Daily Arizona silver belt. (Globe, Gila County, Ariz.) 1906-1929, 1908-04-01
How . Marine
Slipped His Gable.

y y
the men were treated more like brutes
than humnp beings. instead OF today.
when every sailor. whether officer or
seaman, has his rights. But there aye
natural tyrants who are by nature ~.
and Peabody was one OF
them, though he kept within the reg
uations, using Insult instead of com
hitting n violation OF All officers re
strictions.
Tom Spencer was II marine on boar!
a United States cruiser He was n
good soldier. always spics and spen
and was well educated The reason
for his enisting in the narine corps
was that he hoped some day 10y gooi
conduct To secure II commission For
some reason or other Peabody con
ceived dislike for Spencer. Some
said the reason was that Peabody had
been appointed TO the academy from
the gutter and IL had failed 10 make
him anything but II gutter sliipe. while
Spencer had enlisted from the parlor
and could only be- n gentleman. BE
this as it may. whenever Peabody got
n chance TO put the screws on to Spcn-
Ger he did It in as irritating and dis
agreeable fashion us Il could be done.
There was fire smoldcring Ia Spen.
GERS breast wS!ch nothing hi, The niu'
tiny laws could keep from breaking
out into volcanic eruption.
There had been II liberty party on
shore and some OF the leave men had
got into light with the natives- tho
cruiser was lying Oft the coast or
Portland when they returned Pea
body was officer of the deck. Spencer
was one OF them and gave evidence oi
his part in the fracas by having his
uniform torn to shrecs. Peabody seized
upon this To storm ut him and. his
hatred getting The better OF his dis
erection. used Il conlmon opprobrious
epithet In connection with Spencers
mother. Like flash the marines right
arm went oui. aud the ensign went
sprawling on the deck.
Here was case of mullny In some
OF the worlds navics even In time OF
peace To strike an officer means death.
The penalty is not 81 severe In the
United Suites navy. but i, means i'm
prlsonmcnt. Spencer was put In irons
ard charges preferred against him.
II WAS IN the hot season. and there Is
no telling now long n time MAJ elapse
before a man may hc brought before
court martial It WAS probable that
Spencer wonld either he sciit hnaie m
der guard far tEi.ii o: would lr held
III the cruisrr wen, rorfh !; AIS too
hot TO keep l.la l,etwrcu dctss Tor en-
indefinite ilnR. and hr was rivCa the
liberty of the saip durlns the Cay. onl,
being put l..o the b"i: a, pipe down ="
The ships master nj arlls was niade
responsible for him and wa.cErd h!.a
to see that BE- Gilnt -, away 10 shore.
IL was a grim psospeF'' 10? tie prison
or. The Insult hp Ind received world
be no palliation for his oiTerso. 70
might have preferred charges against
Peabody. but OF no account could be
have taken the Law irto his hands. In
stead OF n commission. lie would doubt
less get ns The least calculation dis
honorable discharge and several years
at some naval prison. lie WAS The pie
ture OF wee ~ lie loungel ahcct ard
IN object OF sympathy with his ship
mates. who hated Peabody
Spencer. who was II the social
scale far above his comrades. he'd but
few infinite companions. Ills only
chum was Bob Sawin. whose father
was captain Of Il rcrchan, vessel.
Bob was ! great scapcsrace ard gen.
orally conceded TO be the most reckless
man on the cruiser.
The trouble on Land had subsidized aud
liberty parties were again going ashore.
They usually left the ship a; four bells
In the evening One afternoon Sawin
put in nm application for liberty. There
was q youu. ensign aboard who had
been III ever since tho cruiser had left
United States shores. and on this very
afternoon ne had returned 10 duty and
was officer of the deck. II was his
part 10 call on the names OF the liberty
party.
When Sawin's name was called
Jpenccr. well cot up in his best uni
form for shore leave stepped forward
with n Here. sir" saluted. went down
the ladder and took his place in the
launch Tho ensign didn't know him
from. any sthnr marine. There WAS
suppressed surprise on the faces OF the
men who knew we'll enough that Speu'
GER was not Sawil. but never Il mar
epoke and when The party was check
ed OF the cutter bore them. Spencer
sittlng IN the stern sheets. to the dock
Meanwhile Bob Sawin was hiding
under u tarpar!in, on the fo'c's'le
There he remained i'll darkness spread
a friendly mantle far more TO the puI.
pose. then let himself siealthily dowr
by the anchor chains. dived, swan
under water us far ~ be could hold
bis breath, came to. the surface ana
swan to shore, The next morning he
returned with the party in Spencer
uniform.
Spencer rs soon as he found himself
ashore made for the mountains and
within few days was lost 10 ans
searching party that might Ike sent fos
him. He had some back pay stored
away In his pockets. lay means OF
which in time he returned to the Unit.
ed States. lie was not missed aboard
ship til the muster at arms hunted for
him at pipe down 10 pat him in the
brig for the night.
When the Snanlsh-American war
came on Spencer enlisted in the army,
distinguished hrisc,f and came back
q captain. Either hcfore or after the
war he succeeded in getting his naval
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