Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1910-07-12
RETURNED THE PRIZE
! Trophy That Did Not Remain
 Long In Captivity.
THE MISSING COAT OF ARMS.

In Honolulu and Was Carried oH h>
 Party of English Middies-The Res.
 titution and Apology.
 Speaking of old times on the coast ,, said an Oregonian, reminds me of some of the sterling characters we lad there. One was Governor lc- Bride of Oregon. His first official du. aes were at Honolulu, where he was United States minister. King Kane. hameha was the ruler at the time. The minister was heroic type of man, the father of fourteen children, and . number of his sons became distin. guished men in various professions, He was true American, cast in an dltra patriotic mold, and many stories are told among the oldtimers of his patriotism and bravery.
 "When McBride reached Honolulu he found there were no outward in. signia designating the American con- sulate or minister's office, so he had a large American coat of arms cut out of wood, gilded and decorated appro- priately, and this was hung over the office door that all the world might see It.. It was naturally conspicuous ob- ject and of much interest to the pub tie.
 "One day an English man-of-war came into port. The sailors and mid- shipmen were given liberty, and, as often happens, some of them had hi tarious times. Among the then mid shipmen were Lord Gordon and Lord Beresford. who, like all midshipmen in from a long cruise, were out for jolly time. Walking down the street they did not fail to notice that Yankee coat of arms, and as Beresford was collecting bric-a-brac and curiosities it occurred to him and Gordon that this would be fine addition to their col lection, trophy worth having. So they selected time when the minis ter was away and the office closed, presumably at night, and took down the coat of arms, hired native vehi- cle to carry it down to the dock and actually succeeded in getting it aboard without any of the ranking officers knowing anything about it.
 'The next morning when the minis. ter came down to the office his assist. ant said:
 "'Mr. Minister, your birds taken flight
 "sWhat do you mean7 asked his excellency.
 ".Your coat of arms is gone,' re. piled the aid.
 "'Gone where? Flown off?'
 "'Not exactly said the other. Its just disappeared
 ."The minister walked out into the street and looked up. The coat of arms, which was five or six feet across, was noticeable by it's absence It had taken wings and flown away Exactly what the minister said has not been chronicled.
 Ut so happened that Beresford had given the carriage driver an extra fare for his trouble. Some one discovered this and quickly reported it to the min ister. who at once made demand upon the captain of the frigate for its return. The captain, who was inno. cent, denied that the thing was aboard ship. The minister sent his evidence to the captain. reiterating his demand and demanding an apology for the 1n- suit
 '.The captain now began an investi- gation, and the culprits owned up and took the coat of arms on deck, when 1t was promptly sent ashore and re. turned to the office of the minister Mcbride, who was there, refused to receive it.
 "'Tell the captain of your frigate that l desire that the men who took it down bring it back, place it where they found it and apologize.'
 ..Back to the ship went the men with the coat of arms and reported. The captain ordered the young men to go ashore, take the coat of arms to the consulate, replace it as they found it and apologize to the minister.
 Ut was doubtless bitter pill. and the young midshipmen had to stand the badinage of their comrades. The two went ashore, ready to comply, and took the coat of arms to the con sulate. The American minister had not put himself out to keep the mat ter quiet, and as a fact the public was we'll posted, and the consulate was surrounded by a crowd of Americans natives and others, all laughing at the predicament of the young midship men.
 "The minister had strong sense o1 humor and determined to get all there was in it. He preserved his dignity as best he could as he received the young men and listened to their apologies The midshipmen then took the coat Qt arms from the hack and amid the cheers of the crowd climbed to the front of the building and placed 1t in position, then hurried down, followed