Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-08

"A American citizen wounded in the
World War, shows colorful and
stirring a career any soldier can
boast.
Bouligny born in New Orleans January
4, 1888. He lived in Mexico City where his
father was proprietor of q large printing and
engraving establishment. from 1895 to 1898.
His father died in the latter year, the family
returned to New Orleans and there Edgar John
attended the public schools and led the normal
life OF an American boy until he was IA years
old.
Then his adventures began. He went to San
Francisco to visit relative in the Summer Of
1902. He was already a big fellow almost six
feet tall, and developed beyond his years. The
San Francisco water front fascinated him, and
he spent every hour possible watching the
movement of the port.
stranger asked him to take q glass of beer.
Edgar John accepted, the beer was drugged,
and when he woke up he was far out at sea,
shanghaied aboard a China bound square
rigger"
Bouligny accepted his lot with fortitude, and
when he returned to San Francisco months
later he had become a good sailor. He liked
the seamans life and signed up on the schooner
Manga Reva. which sailed for the Hawaiian
Islands from San Francisco.
A CARGO of raw sugar was taken aboard at
Kahalui, and the ship started back for
Philadelphia. Cape Horn was rounded in July,
and Bouligny suffered intensely from the bitter
cold. The boat discharged its cargo at Della
ware Breakwater on october TO- 1905 and Bou.
hgny was paid of with $35 wages.
Then followed a spell as fisherman and
oyster dredger in Chesapeake Bay, 1ongshore-
man along the Atlantic Seaboard, gang boss on
q railroad construction job after which Bouligny
enlisted in the 22d United States Infantry where
he served from March Z, 1906, to March 6,
1909 He was stationed at the Preside in
San Francisco when that city was wrecked
kp in md ha1yN
guard the smoking ruins against looters during
the days that followed.
Tired Of the Army, Bouligny returned to the
sea. and signed aboard four masted steel bark,
the Edward Sewell, bound for New York from
San Francisco.
It was eventful voyage. From the Golden
Gate to Sandy Hook, the boat was 40 days
without seeing land. Frightful storms were
encountered and the crew endured many hard
ships.
It was Boulignys second trip around Cape
Horn, and when he paid of in New York
on August 80 he decided it should be his last.
He Fe-enlisted in the United States Army in
1909, and the end of his period found him a
sergeant in the Philippine Islands. He was
discharged on September 81, 1872 and gladly
returned to his old haunt, San Francisco.
In the Spring of 1918 he signed up as worker
for the season in an Alaskan salmon cannery
and set sail late in April for Boring Sea on
the three-master Guy C. Goss, q leaky old tub.
Once aboard the ship, he found that he was
virtually a slave to Chinaman who was mas
Ter Of the contract workers.
T HE ship was living hell. Most of Bouligny's
~ comrades were members of the !. w. w.
and thugs of the lowest sort. Bouligny fought
thS bully Of the ship and was beating him
badly until the bully drew q knife Bouligny
rushed for Delaying pin, and with it struck
the ships captain, who dashed around the
corner at the wrong moment, a crashing blow
on the head.
The captain was almost killed by the stroke:
the bully and his I. w. W. mates Swore that
Bouligny had attacked the ships master pur-
posely, and Bouligny was put in irons He
was taken ashore in Alaska and tried for his
life before Federal Judge The latter was
favorably impressed by Bouligny,s straightfor-
ward story and appearance and acquitted him
BOuiigny was taken on up the coast to the
Balmon factory, dismal, desolate place. where
ne spent wretched Summer. The CONTRACT
the workers had signed called for Chinese food
ana they were fed solely on rice.
When the season ended in September the
workers were taken back to Seattle Bouligny
had had enough of adventures for the mo-
meQt and fastened back to New Orleans.
He was spending the Summer Of 1914 quietly
Ut home when war broke out In Europe On