FRENCH BOYS’ ESCAPADE

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3777, 16 November 1907, Page 4

FRENCH BOYS’ ESCAPADE

Cross tho Channel In a SmDll Boat.

A remarkable story of the adventure of two French lads was told to the Ramsgate magistrates. Charles Kmile Wisniewski and Louis Poneelel were charged with importing a dog into Great Britain wiihout having license from the board of Agriculture. The charge, however, was a mere incident in an extraordinary adventure. An officer of the Kent county constabulary met the youths on a country road, and as he spoke French, he was able to ascertiin that they recently landed with their dog on the Thanet Coast. I n their possession they had pistols, one of which was loaded, and had evidently been discharged recently. Subsequent information showed that a small rowing boat belonging to Boulogne had been found on the rocks at Dumpton Gap, between Ramsgate and Broadstairs, and everything pointed to the fact that this was the craft in which the lads crossed the channel. The acting French Consul intimated that one of the defendants was well connected, and suggested that if the magistrate ordered them to be sent home they would be dealt with in Boulogne. It was pointed* out that a further charge of carrying pistols without a license might have been preferred. The lads told the magistrate that they brought the dog to England in order to astonish the natives, with his tricks and to earn a livelihood. As to the pistols, they intended to sell them when opportunity offered. A fine of 20s was imposed in each case, and it was stated that the lads’ parents would probably pay up the money.