Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-06-01

The following incident actually occurred on
board British frigate, and was commune
Gated to the writer, several years ago, by an
old man-of-wars man: i13fr8s. f'f' sfi
A timid boy, about fourteen years Of age, |
hesitated TO 60 aloft, but BY the captains
orders, was forcibly put in the main rigging
then boatswains mate was commanded to
lash him like q dog until he learned to run
nloft. The poor fellows legs and arms trem7
bled, he grasped the shrouds, he cried, he
urayed the inhuman captain for Gods sake
to have mercy ON him; but all in vain; The
boatswain' mate was ordered to lay on harder
and harder, regardless OF the boy piercing
screams, which made even veteran seamen
turn from the brutal scene in disgust. His
clothes wers torn from his back, the blood
followed the lash, and still the tyrant roared
out "lay on, boatswain's mate" n u|
With one wild scream he sprang from under
the lash, and bound up the rigging with
amasing rapidity. 10 doubled the buttock
rigging like cat, passed up the topuiast and
topgallant rigging with undiminished speed,
Skinned the nnrattled royal rigging, and
perched himself like bird alongside OF the
pennant, which hoated at the mast head.
Here he paused, looking fearlessly upon the
deck below. All hands came up TO see him
his cries and cruel treatment had already
enlisted their sympathy and II possible nsd
The monster was smiling complacently at
the success of his experiment; he was one
of those tyrants who boasted that the "cat'
when properly applied, could make men do
anything. Still he was apprehensive lest the
boy might destroy himself and the circum-
stances be used against him at the Admiralty,
where he knew representations of bis cruelty
had already been made. The men gazed in
silence, looking first at the boy and then at
the captain, who was seated near the taffrail.
They dared not be seen speaking TO one
another-it was Aogging ohense even at
night spies passed under their harnmocks to
ascertain il they whispered. The, officers
walked the lee side of the quarter deck oc-
casionally casting their eyes alofti but as
silent as the men.
Still the boy clung to the mast head play
ing with the pennant apparently unconscious
of the interest ho excited below. Tired with
gazing aloft, the captain sung ont through
the speaking trumpet, Down from aioft
DOWN.
The boy sprang upon the truck at a bound,
and raising himself erect, he waived 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 boy dashed to pieces
on the deck but when clear of the shade sails,
he saw him sliding along the main royal stay
toward the foretop gallant masthead and
as if enjoying the sport. BE reached the
masthead in safety, and then descended along
the top-gallant back stay hand over hand.
The captain looked at him. and was about to
speak, but could not find words. The boy
frothed at the mouth and nose; his eyes
seemed starting out from his head; he rolled
upon the deck in convulsions, staining IT with
blood which trickled from his back. He was
a maniac. The surgeons skill in the course
of a few weeks restored his bodily health, but
not his reason.
From that time forward he was fearless. In
the darkest night and tho fiercest gale, he
would scamper over the deck like dog, and
bound aloft with spead which no one on
board could equal. He would run over the
yards without holding, pass from mast tc
mast on the stays ascend and descend by the
teaches of the sails, and run upon the stud
ding-sail booms. He was as nimble as a cat,
and had forgotten fear. Some of the light
duties aoft he learned to discharge in COM
pany with them, he did as they did, but could
not be trusted to do anything by himself
One order he always obeyed without hesita-
ton. At the cammand, "Away aloft,p be
was OF, and never paused until he was ut tn,
mast head. As be was harmless and rarely
spoke, the captain kept him on board, and, il
the course of year sent him aloft for amuse
ment- His strength increased with his years
but his bulk and hight remained nearly thu
MAC. i-l. s'.
His ribs. breast and back seemed one cas-
of bone and his sinewe AMI muscles made hi
legs and arms appear like pillared columns
BE was fair, with light blue eyes and delicat
skin; his face was oval and full, but devoid G
expression-neither love, fear, revenge no
pleasure could be traced to its stolid outline
His eyes stared at everything without ap
pearing TO sec, and when he spoke there wa
rarely any meaning in his words. He fol
lowed the men in their various duties like
dog followed his master. Whenever he wa
struck or startled by a boat swains mate, b
ran up the main rigging, screaming at tn
top of his lungs, and never paused until b
had performed the first evolution which ha
made him maniac, r 1rrl.. f OfH llH
As the sailors story runs, the ship arrive
at Plymouth to bc docked and reftted. Tn
captain, availing himself of the leisure, wa
going 10 be married, and the news was com
munieated by his servant to the cook, VIII
soon circulated Il on the berth deck anon
the men who cursed him and all his kin.
His servant came on board the hulk wheI
the men lodged, the evening the captain wi
10 be married. Crazy Joe (the name the bo
was known by) met him ct the gangway, On
asked intelligently If the captain would |
married that evening and where2 The Sc
want gave him that Information he desire
and went about his business. That nigh
seized by the throat and dragged TO the brid
bed llspfas IN !.
Look, fair lady, on me- said Crazy Jc
''but do not scream, or win kill you. Lot
on me. | hold within my grasp devil, WI
delights in ctuelty--a merciless fend, WI
has scourged the backs of hundreds of bra
msn---a rIiffian who has robbed me of n
reason. hold him within the grasp of deaf
at the very moment his black soul thong
itsslf within the reach of bliss. Monsterl Loo
on your lady.-think moment of the heavI
of earthly joy almost within your reach
then think Of me, poor crazy Joel al
Of the he'll to which send youl Die wretc
dielp -,g-U ~ l,Ii nf ~
Whom the alarm was given, the strangll
body OF the captain was fonnd alongside (
the bridal bed, but the maniac who had kill,
lin was never recognized afterward.
belonged to Cornwall aud probably four
shelter from pursuit. In the mines until Il
excltement passed away. al
The lady stated at the time, spd mai
years afterward that the attack OF the m
riae was so sudden and silent, that she kne
nothing OF II until the curtains were NOV
and she felt the pressure OF the captain 8 bo,
on the edge Of the bed. Joe held the Vi
tim around the neck with his right hand, Al
turned him from side to side as easily as II
had been child, while the forefnger a
thumb ofthe lefthand grasped her own thro