1' -i- -t INTERNATIONAL FALLS PRESS, NOVEMBER 28, 1918 PAGE SEVEN luty on the Mexican border during the and thunder war play entitled "Cuba's At out aix bells in the morpins Watching/i)ur chance, we sneaked aft started in to make my life a misery. first trouble in 1911. I was discharged Vow." His brother was playing the (three o'clock) the door opened, and and hid the little fellow in one of theN Brief Account He liad a habit of carrying a huge at San Antonio, Tex., returned to New VJ-/—u villain. This play greatly Impressed there standing in the opening was a ventilators, warning him, upon p::'n butcher knife in his beit. Between York, and went into business for myself. me in fact, from the first act to the huge Swede, encased in oilskins. The of death, not to make a sound until u. 3 meals he would sit down on a bench This was a distinct failure. I last the footlights were gushing blood, of My Life icy blast sent a cold shiver through, and constantly feel the edge, at the ship was well under way. To say that could not settle down, so I applied for love and adventure—and rotten acting. me. I wondered what he wanted, but I was nervous is putting it mildly. a position with a well-known detective Bill's brother was awful. did not wonder long. We cleared St. Lucia arid were soon •rA' agency, and after pounding my heels Bill was a pretty good judge of "You bane get tea and toast on at sea. The islands of Martinique, St. in the anteroom for several weeks, human nature. He had taken us to bridge for mate, damn quick." I was Lucia and Barbados were tiny gray now and then being given a "shadow Sergeant Arthur Guy this play to get us worked up to a bewildered. The door slammed and. dots on the horizon when an Italian case," finally had the luck to go before pitch of enthusiasm, and thus getting once again I was alone. Fifteen minutes sailor, Louis Maranto, went aft to ship Empey the "chief," and, with four other men us in the proper frame of mind, he must have passed when the door the ventilators. In a few minutes he Author of "Over the Toft" was sent down south on a "moonshine" could unroll his latest scheme. opened again and in rushed the came rushing forward with terror in "First Call*" Etc case. I got in with a family of toughest-looking seaman I Jiave ever That night, after the show, he proposed his eyes. As he passed the galley I "moonshiners" and liked them very seen. He had only ene eye. Later a trip to South America, which stopped him and asked what was the o-o-o well in fact, I thought so much of on I found that he was out first mate, took our breaths away. We jgere to matter. All he could gasp out was tbem that when the time came to show "One-eyed Gibson," a "Blue-Noser" run away and ship on a tramp steamer, "Mary of God, a devil ees on da ship." them up it sort of went against the Mr. Empey'9 Experiences from Nova Scotia, and a man whom It for a passage of about nine "One-eyed Gibson," seeing his terror, grain, and I couldn't do it. It seemed was not safe to trifle with. Without months. With the money thus earned During His Seventeen went aft with him and soon we could like stealing candy from a baby. Of a word he stepped into the glory hole, we were to equip ourselves and start see him coming forward, leading our Months in theFirst course this severed my connection with grabbed my shoulder in a grip of out for Port LImon, Costa Rica, and little stowaway by the ear. The little Line Trenches of the detective agency, and I shed no the steel, and yanked me out of my bunk go into the coffee plantation business. negro was howling blue murder, and tears. into the icy water which was awash British Army in France We all fell for this and took a solemn the curses of the mate snapped like a I then applied for a position with on the deck. This was my first Introduction vow to stick. The scheme especially wireless message. Luckily for me the" the New York Telephone company. to him. appealed to me because here was my mate stopped at the galley and said, (Copyright,BIT,t^Th«MgOlB«»Hewpim While with them I joined the mounted "Get out o' that, you landlubber. chance to follow Dana In his "Two "Keep your eye on this black skunk r* 7 scouts of the Fourth regiment of New I There's no fire in the galley, and Years Before the Mast." The next until I can take him before the 'old Jersey, and went through three maneuver Before I tell of my first real adventure day, after sleeping it over, Charlie and man.'" For five minutes I put all my camps. I will give a brief resume Jim decided that there was more power of entreaty*into my voice and