SAVED SEVEN LIVES

Hokitika Guardian, 11 October 1929, Page 5

SAVED SEVEN LIVES

GAOLED FOR TWO YEARS,

CANADIAN CAPTAIN FREE AGAIN.

VANCOUVER, Sept. 13,

Captain Robert Pamphlet-, the skipper who unwittingly landed himself in a United States prison for two years through his promptitude in rescuing seven men from a sinking United -States 9team;er, has completed his term and has returned to his home in Vancouver. Few international eases arising from the United States '-prohibition law® have drawn as much attention ns that of Captain Pamphlet. A former, member of the British Navy, who rendered valiant service against German U-boats during the Great War, he was proceeding south in a Canadian steamer with a large cargo of liquor well, outside United States waters two years ago, when he ran into a storm. In the midst of it lie discerned a United States freighter in distress. After a little time the crew sent out -calls for aid, and despite the fact that be was risking, capture he ran. his .boat into. United States waters; rescued the seven sailors from the ship which sank, and headed for the. open Pacific again. Before he had time to get far enough away to make his departure from United States waters beyond question, he was hailed by a United States coastguard vessel, his ship was hoarded and seized, and the whole crew was placed under arrest. Captain Pamphlet, who ..took full responsibility and thereby won the fieedom of the remainder of the crew, maintained that his vessel, when boarded, was. well •; : &ntside United States waters, and members of the crew corroborated this. The coastguard officials swore,, Jib at the vessel had entered United waters, and Pamphlet was sentenced to two years. The fact that he had only violated United States laws, to save the lives of seven United States seamen was ignored. Irony was added , to the sentence by the fact that the owners of the doomed ship, from which Pamphlet rescued the sailors, presented him with, a valuable gold watch for his action.

Captain Pamphlet on. his return here declared that he will resume his '"ccupation as master mariner; and if, as before, his duties call upon him to handlo a liquor cargo he shall do so. . “But,” he added, “the next tune I find a United States vessel distress I shall call upon the United States coastguard to do the rescuing.