The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-06-18
Ne lived near an old
capt am who nearly
always tOof his wife
to Sea. =

GIxTY years ago William M. Phillipson. now
IS, and an 'old-timer" around the mining
camps of Tuolumne mining sections of Cali
fornia. began fight to clear his record as a de
serter from the American navy.
Just today he stands INDICATED, indicated by
Congress and admitted to eligibility for pension
And with his vindication comes story from
this grizzled old man. 1t is a story OF the sea-
and OF the outof-way places, outrivaling in color
daring and adventure the fiction stories of Kip
ling or Of Captain Dinge.
Phillipson likes to tell the stories. Often at
twilight with a grandchild sitting on his knee he
tells Of his daring escapes In Sumatra
He croons lullabies learned from the old negro
NANNY in the West Indies, who took him In and
rubbed his bruised body with lniment.
fascinating story. it is from the beginning
anG from the beginning it should be told.
when was 10 we lived near an old sea cap.
tain named Partridge. who nearly always took his
wife with him to sea-" Phillipson begins.
"one day he asked me If l would like to go
along and my mother gave consent.
I'VE passed Lands End the first evening and
good stiff breeze was blowing. The blow got
stronger until the captain let out five fathoms
of chain to keep the ship steady.
Then we a dreadful sight-a ship on fire,
less than half mile from us. On the wings of the
wind came cries of women and children as they
jumped into the sea to escape the flames"
Phillipson was yet 10 when he saw this and
he thought he had had enough OF the sea, he says
But twc-months later he was aboard the brig ST.
Patrick. bound for Damarara in the West Indies
MAST WENT BY BOARD, KILLING THREE
There was no wharf where they landed The
ship anchored in the harbor and the cargo
transferred by lighters.
barrel of rum was set UP on the ships deck
and the sailors instructed to help themselves
'"And they surely did," says Phillipson
Before the rum cargo was all aboard wind
up, strong enough to break the ships an.
Choir. and the ship was beached. When she struck
land the mast went by the board and in fall.
ing killed three of the men and the captain.
1.-TWO negro natives saved me-" explains Phillip.
son. Il suppose because was just kid they
took me 10 negro nanny who rubbed lniment
on my bruises"
Home again Phillpson promised his mother he
would stay But before he was IL he was off
~NAS 1880
taking coal to Constantinople.
At Constantinople he jumped ship and Joined
some Turkish children he met on the water front.
In few weeks officer came and took him to
prison. 1t was here that he saw prisoners thrown
into the Bosphorus.
After month in the dingy cell where he was
fed nothing but dry bread. water and onions he
says, he was taken back to the Hannibal.
The crew was discharged at Amsterdam on the
return voyage, and Philnpson signed up on the
barque Pantalone. bound for the Dutch East In
oles trade
In the Straits of Madagascar the ship picked I'D
a woman and a child, who swan into the sea to
escape gorilla. She had been shipwrecked
three years before.
ON TO BORNEO AND SHANGHAI
On to Borneo and Shanghai the Pantalone
sailed and at Shanghai the British revenue cut.
ter brought in a German brig and Chinese junk
THE crew of the brig lay dead upon the deck.
The Chinese crew was in double irons.
Three days later Chinese officials came out
and set fire to the junk and the pirates were