Upon the expiration of ray term of of my life. money In New York, and refused to prayed the stowaway to stick by me service, which was three years, I I was born in the eighties, closer to go. I admit I had a sinking sensation to swear that he came aboard of his the bottom than the top. When I first Joined the mounted scouts of the Seventj-first In the pit of my stomach when own volition. He promised to do so. opened my eyes I breathed the air of regiment, New York. I viewed the proposition in the sunlight, Then the mate came after him and Then the war broke out and I was the "Rockies." To be exact, I was but I stuck. Then Bill and I took him before the captain. During all eagerness to get into the fight. I born in Ogden, Utah, on the 11th of made a tour of the docks in New this fifteen minutes of interview 1 There Was a Reason for His Carrying December, 1883. My roving started had been playing at soldiering, and York, trying to find the ship we lived in an agony of torment and suspense. This Knife. at the early age of four. This was In here I was in the United States while wanted. We fell in with several The little fellow came back a real war was going on across the Cheyenne, Wyo. I used to play on the "boarding masters." These men infest same time telling me what an expert with a smile on his face and I knew water. What was I to do? I did not front porch. My mother must have the water fronts of large cities he was at carving. Later on I found that things were all right. He told me that like being neutral a little bit, so just suspected that I was of a roving nature, and are nothing but bloodsuckers there was a reason for his carrying this the captain had shipped him at a shilling by luck I happened to get in with an because she took the precaution preying on sailors. One of these knife. He and the crew were at dagger a month for the passage. For two to put a gate across the steps of the agent of the French government. At parasites took us on board an old points, he never daring to go forward days he was detailed to help me in porch with some kind of new-fangled this time France was buying thousands tramp steamer, lying in Erie basin, except In case of necessity, and the galley, and I lived the life of a of horses in the United States lock on it, which I was unable to called the Cushko. Here we met then he was careful always to carry prince. We nicknamed him "Monday," negotiate. I used to work for half an and shipping them to France for the the steward, a "lime Juicer," John his butcher knife. Down In my heart the day that he came on board. His French army. Here was my chance Royal-Minns, with the emphasis on I realized that if the occasion should real name was Charles Tasima Benn. at last. My detective experience stood the hyphen. The wonderful tale of arise he would not be backward in On the fourth day, Monday, after 4, me in good stead, and after a lot of ease, luxury and "getting paid for seeing demonstrating his art of carving on peeling a bucket of spuds, while I was maneuvering I finally landed a job to the world" stuff that the steward his opponent. That Welshman was reading and smoking, threw down go over on a horse ship and try and and the boarding master unrolled before no better cook than I was, and the his knife and, with a cunning leer, In ^iss= find out why so many horses were dying our eager eyes carried us Into crew soon became aware of this fact a commanding tone told me to get on the passage over. the seventh heaven of expectation. hence their hostility. busy and complete the task that he This was five o'clock in the afternoon. Shortly after my return from this The Cushko was a "lime juicer," wished to rest. I started in to "bulldoze" The ship was to sail at tliree-ten the trip the Lusitania was sunk, and, like sailing under the English flag. The him, but he simply held his following morning, but they did not all Americans, I was pretty sore, and skipper was a "lime juicer," the first hand in my direction, fingers extended, tell us this. The steward said that waited for the United States to get mate a "blue noser," the first engineer and in a majestic voice informed me: "Get Out o' That, You Landlubber." we were just the two that he wanted, busy. As we all know, nothing happened. a Scotsman, while the crew was composed "From now on, work for the American there being vacancies on the ship for want my tea on the bridge, and I of Spaniards, Italians, Squareheads, I will not. I tell Meester Captain second steward and second cook. He I knew it was up to me to get over want it now, or I'll put out