Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-09-24
GOOD LUCK FOR ONE SAILOR
Former Comrsde saves Him from RE-
porting Late ana Consequent
Punishment.

John Doyle. veteran man-o-war's man.
on on furlough tired. hungry, sleepy
dead broke. landed in Omaha Friday noon
In an empty cattle car from the east.
-Four hours later, with beef and pie and
beer under his belt. he was speeding west
ward on Union Pacific train No. s, with q
through ticket to San Francisco In the
pocket Of his blouse He came In tramp,
he went out with the spirit of a true
American tar that he was. bent on report
Ing for duty at Mare Island navy yard.
A miracle? No. He had met a fellow
tar, now out of the navy and q citizen Of
Omaha. Nothing was too good for one Of
Uncle Sans tackles. in the mind of the
Omaha tar. and though the latter was poor
he almost moved heaven and earth to get
transportation for the sailor. He sue
ceeded. How? NO matter how.
II rides into Omaha on the hog train,
lookin' fer hog train to go out on, but
here I rides out on the cushions" says
Jack Doyle. Frisco fer me. an / don't
even get of this train ut Cheyenne to get
drink. An Jack, fad. maybe I'll never
get to do you a good turn fer this, but
Ill pass 1t on to some other poor devil"
Mr.. Doyle considered himself q very lucky
man indeed. He had only a week left OF
to beat his way from Chicago to Omaha,
II was not very likely he could reach the
Mare Island navy yard in one week. That
would mean not that he was a deserter,
but that he Yves absent over time. He
would get a month or so In irons. He had
been In irons several times before, and on
bread and water at that, once for half
killing a negro sailor who abused a boy.
once for staying on shore in Boston twenty
four hours when he had only twelve hours
leave, and once In China, when he stayed
away six weeks on being granted thirty
days furlough. Other times he had been
punished were too numerous to mention.
Nice way fer me to be ridin'. in this
uniform. with Ave enlistment stripes on H."
said Jack Doyle. referring to the manner
Of his arrival in Omaha. "A Jackie on a
hog train. huh.
AN the way I've been treated up TO
date amt no credit to the American peo-
pie. which / protect In any other country
man in uniform don't pay no money to
ride on the trains, he don't pay nothin'
at the theaters. he don't pay nothin' at
the restaurants. Nothin's too good for a
tar on shore. In yer own country. the
most glorious country on the face Of the
earth. yer no better than a Chink.
Born in Troy. New York; seventeen
years in the American navy; looked after
Uncle Sans interests in China on the
torpedo boat Truxton; fought with ightln
Bob Evans on the Iowa in the battle Of
Santiago. and a dirty, thievin pirate OF a
freight conductor over here at Boone amt
goin' to let me ride in a hog car.
AN yet they's about 1900 women In
this here country wants to send their
knl 1R -.
for what? Answer-look at Jack DOYLE
lcrawln' out Of q hog car
AS to how John Doyle came TO be in
that car. he tells II for himself
II was on the Texas. what aIn't no good
and nobody wants to serve on her. The
Texas goes out OF commission at Boseon
an I has thirty days furlouEh. I'm
tired OF the Atlantic. sea, and | thinks
III report at Frisco at the end OF NV
furlough SOS to get detailed on the pa
eific. l draws Se0 from the ships bank
stops at towns along the way and has a
good time. an gets into Chicago last sat
urday with SEQ. Takin a cruise around
through the junsies in that port, soma
body touches me up for SEQ, an 1 amt cot
nothin. 1t takes, me four DAYS 10 safi
this far. an my uniform don't helm me a
damn"
Ar, Doyle told OF his last furIouEh,
which was in China. He took 500 ana
went 800 miles into the interior. bringing
up at place where no white man lived
and the natives could not talk EnxIish
When he was ready 10 return he went
by train 800 miles in the wrong direction.
started to walk from one railroad 70
another and was lost in the junsles. He
reached his ship two weeks late, and. Of
course. took the usual punishment
I've thirteen years yet to serve, an
IN be retired on half pay" he said. ITS
next thing TO he'll the navy, an It's next
thing to heaven Jack wasn't born for the
land. but he may have to die there"
Pointed Paragraph.
people never get as much entovn..n, -.