The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-11
BELGIAN, 10, is HERE
AGAIN ASSTOWAWAY
Mike Gilhooley, Doughboys'
Friend, Hopes Fourth At
tempt Will Succeed.
IN BRIG, BUT CHEERFUL
Kroonland Brings 1,532-Red
Tape Holds Up Passengers
on Montpelier.

When your mother is Belgian and
your father is Irish and you want to get
anywhere you just keep a-coming. That
ia what Mike Gilhooley, 15 years old, Is
doing. Mike arrived yesterday in the
brig Of the troopship Kroonland on his
fourth attempt to break into these
United Statos without papers. parents
passage money or anything else
Mike was easily the most prominent
passenger aboard the Kroonland. despite
the fact that the vessel brought 1,SS2
officers and men of the A e. F., three
diplomats and seven war brides. He
sat on the noor of the brig. which Is
marine for hoosegow. wolnng a big plate
Of chow, which is naval for grub.
He did not permit his gustatorial eff
forts to interfere with the cheerful
smile which split his face. Neither did
he permit the smile to delay or hinder
the southbound traffic Occasionally his
eyes wandered cheerily toward the door
Of the brig, which had gaping hole IN
the bottom on these occasions his smile
became so wide that 1t seemed as II
something serious was about to happen
70 the upper part of his head.
Occa sionally. also, Mikes eyes strayed
eorrowfully toward his feet. which were
entirely bare. Naval strategy. 1t was
learned, had deprived him Of his shoes
In order that the door Of the brig might
retain some of its original semblance,
and also that the Kroonland might re-
tain some semblance of ship.
In Mikes trousers pocket bulged Sob,
which had been given to him by officers
and sailors on board in mute indication
that while naval regulations, laws and
ordinances compelled them to be nrm,
they were, nevertheless, strong for him.
Altogether, Mike was fairly happy.
Mike Explains the Broken Door.
81 done It in the line of duty" Mike
said. referring to the decrepit door. II
had to do everything to escape. but i
promised later I wouldn't when they
showed me that 1 couldn't so 1 won't.
But I'll land this time sure"
Mikes father died long before the war,
a circumstance singularly fortunate for
the German army. judging from Mike.
Soon after the German invasion of Bel
GUM Mikes house in Charleroi was
blown UP by bomb and his mother was
killed. Since that time Mike had been
wandering about among the allied, and
particularly the American army.
He found this life em!nently satisfac-
tory until the armistice was signed.
when he found that Belgium and France
were pretty dead sort of places. So
Mike, who had seen the American dough-
boys both in action and billets, decided
that undoubtedly there would be lot
more doing in the United States. This
spring he slowed away on the Black
Arrow. saw the Statue of Liberty. was
detained and taken to Ellis Island and
later shipped back to Belgium.
If Mikes feelings were hurt by this
almost cool welcome to the land of the
free he overlooked the matter and sailed
soon again on the troopship Agamemnol.
Once more the Ellis Island detention
house and again Belgium.
Mike then began to wonder that may
be the United States didn't want him over
here. But every time he slowed away
on a transport he had the enthusiastic
aid. support and backing OF every goh
and doughboy aboard so he decided that
his suspicious in regard to his welcome
were unfounded and he sailed on the
Santa Paula.
This time he broke away from the
ship Just after the immigration au-
thorities had ordered him held for de-
portation. For a month he lived with
friends on West 134th street. but the
Ellis Island authorities got him again.
Most OF the A. E. F. then returned
from France and Elsie Janis besides
tried to get the ban lifted for Mike
While they were trying Mike organized
a gang among a dozen Belgian boy
stowaways on Ellis Island. For a time
the officials there thought that the
European war had not been stopped
but merely had been transported tc
Ellis Island. along with all the active
volcanoes in Italy. The only peace Il
had was one night when Mike and g
couple of his gang set out for the Jersey
shore on q raft made of two life pre-
servers and a board. Unfortunately
both for Mike and Ellis Island the for
mer was caught after an all night plunge
in chill waters and lugged back to the
island. A few days later Mike was
shipped to France on the George Wash
ington.
Has a Short stay at Brest.
This time Mike stayed at Brest and
chummed up with the Sixtieth Guard
Company, and particularly with Private
Frank Welty, who owns a ranch at Ar
cadia, Kan. 1t was agreed that Mike was
TO have a job on Franks ranch. Unfor'
tunately, as usual, for Mike. some ono
chucked Mike right down the gang
plank when he boarded the troopshiI
on which the Sixtieth Guard Company
sailed a troopship which was named, BY
a coincidence Arcadia.
Mike was almost peeved, but not dis
Outraged. He discovered that the
Kroonland. sailing two days later, OF
August 80. was a much better boat thar
the Arcadia anyhow, and would reach
port here two days before her. So HI
took the Kroonland, establishing himself
In No. hold. Two days after the shiI
sailed Mike developed an appetite, so ht
came out.
Three days ago the stowaway decided
to go into seclusion again so that hi
could slip of the ship after the immigra.
ton authorities had failed to find him
He had a bunch, Mike had, that the Inn.
migration authorities. slaves TO duty a.
they are, would not look too darn hard
for him. They had found him before
Then somebody with a New England
conscience or a crouch or something
found him in the coal bunkers and
hauled him out. Monday they put hin
into the brig. It was not until after
he had kicked the hole in the door that
Commander w. w. Ramsey. executive
officer of the ship. ordered his shoes con.
k1scated.
"Bet they let me land. though" he
said happily yesterday. Besides Fras.l
Welty there are Ferdinand A. Jadin OF
1871 Green street. San francisco, anc
Arthur Wldergren OF Minneapolis, botf
-ci the Siktieth Guard Company. They r.
my friends, those boys are / want tc
go TO the ranch, most though.
IF they'd let me land the first time
neither me nor the immigration guy,