The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-02-07
piled, besides having thousands of barrel. tc
send to other States and countries.
From the Eastern Me- Argus.
THE LEAP FOR LIFE.
A TRUE STORY OF SPANISH CRUELTY.

am no rOmancer. i he experience OF nv
life has we'll taught me that truth is stranger
than fiction" The incidents detailed below
are literally true. am personally acquaint-
ed with the hero of our story, who has, since
the occurrence related, commanded a vessel
out of one of our neighboring ports. hap
pcned to be at Havana at the time of his i'm
prisonment, and was living in the harbor at
the time he made his escape. Twas also with
him in the Fox privatcer Of Portsmouth, y.
H., during the last war with England, and
have had long conversation with him in rela-
ton to the affair And although the story
NAV appear incredible, and romance, vet it
is stri .Iy true.
In the year 1909 brig commanded by a
man by the name of Smith, sailed from port
in Massachusetts, for Kingston Jamaica with
a cargo OF lumber. AT this place She ds-
clarcd. and took in Nirararua wool for bal
last. and proceeded to Havana: in being then
contrary TO law to take rargo> from an Eng
liSh Island. The brig arrived at Havana in
the month of February. 1910. where she COM
mcnced loading with logwood from Spanish
ship which laid alongside Aftcr while the
Spanish captain and the American mate
whose name was White became very intimate
and. 50 mlsh 50 that captain Smith became
jealous their acquaintance, and by num-
her of petty drvircs s"urht to break it up.h hu'
without success. Capt. Smith was what is
generally called clever man. when not un-
der the influence Of liquor hut when he was
all went wrong, and At such times he took
particular paine TO quarrel with The mate
This state q; affairs continued for some time.
until his ahu>" being too outrageous for the
mate to put mp witl,hc asked for his DISCHARGE
To this the Captain would not consent. hut
told him he would pay him his wa.r> !: h.
would leave the vessel The rratr arrcI,,l
TO the proposition received h. wac"> and
Went "n shore: accompanied hv the Spanish
Captain, whose nlr:r was E~.rtano
Thor" WIS a physician =: IIA,ara a nativ,
Of lla>so.hu~":f-, ar!an Acquaintance Of the
mate, with whom H.. tool, l~;.iuae until l.,
couli ret a rn.-ag4 HE pr ami " Er:tr frc-
queutly visited hiliiarl room and had 4
game together. where they w"r" often ininc,i
hv N>trt ne. Orc ni,ht Whit. and the
Spanish Captain were pla>n for monrv-
The stakes were quite small II first: fut >oor
Getting heated with vine and the cx itrmcnt
Of the game. E>t"iano proposed to jlav hi.h,
cr-anA at last threw down douhloon. in
sisted upon his artanOni>. rovrrinr it. White
objected for a while lut E-trfano urged hin
so hard that he met the stake The gam,
was PLAYED d-and To his cha"rin. the Spaniarj
'oSt. He was greatly cnrarrh at the rc>ul
Of the game. and was all for fight To avoic
a >4uabhlc. Whit" agreed to play one game
more for two douh!oon>. declaring tila; h,
consented TO 10 it merely to GIVE his oppo
ncnt chance to get his money back: and tha
lose or win he would not play another game
The conditions were a-rcci to- and the game
commenced. For while the Svaniarl hac
evidently the advantage, and the rrolahiiitic
: were greatly in his favor of hcin. the winner
but Just before the victory decided in h, tav
; or, by a ma>tcrv stroke White turned the ia
hcs and won the game. The fury of III,
= Spanard was unhoundcd He rayrd an,
Swor" As Spanard only can rave and swear
: declared the stroke unfair. and ended h,
striking White a severe blow. which he a
: promptly returned with the cue which he hcl'
in his hand, causing the Spaniard to measure
his length on tha floor. Several of the hv
ISLANDERS then intcrlerrcd and peace was re
; stored Shortly after this the Spaniarl lei
the room. In The course of an hour or 50.
being almost midnight, the Doctor and Whit
started for home. They had arrived within
few rods OF the house. when they were me
by three men armed with swords. who immc
diatcly began an attack on White. Bcin
: unarmed, and taken unawares, he would IN
stantly have fallen a victim had not his tricn
in,ertcrrcd. and with heavy cane. which h
fortunately had with him, disarmcd one OF th
assaants, dropped his sword which Whit
hastily picked up and run his antagonist,wh
. IL, IL Al
: body. 1t proved to be Estctano, the SPANS
s Captain. Seeing one of their number fall
, the other two took to their heels The Doc
. tor and White also quit the place and arrive
| safely at their odgrgs leaving the woundc
Spaniard to the care of some stragglcrs VIII
G had been attracted to the spot by the strue
: gle.
D The next morning White and the docto
: were arrested and put into Jail. Shortly a
n ter an examination took place before mari:
q tri,te, the result OF which was White was cor
/ victed the doctor acquitted. Strange as
. may appear, the mate was convicted by tn
: testimony ofthc two accompllces hoattcmp
n ed his life ! The Spaniard, Estefano live
:, three days after the aifray, and was hone.
n enough to state the whole circumstances o.
r the case, acknowledging that White ran hin
:, through in defence OF his own life, which h
: and the other two had determined to take
S These facts were all preserved by the docto
= for the final trial, not doubling they wcr
d sufficient to clear his friend. The trial wa
J. put off from time to time, and it was thre