your dead Finns, Swedes and Russians. American Monday stowed away. Meester suggested that we sleep on the ship "on my own." I applied to the British lights." The bos'n was Irish, and a firm believer American to preeson go fourteen that night, and then in the morning, consul, "camouflaging" as a Canadian, I meekly answered, "Yes, sir," and In Home Rule. A worse gang years British government." I nearly after seeing what it was like, we could but it did not work. They would started-to put on my wet socks. Seeing of cutthroats could hardly be conceived fainted. From that time Bill and I go home and decide whether we wanted not send me to Canada. I decided to this action, he shouted, "Never a nice, polite bunch they were. were Monday's abject slaves. We to ship or not. I demurred at pay my own way. mind that damned rigging. Get into Believe me, Bill and I had our troubles. even waited on him personally. Any this, because I had to go home first, One day I met an officer of the Canadian the galley and get that fire alight." Bill and I were the only two Americans article in my possession that Monday so he gave Bill and me permission to army and he told me that if I My feet were blue with the cold on board. The engineer's messman desired was his for the asking. The go, but said we had to get back at did reach Canada I would have to stay and my teeth were chattering. I timidly was a Prussian, Karl Tftfzner by steward wormed the secret out of midnight. We hurried home and on in a training camp for at least six or asked, "Where are we, sir?" With name. I nicknamed him "Fritz." He Monday, and I was also his slave. Bill the sly I packed my grip with my belongings. seven months before being sent over. a look of contempt he answered. was only twenty years old, but was and I spent a life of hell on board. This did not suit me in thife least. I We're outside o' Sandy Hook, bound clumsy, strong as an ox and about six That night I exploded a bombshell After getting into the tropics lime was no rookie in my opinion I was south for the Horn, and she's blowing feet tall. in the family. After dessert had been juice was issued daily to the crew to a trained soldier. Dig guns." Then he left. After weathering the gale we at last served, puffed up with importance, I keep away scurvy. The food was horrible. I then decided to take matters into I stepped out of my glory hole onto came into the Gulf stream, and off the declared: "Well, I'm going to South. The pork was rotten in fact, my own hands and go to England, and Che deck. We were dipping our scuppers, coast of Florida it was warm and America." A barrage of laughter on the head of one of the salt pork shipped on the American line. and huge seas were breaking pleasant. rippled around the table. This got casks was stamped "Inspected 1883." I arrived in London about ten-forty aver the weather side. One minute me sore, and I shut up like a clam. I found that my duties were to peel The crew were on the verge of mutiny. one night. The next morning before the after deck would appear like a It was February, and very cold. spuds, wash pots and pans and be a Then we reached the eastern entrance eleven o'clock'I was a private in his steep hill in front of me, and a horrible About seven o'clock that night a great regular "fetch and carry" for the cook. of the Straits and it was blustery majesty's imperial army, a soldier of churning sound would come from storm came up and the streets were My office hours were from six bells in and cold. The captain attempted the king. Then I realized that I was the racing propeller. Then the deck soon covered with sleety ice. I turned the morning (three o'clock) until four to negotiate the Straits one bright at last up against the real thing and uvould slant away from me and a loud into bed with my clothes on. Bill was bells at night (ten o'clock). I was moonlight night. After about three all of my pugnacity oozed out through Chug! and a shiver through the ship to notify me at ten o'clock by throwing grears.v and filthy at all times, having hours the moon disappeared and we Arthur Guy Empey. my pores. When you get out of civilian as the propeller sank again into the pebbles against the window pane nothing but salt water to wash in, and went on the rocks, knocking a big hole clothes into uniform and close up water. in my room. Every time I looked this would not cut the grease. Bill hour at a time trying to get the gate in the side of the ship, and only quick to the fight you do not want to fight out into the street and saw that howling had it much easier than I. I had