South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-10-20
WAS MEMBER OF
FAMED BAT TALON
Young War Veteran Beats
Way From Coast to MiSha-
Waka-TeIIS Good Story.

Jumping from a freight train go
ing at the rate Of 20 miles an hour.
John MACPHERSON. q years Of old.
native of Edinburgh. Scotland. and
a veteran of the world war. found
himself IN Mishawaka Sunday. He
had lost trace Of the days of the
week and was somewhat surprised
at the quiet atmosphere. 1t was
the last lap Of his journey via
freight Accommodation from San
Francisco. and he had been on the
road about five weeks. He asked
the first person he saw where he
could find someone who spoke
Scotch" He found him. After
hearty meal, the first he had eaten
in many weeks, he told an interest
ing story Of his life-a story replete
with much human interest.
Taken from a coal mine in which
he had worked since ne was Is
years old. ne entered the military
service Of Great Britain in FCbru-
airy. 1915. He was alta ched to the
43rd famous black watch. second
battalion. and sent Immediately to
the front That he bad suffered
from wounds and by being gassed
was evident His left wrist had
been shattered by shrapnel, while
"a sniper's bullet had gone clear
through his ankle However. these
wounds did not bother him 30 any
extent compared TO the effects OF
the deadly gas with which his sys-
tenn is permeated He had partici-
patej in nearly all OF the big battles
in which the Scottish soldiers had
taken part
Exchanges Kills for Jumpers.
Mustered out in Glasgow several
weeks and with only 10 shillings in
his pocket (S2.5O) and the suit oil
kits he had worn on the battle
fields, he took passage as an able
bodied seaman on the Donaldson line
steamer "Pangman." bound from
Glasgow 10 San Francisco. II had
been his first experience as a sailor,
and when the steamer reached its
destination he beat it." Exchang-
ing his kits for a pair of jumpers,
he visited the railway yards. and
gines, the type Of which he had
never seen before. the engine driver
spoke 10 him. On learning he was
native of the same country, he
was invited into the cab of the en-
CINE in which he travelled many
hours at a speed which he imagin-
ed would land him in New York be-
fore the following morning. At the
end of the run he was set down and
given directions how best TO get
east. For several days and nights
he occupied freight cars, being fin
ally dumped in Chicago. No sooner
had he arrived than a policeman
questioned him. and as his accent
is decidedly OF the heather and
quite unintelligible TO an American
or anyone else not from the land
Of cakes, he was hailed before an
immigration commissioner who ask
ed him if he was a bolshevik. 1t
was like touching a match TO a
keg Of powder. The Scot considered
himself justified in resenting the in
suit. and made a lurch towards the
commissioner. One punch from the
policeman on the right optic Knock
ed him TO the floor. How much
money have you?" Questioned the
officials. II have a dollar and eight
cents" replied John. 1T will cost
you a dollar for your first natural
ization papers; you can keep the
eight cents" And MACPHERSON has
them still. all in pennies.
But he is proud of his naturaliza-
tiOn papers, and with those and his
few cents he will commence life in !
this country at the Dodge Manufac- {
turing company's establishment to- !
day. His father was killed in the I,
war. and he has a mother and sister /
living in Edinburgh whom he hopes F!
to send for some day not far dis
tant.
DR. Tom Dugdale. rs - Lincoln /