New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-02-27
GOING ALorT--A TRAGEDY.

~ ts tsise ri usclpiia during the early years O
1 INC present century. He describes d timid BIO,
who was SO cruelty dashed because he was afrais
4 W 30 aiott, that he became maniac, and eyel
| aiserward appeared to act without fear, running
hke monkey from masthead to masthead ana
An old man of-war's-man told the writer of this
Ii tlie same story many years ago, with sequel
i which Captain Hall has not given. The sailors
story WAS in substance as follows:
II "A tiinid boy, about fourteen years OF age, hesl-
lated to 60 aioff hut, By the captains orders was
farcibly put in the main rigging and then boat
81 SWANS mate was commanded to lash him ike
I lows legs and arms tfembied, he grasped the
shronds, be cried, he prayed the inhuman captain
for Gods sake 10 have mercy on him: but all IN
vain. The boatswain's mate was ordered 70 lay
on harder and harder, regardless of the boys
/ piercing scrcams, which made even veteran sea
men turn from the brutal scene with disgust Hi
i clothes were rent from his back, the blood fol
/ lowed the lash, and still the tyrant roared out
4 Lay on, boatswain's matei'' With one wilt
scream he sprang frem under the lash and BOUNDED
up the rigging with amazing rapiaity. He doubles
the futtock rigging like cat, passed up the top
mast and topgallant rigging with untiiminishee
( speed, Skinned the unTatted royal rigging, and
perched himself like a bird alongside of the pen
i dant which streamea from the masthead Here he
I paused, looking fearlessly upon the deck below.
!. All hands came up to see hnlhis cries and cruel
, treatment had already enlisted their sympathy,
and. possible, had increased their hatred Of the
III captain
J. The monster was smiling complacently at the
success Of his experiment; Tor he was one of those
tyfants who boosted that the cat, properly applied,
Il could make men do anything. Still he was APP
. prehensive that the boy might destroy himself, and
the circumstance be used against him at the Adj
miralty where he knew representations of his
Y cruelty had already been made. The men gazed
in silence looking first at the boy and then at the
NJ captain, who was seated near the taffrail They
dared not be seen speaking to one another; it was
II q hoggable offence; even at night spies passed
Il under their hammocks TO ascertain II they Whis-
Il pered The officers walked the lee side of the
quarter deck, occasionally casting their eyes aoft
i but were as silent as the men.
\ Still the boy chung to the masthead, playing
I with the pendant apparently unconscious Of the
interest he excited below Tired with gazing aloft,
the captain sung out through the speaking trumpet,
Down from aloft. Down.
The boy sprang upon the truck at bound and
raising himself erect, waved his cap around his
head; then stretching his arms out gave wild, |
laughing scream and threw himself forward The /
captain jumped to his feet expecting to see the /
bog dashed in pieces on deck; but when clear of /
the shade OF the sails, he saw him sliding along (
the main royal stay toward the forefopgallant mast
head, and beard him laugh and chatter like mon I
mast head in safety, aud then descended along the
topgalianf backstay hand-over-hand. The captain I
looked at him, and was about TO speak, but could T
mot ind words. The boy frothed at the mouth and /
nose bis eyes seemed starting out of his head he
rolled upon the deck in commissions, staining it T
with the blood which still trieRied from his back
He was a maniac The surgeons skill in lie I
course Vt few weeks restored his health, but not
his reason
From that time forward he was fearless. In the I
darkest night IN the iercest gales, he would seam
per along the deck like a dog, and bound alott T
With speed which 70 one on board could equal. /
He would run over the yards without holding pass
from mast to mast OIL, the stays, ascend and de-
scend by the leeehes Of the sails and run upon the
naked studding-sal blooms, He was ninble as a |
cat, and had forgotten fear. Some Of the light dn-
sIfH4+ lnn 4,l l.
thenahe did as they did, but could not be trusted
To do anything himself. One order he ALWAYS L
obeyed without hesitation At the command. (
4 Array aoft, he was oi, and never paused until
and rarely spoke, the captain kept him on board.
and IN the course of year, sent him often aloft
for amusement. His strength increased with his
years, but his bulk and hight remained nearly the
same at eighteen as when lie became d maniac.
