Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1929-11-15
COUNT LUCKNER
THE SEA DEVIL

We were Jailed at Mount Eden, the
local prison Of Auckland, as punish
ment for our flight. For calaboose,
It was not bad. After twenty-one days
there, we were distributed among vari-
Gus prison camps. Kircheiss and
went to River island near Lytteton on
the south island of New Zealand.
Even the yard of our prison In For.
Jervois was veritable cage. It was
screened not only around but also
across the top with lines of barbed
wire. The commander of the camp,
Major Leeming of Tasmania, was one
Of the best fellows have ever met
He, too, felt himself prisoner here on
this lonely island and soon became
our third man at cards, which we
played to while away the hours during
the long evenings.
A drawbridge that had been smashed
BY hurricane was being repaired,
and we prisoners had access to the
waterside for while. In the yard
stood row Of empty tar barrels. One
Of the barrels fell over, and l hap
pened to notice that 1t was picked up
by small coastwise schooner that
often lay at dock farther down the
shore. threw in another barrel. II
floated. The boat picked 1t up. My
plan was made. could arrange one
Of these barrels so that could float
out in 1t. would pick the time when
hn of
l would get into the barrel and roll
myself off the dock. The boat would
pick the barrel up. 1t might seem
bit heavy, but they would think it had
tar In it. The barrel once aboard, its
lid would open and man armed with
a knife would step out, like jack-in
the-box. Thus l would have a boat.
l would pick up Kircheiss, who would
be waiting, and we would go sailing
and perhaps get to some neutral Is
land.
Major Leeming had been SO kind to
me that / did not want to embarrass
him by escaping under his command
He, expecting an addition to his fam
lily, was to take furlough. l would
do my jail-breaking while he was
away. But soon after Major Leeming
went on his furlough, Kircheiss and
were ordered back to the prison camp
at Motuihi. OF course, there was q
new commandant at Motuihi now,
Major Schofield. Most of the prisoners
there received us with enthusiasm.
Even the treacherous Polish doctor
brought me bottle of champagne,
hoping that would not mention our
former little business transaction In
which he was to get percentage of
that $4,000.
Some of our own countrymen who
had spent SO many hours learning
parts for that theatrical show seemed
| to hold 1t against us. But, after all,
had not treated them to far better
melodrama from the life of sailor?
Presently. several fellows came to
me and asked If did not think some
thing could be undertaken. They had
already contrived to get few pistols
and build folding canvas boat. We
could not very well 60 to sea In that
But If we could contrive to station
ourselves at some other part of the
island, we could wait until a sailing
ship came along, put out in our flimsy
little craft, and attack her. We con
suited with the former governor of
German Samoa, Doctor Schultz Ewarth
by name, who was prisoner at
Motuihi. He with his personal serv-
nj rfo nj
baker, was allowed to wander where
he pleased on the island. It was his
man who hit upon the idea of hiding
in the interior of the island by build
ing cave In the side of dry river
bed that he had discovered, the cave
to be so disguised that searchers would
not notice it. We could easily get out
of the camp and into the other parts
of the island, and, at the same time,
| give the impression that we had es.
capped over cliff to the shore and
been picked up by boat. We could
keep to our retreat until the search
! had died down, and then we could
watch for passing sailship and at
tack it. The plan seemed an excel
lent one.
We gathered more weapons, while
Doctor Schultz-Ewarth and his man,
on their long rambles, began the con-
struction of the cave. Things pro
crossed rapidly. Then the Armistice
came. If it had been delayed week.
there would have been another escape
| at Motuihi.