The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-01-20
Sailor Escapes From Blein-
helm, Swimming to Blum
berg, and Reaches City.
DECLARES SHIPPED
AGAINST HIS WILL
Declares He Did Not Intend
Shipping for Passage, But
For Harbor Work.

Protesting against being conveyed
to sea, to engage in a voyage to
England, young Norwegian sailor
named Danielsen remained aboard
the Norwegian bark Blenheim long
enough for the vessel to get under
way. Then, noting that distance be-
tween himself and the city of PEN
sacola was fast lengthening, he de-
cided to take a desperate chance to
get back, and did so by taking a fly
| ing leap into the cold water, intend
ing to take a chance of getting ashore
in some way or else being picked up.
After long swim, possibly several
hundred yards, he managed to reach
the German steamship Rudolf Blum
berg, anchored for harbor here. He
was taken aboard and later in the
afternoon brought ashore. At 5
O'Clock last night, wet and cold, he
was found on South Palafox street,
and taken into Peter Delano's store.
where a complete set of dry, wa
clothes was furnished. These wera
given him by Mr.. Delano, when an
latter was told of the exploit of t.e
rudy young seaman.
While donning these garments,
which he received with expressions
of his great appreciation, ne told his
/ story to q Journal man in the pres
ence of several witnesses. Today he
will probably make formal complaint
against the manner of his treatment
before the federal officials. Just
what this will amount to, remains to
be later worked out.
Danielsen, lately paid off from the
Norwegian steamship Lift and dis
| charged because he did not want to-
make trip on a ship into England,
/ Blenheim with instructions to do
some work there. With him went
two other sailors. They were I'M
formed that they We're to be en-
ployed to work on the ship while
she was at anchor, and when he was
told that the ship was going to sea
when tug boat showed up, he hunted
up the skipper, he said, and formally
entered protest, without much satis-
faction, for he was then informed
that about $40 had been advanced To
get him.
| Danielsen protested on another an-
| gle, he said, saying that he had no
clothing as had been promised. The
| skipper is said to have informed him
that the clothes had been paid for.
Still further protesting without re-
suit, the husky young sailor, seeing
his protests unavailing, leaped TITO
the water and arrived in Pensacola.
When he left the ship, he said, the
two others who were taken aboard
the same time he was, were entering
protests against going to sea, claim
1 ing excitedly that they were noA
aboard for the voyage. Whether or
not these men got off, he was unable
to say. He said he did not UNDER
stand their language. The Blenheim,
clearing for Greenock yesterday, went
to sea in the early part Of the aft
ernoon.
Mr.. Delano said that, while he was
in the sailor shipping business, he
was not STOPPING to such tactics, and
he appeared very much worked up
over what he asserted was the un-
, fair advantage which was being
taken of the young seamen. He and
| others stated that few days ago a
young German was shipped on the
Belgian steamship which was here,
and which was in need Of sailors at
the time, and he expressed the opin-
ion that the German, unless he was
taken off at some Atlantic port, that
: he would never reach destination
alive, or else after being badly
beaten. He said that he wanted to
do all he could to discourage such
tactics.
DanieIsen, the sailor, stated that be-
had been "given very much to drink, .
but understood when he went aboard
the bark that he was going to do
some work because Of shortness Of
help aboard He said he did not
sign to go to sea, especially to the
, ports in England, as far as he could
recollect, and he was naturally very
{ much worked up over the attempt Ia
| sand him against his will