The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-10-02
Ex.SOldier of Fortune Is Now
Successful New Orleans
Business Man
Following Brilliant Military
Coup, He Fled to Escape
Firing Squad

New Orleans, Oct. 2.-It's a long
way from the quarterback of an
admiral's flagship to a paint manu-
featuring house on Camp street in
New Orleans. But Walter Wandell
has made the trip-and doesn't mind
telling about it.
New Orleans has always been a
port of refuge for wandering ad-
venturers. Few of them, however,
can tell stories to parallel that of
Wandell, now q peaceful and sue
cessful business man.
Wandell was the first admiral OF
the Argentine navy-while it lasted
And to this day he cherishes the
memory of that interlude in his life
AN interlude of excitement, blood,
riches and romance, which came
within an inch of ending, forever,
before the leveled rifles Of firing
squad.
Wandell was born in Germany,
the son of Prussian cavalry Off
Ger, not quite SO years ago. His
father, a political exile, moved to
Sweden. At the age of Is the boy
was appointed cadet in the Swedish
navy. After three years Of this he
got an honorable discharge and ran
away to sea, shipping before the
mast on the square-rigged ship
Armenia, Nova Scotiaman bound
for Buenos Aires.
Sailed on Hell Ship"
The Armenia was what deep-water
sailors used to call ''hell ship
bad food, little rest, much hard work
and hard-fisted officers. Wandell
and the second mate, among others,
had a fight one day. The second
mate was laid up, and Wandell fell
heir to his job for the rest of the
voyage. That is the way hell
ships were run.
The second mate, however, vowed
revenge, and whispered to Wandell
that on the voyage home he would
surely kill him. So, in Buenos
Aires, Wandell deserted and took
refuge in sailors boarding house
in the Boca section of the river
front.
Buenos Aires then was known as
the worlds toughest seaport, and
the Boca was the toughest part of
Buenos Aires. The noble art of
shanghai-ing seGmen flourished.
Tommy and Billy. two staggering
rogues, were lords of the district.
Wandell, in some manner, ingrat-
lated himself with Tommy and es-
capped being shanghaied-for !
while.
At last, however, Wandell decided
to leave the Boca and seek his for
tune in the pampas. He moved to
Z good hotel and planned to stop
there while looking for openings,
And then the unexpected happened.
Takes Charge Of Navy"
The head Of the Argentine secret
service called on him with . propo-
sition. A revolution was brewing.
The government had bought war
ship, but there was no sailor in Ar
gentina the government would trust
with it. The secret service had
heard Of the young ex-Swedish naval
cadet; would he become an admiral
in the new Argentine navy? Wan
dell, quite naturally, agreed.
Wandell boarded his warship-an
antiquated steam-propelled frigate
with. broadside Of eight muzzle-
loading guns and q crew of 400
swarthy cut-throats. Wandell or
ganized them and then inquired az
to his duties.
The Boca section was. the hotbed
OF the revolutionary sentiment. At
: given signal from ashore he was
70 sail along the bank firing broad
sides to terrorixe the revolutionists:
meanwhile soldiers would 70 through
and clean up" Wandell was eau
toned to fire blank cartridges only:
the government did not want ~
rebellious subjects hurt, Il It were
possible to avoid it.
At last the signal came. Wandell
took a. warship up the river, cleared
for action.
Fires 6olid Shot
I'D been doing some heavy think
Ing" he explains. u knew that
gang IN the Boca, and II took mos
than blank cartridges 70 fifa thena.
20, made up my mind 70 uoo ~.
Is E .e1