.
There was no comment whatever
from the Chicago headquarters, but
jthe letter contained the following from
Mr.. Dyrners who had sent Berntsen's s
letter:
Chicago. H., April 27 3.
Treasurer Wilmington County
Wilmington, Del.
Dear Sir: Mr.. B. Berntsen has ask
ed me to send you check for Sl.50.
1 suppose the enclosed letter will ex-
plain what it is for.
THE DONORS CONFESSION.
Respectfully.
c. T. Dyrners.
The enclosed letter he spoke of is
the one written by Berntsen. who con-
fesses to stealing the cotton and also
TO being partly responsible for the shiT
Electric. on which he was sailing. be-
ing set on fire. According to the mans
letter. i'm 1881. when he was but Is
years the. the vessel was loading cot.
ton in this city. Berntsen and another
sailor stole some of the cargo and sold
it, They got drunk on the proceed:
and when they went back to the shiI
to get more cotton they accidentally
caused a fire. The origin of the blaz'
was never learned. Since then Bernt
sen has been converted, and, as hi
letter states. is now at a mission il
China. He now desires to make resti
tuion and has forwarded the S1.5O TO
that purpose.
Berntsen's letter is simply addressed
TO the Wilmington court house, but tn
Rev Mr. Dyrners addressed his com
munication to the county treasurer
Berntsen's letter follows:
BERNTSEN'S LETTER.
Dear Gentlemen.
Wilmington Court House,
1t is strange story to be given bu
IL is true. My name is B. Berntser
Norwegian by birth, ~ years old. j
the year 1881 / was sailing on the YES
sci Electric from Larnik. Norway
Captain T. Tuersen. we were loadin
cotton in Wilmington. Del. so far a
/ remember. when the vessel was abou
half loaded there came a fire where tn
cotton was stored and nobody kne'
how it started but I and Safus Yenser
from Ashe Holland. but we were nc
called on to witness. 1t started in thi
wise. All the men on the vessel wa
picking cotton, so were we and in th
evening we went TO shore to get pa
for the first lot we ever sold to a col
ored man in saloon and we &c
about S1.25 in all and we got drunk an
had hard time to get aboard. W
started for TO pick another bag. / wa
young and my partner was fu
sailor. We took a candle and matcn'
and took bag and we started Il
the room where the cotton was store