Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1921-12-22
LIKE OLDEN DAYS
Shanghaied Sailor Has Vivid TAX
Of kidnapping.
etsey 0riNss - Msmsry the ve,leve
Backed Seeks We Ussa . Read
oshiNd tho Darn.

A court martial at GOVERNOR island,
New York harbor. has unanimously
accepted a. true . story just like the
old Action stories Of sailing ships and
their methods Of "shanghailng" men
for their crews. and cleared Of deser-
ton charges soldier who said he had
been kidnapped at the Canal xoae and
carried across the Atlantic against HIS
will. He was absoived Of all blame
and ordered restored to duty.
The soldier was Earl Clark, who en-.
listed In the army In the West Virginia
mountain section and was sent to the
contingent at the Panama Canal zone.
where he was assigned to Company A
Of the military police. One night while
or duty he ran across sailors from the
Kronprinsessan Margareta. Z Swedish
steamship, who asked him II he
couldn't show them the bright lights"
Of Colon. This was In November.
1870.
II was q great night for Private
Clark and for the Swedish sailors, but
the endurance Of the Stockholm lads
was greater than that Of Clark. who
finally passed into complete oblivion.
Far he II from strong Swedish sailors
to desert 4 cosnrade whose engines had
stopped. 30 they loaded him on their
shoulders and carried him to their ship,
which was to sail from Colon for Stock.
holm at dawn.
When Clark awoke he was In one Of
the hunks Of tiie Swedish ship, which
was already out OF sight OF land and
rolling In heavy seas without regard
for the state Of health Of any dough
boy" who had been out the night BE-
fore. One Of the party told Clark that
he was on his way to Stockholm.
where the lights were just 40 bright %
any In the Canal zone.
Indignant. Clark demanded that he
he taken before the captain. who ~.
sured him that II was impossible to
turn the steamer back and that he
would receive pay for any work done
on the voyage. He demanded that
he be permitted to communicate with
the army authorities II the boat
touched England. after he had learned
that the ship might 20 through the
inland canal to Manchester.
Before the ship started inland Ia
Manchester. however. the Swedish sail.
ors put Clark under guard to prevent
his escape. but he managed TO eluds
this watch and get ashore. He told
his story to q policeman and was
| taken to q police station. where he
asked for assistance In notifying his
officers ut the Canal zone that he had
been "shanghaied."
Clark told the officers Of the court.
| martial that he was held for several
weeks In prison At Manchester incom'
municado. pending receipt Of word
from the American government. lie
said that the food was Insufficient and
the jailers were abusive.
| After he had failed to get word "a
| the American consul and his detention
was heightened into weeks. he said Z
Presby terian clergyman In Manches
ter communicated with the American
embassy In London and few days
later q guard put the soldier aboard
the Celtic on allen deportation orders
He was arrested when the ship
reached port Mt New York and taken
to the military prison at Fort Jay on
charges Of desertion.
Telling Of this unusual case. ON.
| GERS ut Governors island recalled q
similar one during the war. A sol.
der was kidnapped at st. Nazaire BY
Spanish soldiers and landed In Spain
where he was kept In prison for about
| two years before his status was finally
! established. He also was tried for
| desertiOn and acquitted.