murder Benumbed and wet from the icy open, but without success in fact, and efficient work by the carpenter as much as you did before, and I felt blizzard, a picture of a ship wallowing spray, I managed to steer a course in my heart and vowed to "jump this got to be a habit with me until and crew saved us from sinking. They very nervous. This nervousness never in a trough of the sea constantly to the companionway, and dragged ship" at the first port we put into. my father applied the "slipper" several dropped a huge sail over the side, covering left me 'during my stay on the western came before my mind and I myself to the upper deck. A sailor After nine or ten day? we came times. the hole. The boats were put front. shivered, and my enthusiasm dropped was in the galley and had started a ..From Cheyenne my family went to alongside at Castries, St. Lucia, British over the side and we expected the ship Over a year later I was so badly to zero. I could not take my eyes fire. The ship was rolling, pitching Richmond, Va. At this place I went West. Indies, to coal ship. At this every minute to founder. Next day we wounded that I was discharged as away from the clock. It was an and lurching. In that galley it sounded frt the men believed in woman sufijre. to school and was brought up on McGuffy's were towed into Punta Arenas, and "physically unfit for further war service" agony of intense waiting, similar to like a bombardment. Pots and Reader. This gave me a great Long lines of half-naked black after two weeks the ship was again and came back to the old U. S. A. that when, later in the trendies, 1 pans were rattling in their racks a Idea of an Englishman. All I could .vorvn. with huge baskets of coal on made seaworthy. kept looking at my wrist watch waiting few of them had fallen out, and were see was a big grenadier in a red. coat heir heads, passed up the forward At Talcahuana we shipped 28 Spaniards, for four o'clock in the morning chasing each other around the deck. "••ng plank, dumped their load of coal chopping Americans into mincemeat. or "hombres," as we called Shanghaied at when we were to go "over the top" Cold and miserable, I crouched In From Virginia we migrated to Canada. i'.o the open bunkers, and left the them, to work the cargo. This doubled in a charge. Oh, how I wished that Two years later we left for the corner, keeping inyself from falling hip by the after gangway. Before my work-, and I prayed that I would Bill" would change his mind! by holding on to the rail in front 'eaving the ship the fourth engineer New York. Seventeen die It was nothing but misery to me. About five minutes to ten, crack! In New York I went through public of the stove. 'p.ve each one a little brass check, I must have peeled eleven million barrels crack! came a couple of pebble? school, and twice Just escaped being vhich later on she would turn in to The sailor took compassion on me, of spuds In fact, I never turned against the window pane, sounding expelled. From public school I went he coaling company for an English and made the toast and tea. How in before six bells at night, and had like the crack of bullets on the western p'nny. While the women were workng to manual training high school. The he did it was a marvel to me, but to turn out at six bells in the morning. front. With my shoes In one most notable thing I did there was to the men would sit around the dock later on I became very expert myself. Sergeant Arthur Guy After touching at 13 ports on the hand and my grip in the other, I softly make left half back on the football smoking cigarettes. west coast, discharging our cargo, we Empey tiptoed downstairs, put on my team. My great hero was Richard Following the "life lines" on the The natives at St. Lucia had a great left for a little island called Lobas, shoes and heavy overcoat, and opened Henry Dana, who wrote "Two Years upper deck, I at last managed to reach ••.ppetite for salt pork. I soon got Author of "Over the Top," where we were to take on a cargo of the front door. I was greeted by rrush Before the Mast." I devoured this the bridge w$h my pot of tea and wise to this \ct and traded about a "First Call," Etc. guano. While working this cargo it of wind, snow and sleet. Bil book several times and then decided two slices ojif Coasted bread. There naif a--barrel oi' pork for limes, guava was misery for everyone on board the to run away and make the same trip, looked like a snowman. were two men at the wheel. In the jolly, bay rum and alligator pears. strong ammonia from the guano made O-O-O and did so. We plowed through