Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1873-11-01

| swain aud mates at the principal hatch
way---a summons that always sent a
shudder rough every manly heart in
frIgate: "All hands to witness pun.
ishment, ahoy"
The cry appeared harsh and unrclent-
ing. 1t pierced every part OF the ship,
and not heart but telt its dismal echo
was there to be found save who claimed
to be master there.
In short time the crew had crowded
around tic mainmast. All must come.
All wore sad faces.
! Soon the officers were arranged Oh one
side, and the captain, taking his place
among them cried, "Master-at-arm
bring up the prisoner"
All were silent Us Ben was brought on
the deck guarded by marines, and plac-
ed upon the gratings.
The captain began, "You, Benjamin
Manly, are about to be punished tor us
lug disrespectiul language and threats
towards your captain. Lave you any
thing to say"
81 have used no disrespectful Ian
guage," replied Ben in a clear voice.
Nv natl! cried the captain: ''did you
not call iue brute!"
81 did,"
"And what language do you call
tha Z"
"kespectful to you"
"Iiow:"
sit is complimentary, for you are
worse than Drutew
The captain could scarcely suppress
his rage, Dut he did SO, tor he felt that
his revenge was to come. 80 he asked:
did you not threaten meg"
VI do not recOllect tnat did"
Did you not say that you would be
even with me-"
80 maddened was with the blow
you gave me that might have said such
thihg. Ii did, repeat 1T now, and
swear before my Maker that l will be
avenged for the tiisi blow you gave me,
aud ior every one 1 receive now"
stop an INSTANT said Ben, calmly.
Then he continued "Mate, l can't
blame you for striking the blows, be-
cause you must. Let me say III advance
that forgive you for it. But to YOU,
captain, say once more, stop this work
or you will lind it the bitterest OF your
lie"
clay on mate!' yelled the captain.
"My last warning!'
LAY on, mate"'
The Keen scourge Kissed through the
air and fell with II cutting wiry sound
upol the mark. Ben trenbled visibly,
but his teeth were set and no sound es-
capped him.
The first blow barely left mark; but
as the successive ones fell, red ridges
began to appear; hvid lines of bruised
and mangled flesh were dawn, the
rose in knotted cords, and the |
whole of the naked body showed ivid
and purple color.
olAtcen-seventeen, and the ridges |
broke and the blood pour down upon
HE deck. Twenty, and groan-the
irst escaped Ben. Then he cried, in u
.eeble voice, Farewell, messmates,
arewell'
Twenty-Five. Ben sank, only sus-
aimed by the rope attached to his
humbs. Twentytnree and twenty
our-did they fall upon the back OF u
.JrpseI
''Put him down." growled the cap
AIN, as he turned away.
Ihe order was obeyed. Every one
expected to see Ben fall upon the deck
lteIess. But not so. No sooner were
lis hands free than he bounded up and
capped towards the captain like tiger.
he officer drew his pistol as he detec ed
he movmement, but he was not quick
nough. The weapon was dashed aside
~ the iraAtic ben and the wretch
lulched by the throat. Then Ben lifted
lim from the deck as if he had been
mere child.
Nearly every officer rushed to the res
'ue OF the captain but it was of no avail.
over the bulwarks, into the rolling sea,
vent Ben and his prosecutor, the wrong
ID sailor still retaining his grip upon the
hroat OF his inhuman foe.
A fearful wall escaped the captain
Itfor were made to save him; but the
i'm son tina, now tioated on the sur
ace where the two men had disappear
u proclaimed all Efforts, useless.
1he brave sailor feat that he could
ot live after such humiliation. He
esoIved that the villain captain sho uld
lie with him.
IhpV dipi tnuathar