His ribs, breast and back, seemed one case of 1
bone. and his sinews and muscles made his legs and
arms appear like piilared columns He Ssas fair,
With ight blue eyes and delicate skin; his face oval
and full, but void Of expression love fear
revenge or pleasure could be traced in its stoIid
outline His eyes stared at everything without
appearing To see, and when he spoke, there was
rarely any meaning IN his words. He followed the
men in their various duties, like dog following his
master. Whenever he was struck OF started by a
boatswain's mate, he ran up the main rigging
screaming atthe top Of his lungs, ana never paused I
until ne had performed the first evolution, which I
t
As the sailors story runs, the ship arrived at I
Plymouth to be deeked and reftted The captain I
availing himself of the leisure, was going TO be
married, and the news was communicated by his |
servant to the cook, who circulated it on the
brth-deck among the men, who cursed him and |
all of his kin. .'''1
His servant came on board Of tie hulk where The
men were lodged. the evening when the captain
was TO be married. Crazy Joe (the name the boy
was known by) met him at the gangmay, and asked
ntelligently if the captain would be married that
evening and where? The servant gave him tbe
information he desired and went about his bust |
ness.
That night, while the CAPTAIN was undressing ba |
was seized BY the throat and dragged to the bridal
bed. vi
Look, fair lady, on me, said Crazy Joe, but
DO not scream, or will Kill yon. Look on me, i
hold within my grasp a devil, who delights in /
erueity-a merciess tiend who has scourged the |
backs OF hundred of brave men-a ruffan Who Mas /
robbed me Of my reason; hold him within the |
thought itself within the reach Of bliss Monster
look upon your lady-think moment of the bea /
ven OF earthly Joy almost within your reach--then I
THINK q me, poor Crazy joe. and Of the hell to |
which send you Die, wretch, diet al
When the alarm was given tie stranded bof1y ~
the captain was found lying alongside Of the bridal
bed; but the maniac who killed hiir was never I
recognized afterward. He belonged to Cornwall.
Rnd probably found shelter from pursuit Ia tia
mines, until the excitement passed away
The lady stated OF the time and many wears after
wards TINT the attack Of the maniac Bas "a sndden
ind silent that she knew nothing of it until the cr
aims we're pushed aside and she felt the nressnre
u the captains body bent over the eare ~ the
led. Joe held his victim around the neck with
no right hand and turned him from side ID aida IA
aslly as II he had been o child, while the FIRE.
niger and thumb OF the left hand Crashed her ayvn
hroat, ready TO extinguish her life II she attempted
0 raise an alarm.
Ills face was pale and death like his ewes started
ut we're motioness, and every word he uttered
eemed to issue from the very depths OF his sonlg
ne captains looks were terrible beyond leserin
on death left the impress of feroeity upon his
arkened features. How the maniac entered al ,
1T the room, she never knew ; his departure was
! noseless as his entrance, So paralyzed was she
it'll fear thai an hour elapsed before she could |
Ulster courage to cali for help but she thanked / 4
Cd, when the Captains cruel character became j
snerally known ashore, that she had been rescued
ON his alliance - - - -. il
ELECTRICAL AcIIos IN EsGs.-The structure of 3
9 eggs 81 birds offers a certain resemblance to i
me forms Of the galvane battery inasnuch as Il e
insists of uid inelosed in portis iaphrana and /
contact with another fluid Of d different cbemi t
\ composition This circumstance ATTRACTING The =
.tention Of r.John Davy, he made II the subject
experiment, IN order to ascertain whether any =
si4aMc action was e1erted BY the different enn p
. ~ Oh which the egg IS composed. The "a g
~ aniiy answered his expectations and there can m
n nut little doubt TINT eIectro-che,nical action c
~. IN important part IN the changes which fbe 81
Fl aaiasIsoes n the process ofincnhat;on I1s;n bu
y eJ.,pa.e galyanometer and d snitabe anaratss an
'sA tuiElAg one wire hfn fi,a