The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1870-02-09
'FIIy III q 2 -. = .-.-lA = y .
Starg ..far 'tete@ tSs .gaisa. a,aaaisH:

S1 s+$ <Uk k--AWukLN.
,9;j. Frr5T A, l. EAF :. 80, ,
FROM THE DIARY or A DETECTIVE,
The Neptune was as fine q vessel
as ever piowed the Atfantic
Ocean, q n d although she W
caught in several storms every
year, yet for ten years did she
make her monthly trips, with her
usual large cargo of living freight.
Her captain was as jolly an old
sea-dog as ever lived, and if once
you crossed with old Bowler, YOU
would, if possible, make the trip
with him again, his greatest pleas.
ure being in making his guests at
home. l had been acquainted with
him for several years before the
occurrence / am about to relate,
and what was at first but o passen.
gers acquaintance, bad ripened
into a, firm friendship, ,cemented
by such strong ties that it would
have been difficult to sever them.
''s It was in the month of Decem.
Der, 1874, that a despatch reach.
ed ME from Cape Race, from Can.
tain Bowler-it read as follows:
STEAMER NEPTUNE, OFF CAPE RACE.
1880 A. NJ, December Ii.
DEAR r.: Meet ms at the wharf
l have a strange, and dangerous
case on hand. So Bowler.
Tie next morning I also motto.
ed in the papers a despatch to the
effect that a murder had been
committed on board the Neptune,
on her trip across. No particulars
were given. -. =. ....
/ readily knew from this that the
Captain wanted me to sift this mat.
ter for him, 90 / was at the wharf
some time before tue steamer was
to arrive; and 80 anxious was I.
that | chartered tug and steamed
down the bay to meet her.
The Captain was delighted to
see me, and as soon as I got on
board, carried me into his private
office, and told Inc the full parti.
culars of the strange case, without
making any comments whatever,
until after / had expressed nv
opinion. =" Well, r." he said, as
soon as he sat down, ct have q
strange case on board. I have
been crossing the ocean now these
seven years, and this is the frs,
time that anything unpleasant has
happened on board. : "on~.'. sAs'.
4" The circumstances are these
The murdered man shipped as 9
first cabin passenger at Liverpoo,
for New Orleans, and seemed tc
be a man Of some wealth. The
third day ont we met with seyeral
strong puffs of wind, and on the
fourth and fifth we had right stiff
breezes, something that you wonId
call a storm. Well, Mr.. De We're
the murdered man, was very nm
easy and very sensitive, and once
or twice, during the most sever,
part of the. gale, be was ,iostlet
and knocked BY the prisoner, i.
Mr.. Wallace. This, of course. wa
accidental, for when the old shi,
would give lurch the passenger,
would have to look ont for them
selves. Still De We're was unde,
the impression that Wallace hat
knocked him Intentionally, an,
threats of dire vengeance passe.
between them. ], oven found
necessary to Interfere to. presery,
good order. lstAt length tho las
straw was placed on the camel
back. The morning of the even
ing on which he was murdered
while he was taking q glass Of win
at the bar, by some accident Wa
lace tripped and fell against him
dashlng the winesin HE face. TIN
was too much, and as Wallace fe
on the floor Of the deck De Yer
! gave him akick in the face wit
4 great venom, ut the same tim
cursing him. 'a'<.,'l; d1' .,se5 I@a q !
Wallace raised himself up, rp,' an
wiping the blood from his fac,
merely remarked, "Your bloc
shall be equally poured out"
:. endeavoredJ to paGify them both
J, the best Of my ability, and though
nothing more of it during the 1da,
, |" That night there were tw
rev hands that ! had shipped
Liverpool, who were going to wor
their passage acrtss, on duty i
: the fore-part of the ship. TTf
} Captain did not use any nautic