the blizzard darkness I went up to them and asked If the steward or cook had caught me our eyes red and watery, and we could After a little less than a year's absence got on a trolley car, and reached Eri for-the mate. They did not answer. I would never be writing this story. Mr. Empey's Experiences only breathe by wrapping big handkerchiefs I again returned to New York. basin at a quarter to 12, went up the Just then I received a resounding The women threw the pork into their around our noses and mouths. During His Seventeen Once again I was the hero, minus the gangplank and reported to the stew smack on the back which made my dirty coal baskets, and upon reaching The wind was constantly blowing, and "slipper." After being worshiped for Months in theFirst ard. teeth rattle, and that dreaded, gruff he dock gave it to their husbands or guano was even in our food. about two weeks I joined the Fortyseventh The ship looked like an ice palace voice of the mate reached my ears Line Trenches of the sweethearts, who would immediately, Then, coming back, we touched at regiment of Brooklyn, and You could hear the creaking oi through the wind: "Damn you, you without washing it, devour it. They British Army in France Valparaiso, Chile. To me death seemed soon became sergeant. The militia, in winches and the straining of cables hell's spawn, keep away from the men i-pcko in a jibbering patois which 1 easier than the homeward-bound voyage, my eyes, seemed tame, so I ran away and could see dark forms sliding and at the wheel or I'll throw you over eor.'d not understand. Some of them and enlisted in the navy. In two so one night Bill and I slid down cursing on the slippery decks under the side." (Copyright. 19X7, ^TheMcClora Newiptptt conlr] speak pretty good English. The months I became a third-class yeoman, the anchor chain and swam to a "bumboat" the glow of the cargo lights. I mumbled my apologies, and followed kids, averaging from seven to fifteen having passed the yeoman course in lying near us. We gave the The steward greeted us very cordially the mate Into the chart house. In New York Public School No. 78 I yours, were running around naked, or the Brooklyn navy yard. Then I went Chileno $4 to row us ashore. He did and I thought him the finest He greedily drank the tea, and in had three chums, "Bill" Meek, "Jim" diving off the dock for pennies which to sea on the "rookie" battleship Missouri. so. Dripping wet we crawled up onto man I had ever met. Bill was shipped about four bites disposed of the pieces we threw overboard. Fleming, and "Charlie" Unger. We nicknamed her the "Misery." the stone quay and made tracks for as second steward, and I got the billet of toast. The toast was soaked in Bill was full of wild ideas and About two hours before sailing from I was lucky enough to be on the town. We found that the dock was of second cook, salt water and I inwardly wished that schemes. He had the "get-rich-quick" St. Lucia, a little fellow about fifteer her when she rammed the Illinois and enclosed by a tall iron fence. At the My "glory hole" was aft on the it would poison him in fact I prayed mania. About every two weeks he years of age came to the entrance of nearly foundered her In Guantanamo gate were two customs officers, who main deck, while Bill slept Imidships. that the ship would sink with all-on would call us aside and in a mysterious the galley and in fair English told bay, Cuba. After going into drydock immediately put us under arrest. Bill I piled into the little two-by-four bunk board. Such Is seasickness. and important manner carefully Bill and me a pathetic story of inhurar for two weeks at Newport News, ,Va.» and I had $20 in,, gold between us, and was soon fast asleep. I had a I managed, somehow or other, to unfold some daring scheme to get rid. treatment which would have we left for the target range off Pensacola, and, as is usual 1» South America, it horrible dream a giant had me by the make my way back to the galley, and quick, giving his personal guarantee rnelti hearts of stone. He wanted u& in the Gulf of Mexico. was a Simple matter to bribe the customs heels and was swinging me around his I. jnet my "superior officer" for the that it could not fall. At first we to st-iw iiiia away on the ship. I was On April 13, 1904, while on target officials to let us through. This head -trying to dash my brains out. trip, the "cookie." He was about five were very enthusiastic over his "agreeable, but Bill warned me tha practice, we had an explosion in the. cost us half of our fortune, but we did against the side