The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-03
The SHIPS COMPLIMENT ITALY
BUT JOE ALTERA INTERESTS THE
A. BIS MORE THAN GARIBALDI.

Mike Nicely OF the BattIeShip Ohio
IL Just About Reaching for II.
The weather man was rather disrespect-
hl to the memory Of GaHbaldi yesterday.
However. nothing better was expected.
and the officers and crews Of the warships
aligned in the North River from Seventy
second street to l25th made the best Of
conditions.
Garibaldi died on jun 2, 1882. and yester-
day being his memorial day, a graceful
bit Of international courtesy was hit upon
by the commanders. At the morning call
to quarters every ship broke out from
her main truck a huge Italian flag. the rails
we're manned, bands doomed and salutes
were fired. All Of the ships dressed" in
compliment to the Duke of the Abruzzi,
whose flagship. the Varese, lay furthest down
stream. The next to break colors was
the Austrian warship Aspern, some lengths
upstream. Then in the following order
these war vessels paid the same compli-
ment:
Sankt Georg, Austrian, flagship Of Com
modore Won Pleskott; U. S. S. Connecticut,
flagship Of Rear Admiral Evans; U. s. S.
Ohio. flagship Of Rear Admiral Emory;
U. S. s. Iowa. U. s. S. Indiana; Rachuelo,
Brazilian; Barroso. Brazilian; Tamoyo.
Brazilian.
At noon an international salute Of twenty
one gun was fired to the delight OF many
small boys on the West Side and the dis
comfort Of some older citizens who had
been out late the night before. No protest.
as far as is known, came from Mrs. Rice Of
Riverside Drive.
At nightfall Mike Nelly, A. B., aboard the
battleship Ohio. had the task OF lowering
the Italian colors.
That isn't the only dago thing Ill stow
said Mike with a broad grin after he had
hid the flag.
When THE Sun reporter boarded the
ohio's barge yesterday afternoon to go
in search of details of the days happenings,
he was told Of something more important
than little matters of international courtesy.
Don't bother much about the dressing
ship" said the coxswain Of the barge.
Just stall around for a while and then git
the officer Of the deck to send fer Mike.
Look him over and see fer yourself how he
shapes up. Say, he'l have that wop
logged fer keeps after about six broad
sides. It's a shame, that's what it is.
That ginny amt got no more right ter
claim the championship than I has, and
l amt got any. He had Sailor Burke
a-owin' him and Sailor Burke he passes
him the belt when the sailor finished his
time and went ashore to tackle the real
game
The fact that it was unusually rough
on the river and that the barge made slow
Roadway permitted the reporter to learn
about Mike and what is really the i'm
portant topic Of the time aboard the ships.
1t is something that must not be talked OF
too freely. Caution should be observed
in making any, inquiry whatever about it.
now boasts a champion knuckle pusher
who is foreign born. He is Joe Altera,
an Italian. All that the reporter could
really learn was that Altera tipped the
beam at 1855, stripped, and that the cham
pionship belt had been passed 20 him by
Sailor Burke not for knuckle prowess but
as a matter of good will for some favor ex-
ended when Burke was in the navy. Every
sailor on board the Ohio and most other
American warships has pinned his faith to
the men on the battleship Missouri, now in
Southern waters, are roofing for Joe AL
terra, who is one of the crew Of that ship.
You know they make out it is a thing
they got to do said Able Seaman Jack
Crimmins, who also offered an opinion that
to be. Jack was returning to the battleship
on the barge with the reporter after having
exhausted his twenty-four hour leave.
Yes, you can take it from me that the
Missouri bunch right down in their, chucks
would like TO see the Wop scuttled, = con-
tinued A. B. Crimmins. Its all right to
stick up fer yer ship, but the American
navy don't want no. spaghetti champ cen.
Neely'l stow him. all right
When the reporter confided after a time
like to see Mr.. Michael Nicely that officer
smiled slightly and intimated that he didn't
know Nicely. The officers of course coun-
tenance boxing as a recreation that pleasaS
the sailors. Sometimes they witness the
fights simply to see that proper discipline
is observed.
But Mike Nicely soon appeared on the
quarter deck. He is a s%trapping fellow
blond hair.
yep, I'm training hard" said Nicely.
"and I never was in better shape in my life.
This Dago has been lodging me for q long
time. but an agreement has been drawn
up and we are goin' to mix it up in a short
lime. That is, we are to get together at
Jamestown next week. You can feel my
muscles for yourself"
1t should be stated right here that il
muscles like steel rails count, Mike is there
with the strength.
yes, I've had many fights. I'd ashamed
he noddle of that Britisher at Jamestown.
only ! had promised to be nice. You know
We was entertaining. them pork pie fiends
hat night. | wanted to let loose and carry
away his royals. but it wouldn't nave been
what one of the officers said was courtesy
Now, I'm from Shenandoah, Ia. and
nave a good record in the navy. I've served
.hree years an got less than one more to
,ut in, but III stay in this navy as long as
Altera does 80 that ! can lick him. Any
low, III lick him after we both quit the
but he's got to mix with me this
rip. He's promised, and there amt nc
nance for him to back out.
"Oh, I've been training all right. Haven't
AIKEN no shore cave to raise hell with the
rang, All my spare time has been spent
n trainin'. | get shore leave for a few
lours every morning and runnin' along that
riverside Drive has been all to the good
or my bellowses. just wait until after
Iune 10. There'll be a new champeen of
he United States Navy"