Los Angeles herald., 1908-06-02
THINK BOATMAN
WASSHANGHAIED
FRIENDS OF GREEK ADVANCE
THEORY
SAY MAN is BOUND FOR FOREIGN
PORT
Much Mystery Still Surrounds Disaps
pearance of Avalon Fisherman.
No Clews Found by
Searchers

That Anton Crist, or "Tony the
Greek" as he generally was known.
was rescued by a passing foreign
bound steamer and shanghaied is the
latest theory offered in solution OF his
mysterious disappearance from the
launch Zeus Sunday morning, May "a,
by sailors and friends who have been
trying to fathom the mystery at san
Pedro.
Crist who was owner and captain
of the Zeus, disappeared with small
skiff from the deck of the Zeus some
time after $50 o'clock Saturday nlght.
May 23, after he had been instructed
nv Edward E. Easton a well known
Journalist, to start from Silver canyon,
Catalina island, at 2 o'clock the fol-
lowing morning.
The party, including Easton, his wife.
two children and a maid, had been
camping at San Clemente island, pur
returned to Catalina, camping In Sill
yer canyon, which is about an hour and
a half's run from Avalon. AT 4 o'clock
in the morning Easton awoke and dis
covered the launch was chugg1ng at
full speed out to sea, and that Iony
and the small skiff were missing.
For forty eight hours the party drift
ed, after the gasoline was exhausted,
at the mercy of the sea, and were res
cued Tuesday afternoon by the United
States cruiser Buffalo, after a narrow
ing experience.
What became of Crist never may be
really known. His boat was found
nine miles southeast of San Clemente
island. far from the scene of his sup
posed mysterious departure from the
Zeus. with the oars missing. 1t was
towed into Redondo and there lden-
titled.
Several pebbles in the bottom of the
slliff indicated it had not been cap
sized. and in this event his friends are
certain he is not dead.
Crjst was considered an able sea-
man and a good swimmer. The theory
thar he met death in the skiff is scout
ed by all who know him.
Picked Up by Boat
They insist the only possible solution
of his disappearance is that he was
nicl<ed up in a boat bound for Honolulu,
Japan or other foreign shore, and being
a good boatman was "shanghaied."
If he was picked up by any vessel
bound for San Francisco, San Diego
or other northern or southern ports ne
would have been heard from, MS
friends argue, before this. r. !.
II is stated that on account of recent
sailors strikes at San Francisco and
other ports and because of union labor
troubles in the various SeamenS OF
ganizations many big vessels are con-
stantly leaving port short-nanded, anu
that il Crist was rescued, there Dellls
no women with him, he would be COM
pelled to work on the vessel until II
reached it's destination.
There is no law against this phase
of "shanghaing," it Is stated by ola
sailors, and Crist simply would nave
to stay with the vessel until 1t returned
to California, If he desired to return
here. He would be free to leave the
boat, of course at the first port, which
not be compelled by law TO return 10
it's last port with him.
1t Is maintained stoutly that If the
skiff was not capsized, as 1t now seems
certain that it was not, Crist was not
drowned.
If he left the zeus in the skiff and
was not capsized, why should ne pc
looked upon as deadF ms Is S ,n9
question asked by his friends and
which leads to the conclusion he was
picked up by foreign vessel.
Friends Adopt Theory
Otherwise, his friends-at least some
of tEem-accept the previous tneorles
advanced in The Herald-namely, that
Crist left his launch in the skiff to
remove some kelp or other obstruction
from the propeller or rudder. and that
the vibration of, the engine or the
laboring of the boat in the heavy
swalls Jared the clutch into gear ana
started the launch away from MIN
faster than he could row.
In the attempt to catch up with the
launch, scme of Tony's friends believe.
he may have been drowned. Others
adhere that he lost his oars and drift
ed out to sea, later to be picked up by
foreign vessel.
This theory, however, is secuted en-
phatically by many who admit the pos
sibility of shanghaing, but who dispute
the reasonableness of the theory OF
Crist's manner of becoming separated
from the ZeuS.
Whatever the correct solution or TINS
Jules Verne mystery of the sea" may
be. none of Tony's friends are yet sat
isfed with the various theories adj
yanced, although the shanghaing solu-
tion appeals to most of them.
1t is believed by some of the resi-
dents of Catalina island, where Tony
was boatman for so many years,
that he is lying dead at the bottom of
the deep waters he loved so well. but
the strange circumstances of his death
may not be known.
Meanwhile the search for his body