Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-12-25
@#iseslla"tous. g
A Centennial.

THE DESTRUCTION OF TEA IN BOSTON
HARBoR, DEC. l6, 1873.
brakes "Old Landmarks of Boston"
says:
Liverpool wharf, then Griffin's was
the destination Of the tea party Of
December l6, 1873. 1t was cold
wintry afternoon, when
.'Just as glorious Sol was setting.
On the wharf numerous crew,
sons OF Freedom fear forgetting,
Suddenly appeared in yiew.
The three lndiamen, with their high
poops and ornamented sterns, were
lying quietly moored at the wharf.
They had been for some time under
guard of q committee Of twenty-five
from the grenadier company of the
Boston Regiment, of which Henry
Knox was one. The matches were
closed, and this Vigilance Committee
took care no attempt was made TO land
the cargo. The names of the three
ships were the Dartmouth, Captain
James Hall, the Eleanor, Captain
James Bruce, and brig Beaver, Captain
llezekiah Collin.
The number of persons disguised As
Indians was not more than seventeen,
but the acccssions from the Old South,
and of apprentice lads and idlers,
Swelled the number to more than
hundred; As many as sixty went on
board the ships. Each ship had de-
! taah,nant aIlAttal
nized leader; Lendall Pitts was one
of these chiefs. Everything was order
ly, systematic, and doubtless previous
lv concerted. The leaders demanded
Of those in charge of the ships the keys
to the matches, candles, and matches,
which were produced. The Dartmouth
was first visited and relieved of her
| cargo of one hundred and fourteen
chests AS the chests were passed on
deck thev were smashed, and nervous
arms plunged them into the dock. The
contents of thee hundred and forty
two chests mingled with the waters Of
the bay. and the work was done.
1t was low tide when the ships were
boarded, and the apprentice boys, who
formed the larger number Of those en-
gagged in the affair, jumped upon the
! flats, and assisted in breaking up and
trampling into the mud such of the
chests As had escaped the hatchets of
those on board the vessels. The tide
beginning 10 flow, the whole mass was
soon adritt.
| fhnra ant hnritia. yyhn h-
Warren as a member of the Mohawk
band there is little doubt that the en-
terprise well suited his ardent and adj
venturous disposition.
Many incidents are related of this
event. 1t is SAID that, ON their return
from the wharf, the band passed a
house where Admiral Montague Of the
fleet happened TO be, and that he rails
ell the window and cried out, We'll,
boys, you've had fine pleasant even
ing for your Indian caper, haven't you
But mind you have got to pay the fid-
Ter yeti" 20, never mind !" shouted
Pitts, the leader never mind, squire
just come out here, If you please, and
we'll settle the bill in two minutes"
The populace raised shout, the ifer
struck up lively air, and the Admir-
al shut the window in hurry. A
powerful fleet lay in the roads; the
troops were at the Castle, yet not a
move was made to arrest the work OF
destruction.
Thomas Melvill, in after times dis
tinguished citizen of Boston, was OF
the party. On his return home his
wife collected little Of the tea from
his shoes, which was put into q bottle
with memorandum written on parch.
ment. and kept as a precious relic in
the family. Many came TO see the ia.
nous herb, until at last it was found
necessary to seal it, to preserve it from
vandal hands. TuIs bottle Of tea is
now in possession of Lemuel Shaw OF
this city, son Of the late Judge Shaw
John Crane, another of the party,
while busily employed in the hold OF
one of the ships, was knocked down
by chest Of tea falling from the deck
upon him. He was taken up for dead
and concealed in neighboring car
penter's shop under pile Of shavings.
After the party had finished they re
turned and found Crane living.
Several persons who were detected
in the act Of secreting the fragrant
plant were roughly handled.
'One Captain O'Connor," says
Hewes, "whom we'll knew, came on
board for this purpose, and, when be
supposed he was not noticed, filled his
pockets and also the lining Of his coat.
But had detected him, ana gave in
formation to the captain of what he
was doing. We were ordered to take
him into custody, ana just as he was
stepping from the vessel seized him
by the skirt. of his coat and, in at
tempting to pull him back, tore it
off; but, springing forward by rapid
edoIt, he made his escape. He had,
however, to run the guantlet of the
crowd upon the wharf, each one as be
passed giving him kick or q stroke.
The next day we nailed the skirt of his
coat, which 1 had pulled of, to the
whipping post in Charlestown (the
place of his residence) with . label
upon it."
A letter thus speaks of Colonel
Crane who was left for dead in the hold
of one Of the ships by chest of tea
falling upon him.
He was patriotic from bOyhood. He
took an active part in the Boston Tea
Party in 1878. He lived at that time in
the old house yet standing in fremont
street, opposite the foot Of Hollis street.
It had been used for many years - .