Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1859-07-29
securing him, just as he was lodging in
to cellar in Front Street.

steamer. into the presence Of all the pas
sengers, who had watched our race with
interest, the policemen produced their
description of John Brown, the escaped
convict, and found to fit DIR. Bukerwis-
sci in respect to height and weight, but
not otherwise. The penitentiary bird
had short sandy hair, no beard, and could
be identified more surely by scar on
the lower part of the right che TX. The
doctor, on the contrary, wore very long
black hair and whiskers that hid all his
features excepting pair of grey, pierre
ing eyes, which shone through their
prison like cats eyes in the dark. He
was interrogated as to his object in leav-
ing the boat so slyly; but to none of the
questions did he delgn a reply-mercly
struggling his shoulders. as much as to
say, II don't understand you"
Many of the spectators now expressed
their sympathy for the distinguished for
eigner, and insisted that the officers
should release HIM from further annoy
ance. Nevertheless, l demanded that
the carpet bag should be examined. All
the other passengers baggage had been
searched, and why NJ this mans.
"Well. acquiesced the officers. ego
ahead. You may ssareh it if you wish.
We won't have anything to do with it."
broke open the carpet-bag and emp
tied its contents upon the floor. The
first article that made its appearance was
the ancient Hebrew work herein before
mentioned; the next lot proved to be
small collection of ragged linen, princi-
pally "dickeys aud, finally, to my
great qualification, the establishment of
the spectators generally. and the excess.
i've delight of the interested spectator,
Mr.. Merton, out popped twenty-five
double eagle pieces each.
"My money. My ten thousand dol
lars - shouted Merton, crazy with joy.
as he fastened to gather up his lost
treasure
The excitement consequent upon this
discovery having partly abated, the next
object of interest was, naturally enough.
1.-The thief''-the proprietor of the carpet
bag. Upon looking around for this in
tcresting individual, however, it was dis
covered that he had taken "French
leave" of the company. The scamp, OBJ
serving that we were deeply absorbed in
the contemplation of the contents of his
carpet-bag, had improved the cpportuni.
ty to make himself scarce'-thus aroid-
in5 any further nonse nsical queries a. to
the manner in which ha. happened to gain
possession Of Merton's money.
erybody-inoluding the policemen
rushed out upon the guards, in hopes Of
catching a glimpse of the doctors re
firing form An interesting scene on
the lcvec presented itself to our admirlng
view. Two men were founderng in the
mud (there is little mud on the Mem
phis levee). with a circle of delighted
loafers yelling "Go i, Black Coat"
Hold on to him, Blue Coat - and SINH
lar encouraging remarks calculated to
keep up the spirit of the combatan's.-
The wallowing had not continued long
before blue coat and black coat lost their
distinguishing colors. and the loafers
were forced to designate their respective
iavorites as Long Legs" Little I'm"
The two police officers, with their ac-
customed promptness, rushed boldly
down to the scene of the conflict, Just as
both parties appeared to be pretty well
tired out, and brought them aboard Of
the Montezuma. One of the pris ners
proved tc be Frank Chcrrute, and the
other
WHO is this chap" asked policeman
No. |.
That's Doctor BLUKERwlssEL an
swered Cherrute, squirting out stream
of Memphis mud "lIere's his wig and
his whiskers." he added. presenting a
mass of hair thickly coated with the soil
Of Tennessee.
!, No wonder that the distinguished for
eigner was IN n-distingnishable, for in the
place ofhls heavy beard was now spbsti-
tuted mass of dirty black mirc. Frank
Cherrute seized spon and wiped the
fellows face clean enough to show a
deep scar on his night jaw.
"john Brown, BY all that's wonder.
full - exclaimed policeman No. ..
For the first time since his entrance
upon the boat, Mr.. Brown opened his
mouth and spake; and thus spAke he;
"Well, guess I'll have to conc
I'm a gone community.
Sure enough, it WAS the veritable
John Brown himself, who, in his assum-
ed character OF sedate book worm. had
managed 10 avoid exposing himself to
the passengers. as he most certainly
would have done had he spoken three
words. The fellows caution. however,
was overbAlanced by his cupidity. His
continued proximity to us four Merton,
Cherrute, Bisbee and myself. enabled
him to hear all our conversation, whilst
he pretended to be deeply absorbed in
his studies, He thus discovered that
Merton was the possessor Of ten thousand
dollars in gold, and the temptation to ap-
propriate it to his sole use and benefit
was too great for him to resist; 'peitik-
kerly as that ere business was precisely
in his line, you know" as he playfully
remarked when giving us an account Of
the affair. 81 was a thinkin' Of some
plan of gettin hold of those dibbs last
night" he continued, "when this ere
Tom Bigbug was a cxhibitin of his
gloves, and when | saw him drop one of
EN-, and this ere Frank Cahoot pick it
up and put it in his pocket for him,
.t