The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-11-11
THE SEA CAPTAINS DREAM:

THE SEA CAPTAINS DREAM.
The discovery recently of ;be mysteriS
Gus trunk containing the body of the unfors
IL" Miss Bowlsby brings to mind the
murder of Adams by Colt, at Broadway
and Chambers street, New York, many
years ago. The guilty man undertook to
conceal the crime by boxing up the res
mains of Adams and having them ship
ped to New Orleans by packet. The
main object here is 10 relate an incident
not known to many, including the discov-
cry of the body of Adams by means of a
dream.
Colt had an Office at Broadway and
Chambers street, in the building now
known as Delmonico's. Adams was n
printer, and had financial business with
Colt, and was last seen alive in his com+
pany. When Adams was missed; suspi-
cion pointed to Colt, whose office was
searched, and the fact discovered that
bloody encounter had there taken place.
Nobody, however, could be found on the
premises. Further investigation showed
that box had been taken from the house
and shipped in one of .he New Orleans
packets. The police thereupon visited
the vessel and the captain aided in the
search by having the cargo in the hold
shifted. While this was in progress one
of the owners of the packet went aboard.
The captain took him aside, and said
"Mr.-, there is something remark-
able about this affair. There is no doubt
that the mysterious box is aboard our ves-
sci, and am convinced in my own mind
that the body of Adams is in it
The shipowner was thunderstruck that
the captain should seem to know so much
about he affair, and questioned him on
this poiEt.
''Well, sir" proceeded the captain, 81
will fell you frankly that my suspicious
are mainly grounded on dream which L
had last nig,.t, and which had seriously
/ impressed me before the officers made
known their business. Bot | considered
it prudent to Withhold it from them, at least
for the present"
''Last night the captain said, 81 slept
on board, and awoke this morning strange
ly impress ID, for / drea ned that box
had been brought aboard with some freight
box, dreamed, was the body of a mur-
dered man. AS said before, the thing
impresses me very S ange when | awoke,
and when the officers came up and inform
ed me of their suspicious | could not at
| first believe my sense, but told them 10
search my veS el as much as they pleased;
and gave orders to the men to assist in
| the work
At this point the mate came up and re-
ported that the box had been found and
opened, and in it was body believed to
be that of the missing man Adams.
| 1t was decided on the spot, betw en- the
| owner and the captain, TIT no immediate
mention should be made the dream, as
! the latter would not for the world have
his name sociated in the papers with the
circums ance. 1t was several years before
the strange dream was spoken of, even by
friends of either.
The guilt of Colt was fixed, and he
was convicted despite the formidable eff.
forts made by the defence. Bot the facts
were too palpably true TO admit of tangi-
ble grounds for defence. Colt was SEN
fenced to be hanged at the Tombs. The
Governor was besought TO extend clemens
cy; but even this iailed, and the fatal day
arriv :. The excitement had reached a
point seldom witnessed in the metropolis,
and lie vast multitude assembled around
the Tombs. 1t was well known that the
rescue Of the prisoner would be at empt-
ed at all hazards by paid emissaries, and
a strong force of police and military were
on the ground. Within short time oC
the hour appointed for the hanging, the
belfry or lookout on the top of the prison
took fire and was soon wrapped in flames.
Amid all the confusion the news soon
spread that Colt had committed suicide in
his cell Many believe TO this day that
Colt actually escaped in the excitement,
and that The suicide was hoax.