The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-06-22
In Antwerp Without Money, Decent
Clothing or Friends.
ALTERED IN RAGS AND COVERED
WITH VERMIN HE FINALLY
LANDED IN AN ENGLISH PRISON
CAPTAIN OLSEN TALKS OF
cAsE-coMPLETE STORY OF
FARMERS ADVENTURES.

FTIeQQIeSS and penQl4eSS5 nOmelesA
and in a foreign land; attired only in
rags and covered with vermin; Ian
gushing in an English prison as a
Vagrant, while an Old mother at
home, far across the water, worried
and anxious, awaited news OF her
missing son. Such have been the ex-
periences Of Lewis SlcOx, the farmer
from near Bluff Springs, who left here
on the Swedish bark Dharwar for Ant
werp fourteen months ago, and who Is
today probably en- route to his home
from New York.
More than ordinary interest was
created yesterday morning when the
story Of the farmer was told In a spe-
cial to The Journal, and hundreds OF
persons in the city, as well as county,
discussed the manner in which he had
left Pensacola, and his story Of his
trip through England and final arrival
in New York. Additional information
secured from various parties and in
different quarters yesterday, make the
story much more interesting and throw
more light upon the condition Of the
man after his arrival In England, and
the months of worry and anxiety OF
his mother at Bluff Springs. II Is
through the kindness OF those res,d-
ing around the latter place that SilcOx
was enabled to reach New York. and
money has also been forwarded there
for his transportation home.
Mentally Dull.
It should be understood TO begin
with that Lewis Silcox is mentally
duh, due probably to injuries receiv-
ed from a stroke of lightning when q
boy. and added to this is the fact
that he was raised on a farm seven
miles from Bluff Springs. rarely visit
ed Pensacola, and consequently was
unaccustOmed 10 the ways of a city.
His predicament upon being put
ashore in a foreign land with only
five shiIlings must have been pitiful.
Captain OLSEN Innocent.
Captain OLSEN, Of the bark Dhar-
war, on which SilcOx shipped, is prob
ably innocent of any wrong towards
SilCOX. The latter shipped on board
as an able bodied seaman. and the
master did not discover that the man
knew nothing of the sea until the YES
sci had put 10 sea and the mate order
ed SilCox alOft to unfurl the sails.
Then the discovery was made.
Captain OLSEN. who is now in port
on the bark, loading a cargo OF lum-
Der and timber, was seen yesterday
afternoon by a Journal reporter. and
talked Unhesitatingly and interesting
Iy regarding SilcOx.
This man." said Captain OLSEN,
with two others came aboard ny
ship with Peter DelanO the night be-
fore we sailed. All signed for the
voyage, SilcOx signing as an A. B.
man, and l thought they were all sea-
men of the first class. and did not
know any better until the next morn
ing, when We got out Of Pensacola
harbOr and began unfUrling sail Then
the mate, who had ordered the men
alOft discovered that SicOx knew
nothing about a ship. and could not
even walk on deck when the ship was
rolling. Why, instead Of a first class
seamen ! found he was a man over
fifty years who could not go three
feet up a ladder Oh yes. he would
try hard enough, and was willing. but
he was too old 70 learn.
But he was there at eating time,
and sca-sickness had no terrors for
him. He could eat as much as three
men, and generally did. He even pro-
tested against us giving some wOrmy
biscuits 10 a pig We had on board,
and said they were good enough b
eat, and he eat them too.
Well, he was Of no good to the
ship. except 70 sweep the deck, which
he did on the passage over. and as
soon as We finished discharging 40
Antwerp I let him go. ] had reduced
him from $500 to $3.50 per month
on account Of him not being a sea-
man.
Il was amused ut SilcOx in Antwerp.
AS he had been Of no service to US on
the voyage placed him as Waterman
over some cargo on The dock Imagine
nv surprise one night when going
aboard TO see SilCoX with beaver
hat and a cane walking up and down
the dock They had been given him
BY the mate. and he presented a rath-
or ludicrOus appearance with bis other
dress.
"Si,cOx had been given advances
money for clothing in Pensacola. and
when I paid him OF be did not have
very much. He told the officials Al
fca,ai.,,.5 q, p.o. EaDpN