of the ship. I awoke feet nothing in height a shriveled-up scheme and wanted to go in "with "tills was a very grave offense agpins! after turret, which killed 34 men. I not care. Freedom was worth all of it. in terror. The "glory hole" seemed Welshman about forty-five years old. both feet," and 'would carefully work lliy Ln :H:h board of trade laws, the I barely escaped with my life in fact, We, were well into the town and feeling to be looping the loop, and I could He reminded me of a mummy in the out the details of how to proceed, I was smashed up a little and was HK'xiTDum penalty being fourteer secure when we were held up by hear heavy thuds as Immense waves Muiseum of Natural History in Central when, bang Bill would introduce another I sent to the naval hospital at.Portsmouth, yours" iuiprisojr. »i. I did not wish a Chilean gendarme, who looked like broke against the side of the ship, park. If he had ever smiled I Va. project absolutely different from to., incur this ri.-k, therefore would a walking arsenal. This cost us $2 the water hissing and rushing around am sure that his face would have My folks concluded that they had the preceding one. When we asked not .listen to the, entreaties of the tne port hole. Reaching for this electric more for our freedom. He left us In cracked. It. seemed frozen Into one had about enough of my foolishness, him what became of his wonderful youiig negro, explaining to him the a hurry and went around the block. button I turned on the switch. perpetual scowl. He gave one look at and got me, out of the navy I was proposition of two weeks* ago, he unblushingly pun ry u" ths board of trade laws We had walked about five minutes An awful mess met my eyes. The me and let out a howl. highly incensed at this* action, so enlisted told us that unforeseen circumstances Upcii h.-nrlns a cunning look deck of my room was awash. The when, bang! another gendarme. This VBlawst my deadlights, an' this 'ere which no one could prevent in the Twelfth United States vhxk nt.tho time did not roi.\ir grip and ail my belongings, .which cost us $4. After leaving him we were (pointing to me) is what I'm to work cavalry r»nd inside of a year was promoted had interfered. Then he would n:f c-:ni: to nrv chr.ie into his ey s, ah -I. had unpacked before turning in, njore cautious, hiding our remaining with on this bloomin' passage. I'm to the rank of squadron sergeant unroll another wild dream of fortune. he to'd n'e t'v.t if I v:ould stuv.- bin. were' swishing and swashing on the lfioney in my shoe. Again we were lucky, I am, not 'arf, I ain't." He And so it wont on one scheme after major. av.-^y. "s.-e •••.v it will he for deck, now in this corner, now in that arrested. We said we had no money looked like some gorilla. The rolling I happened to be fairly good at another vanishing in smoke, until we you. l.j v.and 1 Tir -i-.II i.-i work The ship was rolling "like a log in and were haled into the presence of of the ship affected him not in the iuv rough riding, or "monkey drill," and became very skeptical. Personally, 1 it do would bt iili I \v, 1 the trough of the sea. I held on to the "commandante of police." He least. He seemed to sway and bend sent with the Second squadron to I had no faith in any of Bill's day to sit Oil 11 m'e iir.d lot the sides of my bunk in terror. A had* one hundred and seventy-eight with every movement of the ship. the Jar nestown exposition to give exhibitions dreams, but I admired, and perhaps iv feet l\ this was wave would swash against my door medals on his chjst and four thousand The next two or three days were a in rough riding. envied, his spirit of adventui^ so at :.rs f-n-, so w' !.h r: nd water would pour In through the yards of gold braid on his collar horrible nightmare to me. How I fsist I decided that I would take a ,V After three years I was discharged feli ir\ with tli psur. rill objtctingrrr: cracks. I felt, deathly sick and I and cuffs. He had us searched, but lived through them I do not know. I from the Twelfth cavalry, and came efcar.ce, success or no success. thought I was going to die. I was '"'^n unshipped did not find the money. Very much T'r *, had a deadly, fear of the cook. As boime, but soon enlisted In the Eleventh One night Bill came around to the experiencing my first touch of seasickness whilt coing on, and disappointed, in broken English he informed soon as he found out_th«t I couM not United States cavalry and did house with four tickets for a blood us tl at our ship was to sail_ even boil water without burning it he were i. ., i. c^e poop deck. t-'r