UNUSUAL EXPEBIENOES.

Colonist, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8222, 15 April 1895, Page 1 (Supplement)

UNUSUAL EXPEBIENOES.

STOWING AWAY EXTRAORDINARY

(From tbe ' Colonist,' Maroh 24.)

Tai experienoea of thore on board the Charles Edward on her laet trip round tbe Coaßt were of a most unfqae oharaoter. Duriog the voyege depredations took plaoe in a moßt mysterious manner, and to such an extent, in fact, that some of the orew were su*peoted of secretly purloining articles of wearing apparel, food, eto. It was an open Beoret that tbree ooats had mysteriously disappeared, together with 40 rounds of ammunition, tbree collarß, four neckties, aB well ac handkerchief a, krives, water bottleß, oiuet?, candles, btead, butter, sugar, matohes and tomatoes. It wbb also discovered that the bar door in tbe ealoon had been broken open, the drawer lock picked, and Beveral glaeees were found to be missing. A striot watcb wbb tben set, and although the vessel jonr ney d fr^m JNelson to Westport, tbeooe to Greymouth and b%ck to Westport, and then on to Wanganui, it was not until her arrival in Wellington from the latter port, tbat a clue to the perpetrator took place. Even then it was only witb some difficulty tbat the author of all the mischief was brought to light by tbe disoovery of a boy, wbo gave his name as Arthur Johnston. This yourg soßmp had secreted himself in an unußfd locker under the oabin stairway, wbich is merely ueed as a receptacle of old chains, fire bate, &o, tbe entranoe to whioh is a small door, some 18in equare, jost large enough for a boy to orawl through. In this extraordinary place he had lived for Bix dayß, and moßt lavishly, if one may judge from the eatables that had been stolen. The ounningdcsb of the boy was displayed by tLe fact tbat be only ventured from his hiding place when the ye bsel waa ia port, and when everything was still, and he took partionlar care to fasten tbe outside but. on of the door when iaeide himself, to make it appear as if the door had not been touched. He used the coats to lie upon, but one whioh did not take his fancy apparei tiy, waa again deposited in the proper place hacked abont, and stripped of the trimmings. Part of his time he wae employed in tearing ofi tbe tops of the 40 cartridges, the contents of whioh were strewn b;oadcaßt. It ie believed he destroyed the cartridges becauee he heard the eteword declare that be would Bhoot the tbief if he discovered him. Most of the candleß were half burnt, and in order to disguise bimßelf, be out eff his bair with a stolen knife. He had a particular liking for tomatoes, apparent y. Mr A. Fotdham had placed a plate of tomatoes on tbe Ealoon table, and his astonishment can be better imagined titan described when on returning short T y afterwards he found the tomatoes had departed, and no trace of them left. At that time matters beoame co warm that one of the orew 1 eaily began to consider whether he was a viotim to Bomnambuliem, and had been causing tbe mischief himself uc consciously. However, on Thursday last it was decided to bring matters to a bead. A thorough search of tbe cabin was made, with the result ha', some rusty nail marks were discovered leading to the miscreant's hiding place, and on opening the door Mr Fordham's gaze was met by a pair of glistening eyes peering from tbe darkness. Mr Fordbam threatened to shoot tbe " unknown," using this as a ruse to bring bim out, but Maeter Johm ton ounningly dodged behind the par. ition. Eventually, however, he was induced to emerge, and he is said to have presented a very deplorable sight, covered from head to foot with iron rust, and with his hair cut off. Johnston evidently meant to bid adieu to the Charles Edward that day, as he had oarefully packed his accumulation in a sugar bag, almost as big as himself. He was immediately handed over to the police at Wellington, to whom he told the Btory that hiß mother lived in Oxford Terraoe, Christchurch, and he left that city a fortnight ago on the buffer of a railway engine, which oarried him as far as Lyttelton. There he stowed away on a steamer and went to Nelson, saw tbe sights of th-.t town, and went baok to sea as above described. The Wellington police fa'led to obtain any information regarding the boy from tbe address given by him. The Neleon police have, however, been communicated with on tbe matter, and there stems to be little doubt that he is the boy Willis, one of the missing boys wbo made their escape from the btoke Orphanage last week. It is needless to add that those connected with the Charles Edward were muoh gratified at the capture of this extraordinary boy, whose further escape would probably bave led to muoh unpleasantness to those who were really innocent It would be very difficult for even an expert criminal to rival the doings of this boy, who is bnt twelve years of age. The boy will bs brought baok to Nelson in tbe ss Mahinapua this morning.