The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1910-07-26
MILITARY DO NOT
WANT DESERTER
Roger James, Renegade, Served
His Country Even When in
Arms Against the Flag.

Roger James, a name which was once
sounded from Manila to New York as
that Of traitor to his country, a
deserter who had taken up arms with
an enemy against his own flag, who
was subsequently immured in the mill
tary fortress on Alcatraz Island, es-
capped by swimming across San Fran
cisco bay, and eventually landed in
Honolulu, being sent to prison for bur
glary, is now out on parole and is
at work in a humble capacity, desir-
ing no publicity, brt happy in the
thought that he only had to serve
seven out of ten years of his sentence,
because of good behavior.
His History.
James is negro who served with
the Twenty.Fifth United States In
fantry in the Philippines, during the
palmy days of the Empire, when the
military authorizes ruled the great ar
chipelago and fighting was constant
with his Filipinos, the insurrectos. just
what possessed James to desert from his
regiment and turn his deadly rife not
only against his flag but against his
former comrades, may not altogether
be known, except that he was dissatis-
fed, disgruntled, and believed he had a
grievance against some one in author
ity.
Extraordinary Aid to Country.
Strange as it may seem, however,
James was able to do more for the
army in which he had served before
following in the footsteps of Benedict
Arnold, than while he wore the uni.
form of Uncle Sam. Unlike Benedict
Arnold whose hatred for his former
flag prompted him to commit atrocitie:
which are unparalleled because direct
ed against his former friends, Roger
James did his flag, his former com
rades, the whole army many good turns
which he would have been totally un
able to do had he still been a soldier
of the American army.
After DESERVING to the enemy many
stories drifted back to the army thai
he was here and there with the Fill
pinos and he was feared, because a,
a deserter, renegade it was believed
he would lend himself to any project
that would bring destruction to. hi
former comrades.
Released American Prisoners.
James asserts, and says he can es
/ tnh ha of - Nd hns
while he was with the Filipinos HI
aided in the escape of from forty t,
fifty American prisoners, enabling then
to return to their own army, where
he says, they made announcement o.
the fact that he, james, had liberated
them and made it possible for them Il
get back to the protection of theil
own flag.
Later on, James left the Filipinos
having made up his mind that he coult
not stand the strain of feeling that h,
was in arms against his own flag, ant
gave himself up to the military au
thorities, who threw him into a prison
He was tried, but, It is said, there
was recommendation from the depart
ment commander, that he be restored
to his command. This was disapprov
ed at Washington and he was sent tt
Alcatraz to serve q term.
At the trial number of soldiers
it is said, testified that Roger Jamei
helped them to be released from thu
Filipino prison camps, and probabl,
saved them from death, as many wer,
put to death when the Filipinos wer,
tired of feeding them or guarding then
while the Filipino armies moved abou
the country. There was one batch o
nineteen prisoners who were liberated
at one time and all regained their com
mands.
Not Wanted at Alcatraz.
There has been some wonderment al
to why the military authorities did no
attempt to place Roger James unde
arrest again, although held by the loca
civil authorities, but it is said tina
owing to the service he really rendered
his country by releasing American prls
oners, service he could not have per
formed had he not deserted to the Fill
pinos, the American military author
tiles have made no further claim upoi
him.
During his term of imprisonment I'm
der High Sheriff Henry he has been
wen behaved man, and is known as
sort Of. "Handy Andy"
Mrs. Wilhelm Becker, f. f. chapir