RUM-RUNNER HERO

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 January 1928, Page 5

RUM-RUNNER HERO

PETITION FOR RELEASE

SAN FRANCISCO, December 1. A petition is being sent by the people of Oregon to President Coolidge, asking for the release of Captain Robert Pamphlett, of Vancouver (8.C.), who has surrendered himself to serve a sentence of two years, which, with a fine of £2OOO, was the pumshmented meted out to him "when he was catpured, with his rum-running ship, the Pescawho, after coming into territorial waters, in answer to an S.O.S. ,and saving the crew of the wrecked American vessel, the s.s. Caoba. Captain Pamphlett has asked one favour of the people of America before going to prison. “Perhaps,” he said, “they will let me run the ferry to and from McNeil’s Island prison. I shall have plenty of time to read ‘Sinbad t'be Sailor.’ ”

Bound south, out of Vancouver, with a cargo of liquor, he was outside the territorial limit, when, in answer to the Caoba’s call, he ordered the helm hard to starboard, came inside the territorial limit, drew alongside the Caoba, took off her crew just as she w r ent down, and was later apprehended by the fastest of the United States coastguard fleet on the Pacific Coast, the Alonquin. When he was sentenced the Federal Court gave him parole to visit Vancouver, and put his affairs in order, trusting him to return on November 28, which he did. When he gave himself up, and he was searched,- they found on him a gold watch inscribed: — ‘Captain Robert Pamphlett, a true sailor, in grateful recognition of his action in rescuing the crew of our s.s. Coaba at sea, February 3, 1925. — Sudden and Christensen.”

Vancouver people are asking the Prime Minister, Mr. Mackenzie King, to interest himself on behalf of Captain Pamphlett.