The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-04-10
Glad TO Get BACK
Ohm Kelley, Deserter From
Navy, Is Contrite.
Not Such Bad Place After
All.
|HE WILL BE GOOD.
WILL BE GOOD.
Experience as a "Bum" Severe
Schooling.
Ready to Take His Punishment
Like a Little Man.

John Kelley, the deserter from the
United States navy, who was captured
here last week, and will be aiken back
TO Norfolk tonight by Officer Kenney,
talked freely to the State Journal man
. today regarding his experiences the
past two or three years.
Il enlisted at Norfolk, Va, last sum-
mer." he said. 81 was assigned to the
receiving ship Franklin. 1 had only
been in service a short time when
bunch of us went over to Norfolk and
got on big drunk. We were off with
out leave, and pretty sure to catch it
/ on our return, so five of US kept on go
ing. That was last August. 1 landed
/ in Montana last winter and worked
there until lately on the construction
OF the Milwaukee road. l was working
my way back east when they caught
me here last week.
Yes, gave up readily enough, and
told them who 1 was l am dead will
ing to go back to the old ship and serve
I1ny tours years enlisted time. No more
ideserting for mine. Bumming is hard
er on a man than serving in the navy.
4 If had staid on the Franklin 1 could
have gone with the fleet on it's big trip
III surely would have staid If had
known that.
IT'S hard times cumming in the east
these days. Harder than the west. I
had a dogs life last fall working my
way west. was in Cincinnati, Indian
Iapolis. Canton, Chicago, Quincy. ST.
Louis and Omaha. I am glad they got
) me and that I am going back.
Il had good record while with the
navy and my punishment will not be
SO severe. They will put me on board
the prison brig until they hear from
washington: Then I will hear my
sentence. They are needing men now
Ipretty bad, I hear, and as my record
was good, 1 don't look for a very big
sentence. 1 have known men who de-
serted and staid away from month
to two years before they were caught,
and as they had good records they
got only ten days sentence and were
put back on duty. Then I have known
men who only staid on shore two
hours without leave who got year on
the prison brig. 1t depends on their
records. A man with a bad record is
no good in the navy and they keep him
on the brig to get rid of him. A fell
low with a good record, when he makes
slip or jumps the briny deep for dry
land only gets a reprimand and they
give him another trial on duty. They
are wise, all right, in this deal. Take
my case, for instance. have been
gone without leave for about seven
months. Well, I want to go back to
the job and will serve my time with
out giving them any more trouble. /
have had my fling and am ready to be
good. Most of the men are that way
and the navy people know it and al
ways give a man with anything to him
another chance. There are lots of
worse things than the navy, and the
bum is one of them.
"I enlisted from Omaha, but I was
born and raised in Rhode Island. When
my home was broken up I drifted
west and went to the bad
Kelley is a young man, not over ~
years old and not at all bad looking:
He talks frankly and pleasantly and
makes good impression on those with
whom he comes in contact.
"That is not bad fellow" said De-
fective Summers, who has had not a
little experience with all kinds of men.
"rll bet he is glad to go back. He
won't give Kenny any trouble. He is
a clean cut, clean looking young fell
low, and will make good after his ex-
perfence. He doesn't like the bum
life a little bit. He is not cut out for
It, have kept tab on him since he
has been in here. He can easily ginger
up and make good man. He came
from a good family, and is sore on his
record the last year or two"