The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-04-28
DESERTERS SAIL
FOR AMERICA
CAUGHT IN STOLEN sAnrAN
TEN MILES SOUTH OF
DIAMOND HEAD.


Homesickness and liquor induaed two
young marines at the marine barracks
to turn pirates on oMnday night. for
after bundling up all their clothing and
personal effects, they stole away from
the camp, quietly boarded the powerful
japanese power snmpan Kenyci Maru.
lying at the channel wharf, poled the
unwieldy craft into the channel and
out to the open sea, and then raised
the sail and almost shouted with ioy,
Tor they believed they had left drill
and regulations behind forever
Late yesterday afternoon they were
both under arrest at the stationhouse.
repentant and facing the grave charge
Of piracy, for in stealing the sampan
from its mornings and putting to sea
with the craft they became buccaneers.
They almost lost their own lives in their
foolish voyage, however
Yesterday morning the big sampan.
winch is thirty horsepower, was missing
from Its mornings at the wharf. At
nrst 1t was thought the boat had gone
adrlft, and search was made for il.
1t then became apparent it had been
stolen. The craft belonged to Doctor
Mitamura, and was valuable fishing
vessel.
Notice Of Desertion, =
During the forenoon two oAicial 10
pers reached the police station frpn,
Tue marine barracks, notifying the nffi-
GERS that two marines had failed to he
present when the bugIe sounded tba
reveille, and were therefore nosted
with a reward of ten dollars each Of,
Tered for their return. The descrintiya
lists showed that one was Sterling Mo
Daniel, enlisted at Denver. Colorado
and the other Jesse Moore, enlisted az
salt Lake City, Utah. In each case
1t was shown that they had taken from
the camp their marine blankets.
ponehos, civilian and military CLOTHING
and civilian clothing belonging to other
members of the corps.
The papers were placed in the hands
OF Harbor Officer Carter, who put two
and two together and arrived at the
theory that the marines had stolen the
boat, had slipped out to sea and would
PROBABLY aim to get in the track of n
san franciseo-bound steamer in order
to be picked up and carried on. to the
coast as castaways. He believed that
they would throw away their uniforms
and don civilian attire and thus conceal
their identity. He notified Cantain
Weeden and Purser Warren of the Imr-
line, which sailed at five o'clock last
evening and they promised to keep
sharp lookout for the pirates. If thew
picked them up they would carry them
on to San Francisco and turn them
over to the marine officers there.
Fleet in Pursuit.
Meanwhile the Japanese sampan cap
tains decided that the pirates, whoever.
they were, should be pursued. The
power sampans were put into commits
sion and soon quite feet was cruis-
ing out of the harbor, some going to-
ward Koko Head and others toward
Barber's Point. Those who went to-
ward the latter point saw a sampan
off Barber's Point, apparently drifting.
The keen-eyed mariners saw that it was
the kenyei Maru and they started di-
rectly for the craft.
On nearing the vessel they saw some
one standing up and waving a white
rag from the end Of stick. On com
ing closer they saw two white men in
the vessel and one was praying. The
vessel on being boarded by the Japa-
nese sailors was found in considerable
disorder, the sail Slated down on the
deck, and the marines about as cowed
a pair as ever sailed in catboat
The sampan masters took charge of
the captured boat, started the gaso-
line engine and she was escorted into
the harbor with considerable ceremony.
On the shore were scores of Japanese
and other spectators and the marines
showed decidedly that they feared their
reception when they landed. AS they
stepped from the boat a police officer
touched them and told them they were
under arrest. On receiving this in
formation they seemed greatly relieved
and their fears vanished.
Blame It on Drink.
AT the police station they told vari-
GUS stories. First of all they stated
that they had got drunk and SO drunk
that they didn't know what was hap
pening until one came to and found
himself in boat in the open sea. He
notified his companion and then they
tried to make the best of it. They
denied at first having taken any cloth
ing from the camp, saying they found
in the boat.
Later they changed their stories.
Moore said he had received letter
from home and it made him homesick.
~ just got a fit of Inconsistencies and
hated this old island and wanted to
get out of it, said he. Mcdaniel aud
| decided totget out and we bundled
our clothes at the camp and slipped
over TO the sampan. We decided TO
pole the boat out so as to make no
noise, but the first thing we did was
to hit the lighthouse island. Finally,
we got outside and then tried to raise
the sail but the wind was bad and
we had TO take it down. We wanted
to get to the American COAST and
thought we could hit the northwest
coast somewhere. But the boat was
carried by the wind the other way.
Then we found we didn 4 know how to
start the engine. When we did get the
sail up We had 10 take It right down,