The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-17
WAR HERO HOME AS
STOWAWAY ON SHIP
Youth, 10, Puts One Over on
Navy, Army, Customs Men
and Dock Guards.
GASSED AND RIBS BROKEN
Cronin's Mother in Lowell Is
Bigger Magnet Than $400
in British Back Pay.

A boy OF 10, the fuzs OF youth on his
dimpled chin, hltched his blue denim
overalis a bit higher after the manner
Of men Of the sea and stepped lightly
into the smoker of the Boston Midnight
Express at the Grand Central Terminal
last night. settled in one Of the comfort
sbie leather chairs, licked the edge OF n
fsg he was rolling and made the United
States Railroad Administration sit UP
on It's hind legs with loud:
Now, home. James,"
Tho youngster loosened his faded
Jumper, threw of an old stoker's cap. al
lowing a shock of curls to tumble over
his forehead. and. prffing on a cigarette.
further addressed himself:
"Cripes, the old woman'll certainly
pop her eyes when light into Lowell.
Mass Five years-blame near a career
see In that time-and maybe the old
town won't put out Its welcome mat
when get there. They won't know me
In this scenery OF course, and got two
new gold teeth since IA in place OF the
two the German officer kicked out OF me,
and my eyes are still pulled from the
chlorine gas that blinded me In the
Somme push. but when Thomas Cronin.
Esquire, hits the old burg I guess the
mfllSil call It a day"
Young Cronin, Esq. came to Amer
lea In an unusual way. He actually put
one over on the United States Navy, the
customs officials, the army guards AT
Ioboken and the police outside Of the
Hoboken gates But says to myself. ]
says. In Liverpool last week. I'm going
{" get back to Lowell and my mother II
l have to swipe one of his Majesty
ships" went on Thomas. Sure the
Crown owes me $500 back pay and a
Few pounds gratuity money TO boot to
buy ship with"
In North Sea ana DardsneI,..-
Standing under the superstructure OF
Chatham Square, near where he had
taken lodgings for the day, the youth
told his story:
II shipped out OF Boston before the
war started. and went to work in the
mines Of Cape Breton Islands until the
war broke out, and then 1 jumped into
the Royal Navy. saw eleven months
in the North Sea and the Dardanelles
and then the Poo. the torpedo boat ]
was on, was sunk after a running fgh,
with submarine in the North Sea,
Fourteen were killed and my ribs were
smashed.
when I got out Of the London Hos.
pital ] enlisted in the South Lancashire
Regiment. and in the summer Of 1916
we got into the Somme jam. When the
barrage lifted one morning in July we
went over. but a machine gun bullet
stopped me, and woke UP in the Larger
helm Prison Hospital in East Prussia
1t seems the ferries sent over some
chlorine gas when we attacked. and
was blind for three weeks.
From that time until the armistios
We British prisoners. 5000 OF US. worked
in ore Of the Krupp ammunition fac
tories In the prison camp. We made
high explosive shells and time fuses
When a fellow wouldn't work an officer
would smash him or a bayonet had q
habit OF opening up the skin of your
back. Look at my back-it's full Of
punctures. Not that 1 wouldn't work
but we were all pretty weak We go
a half pound of black bread, a hall
pound of timed beef and tea. Fellows
who refused to work were put to work
in the salt mines in northern Prussia.
1--WE were kept in the camp from th'
armistice until January. and during thai
time groups OF us were allowed to wall
around the town under guard. Wher
VIC went anywhere near the people the,
would spit at us. throw bricks and ours,
US. and we were known as English pigs.
Beating II Out of England.
I'VE certainly beat It away as fas
rs we could when the order came I,
transfer us to Canterbury, England
There got my discharge and flo
Well, the fare to New York is $50, an,
to get my back pay and gratuity I har
to send in my discharge and the wal
would be six months. So I got down 4
the docks of Liverpool. in April. an,
there the U. s. s. Plattsburg Is locked
Luck was with me. Me and a Canada,
and two girls slowed away on the boat
The Canadian was guy who had tn
King and Queen tattooed on his breas
and 1t was covered with sores wher
Germans used to prick It to see tn
blood run over the tattoo stun. We'll
they caught the girls and the CANADIAN
and put them of at Brest
They took on some soldiers at Bres
and we set sail for America. I dresse,
as a sailor and mustered in with tn
crew at mastering time, and / was
passenger with other sailors comin
home. Lots OF officers tried to stick m
with questions. but got by them all. Tn
X. OF c. had fellows on the boat givin
the soldiers and sailors tobacco. candy
fruit and cakes. and l come in for
all.
Then to-day the ship docks over a
Hoboken. 1 jump into a sweater an
overalls and get as far as tho gate whe
the guards hold me up. I told them
wasn't going out. / came from outsid
and was going in. and they fell for Il
The gang on the boat told me tn
knights OF Columbus would stake m
TO a ticket home. and sure enough whe
blew into their place on Fourth ave
nue. and told n man named Fox, who
the chief works In the Office. about m
experience he flxed me out good S
here l am and the nuicker l get int