The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1873-01-22
MURDER WILL QUIZ,
BY TRUANT.

CAY, ay, sir" answered the boat
swain's mate, who executed the
order in q short space Of time, fol
he and the watch on deck were
worn out, having been busy hand
ling and trimming sail.
|. This occurred on board a United
States sloop- of.war, which we will
call the Nautilus, one stormy
night in December CT 1868, as she
stood off and on in the neighbor'
hood of Frying-pan Shoals. wait.
ing for daylight, to run up TO the
flagship and report. her arrival,
She had just been put in commits
sion and ordered to report for du-
ty to the Admiral of the North
Atlantic Bloekading SQUADRON
From her msin-truck to the keel,
bolts she was new, and consequent
ly her crew were worked harder
to handle her than they otherwise
would be.
She was offcered with the in
tent of performing off:shore duty,
and was afterward known as
6rst-class ship for paper-collar sail
ors to emigrate from. Command.
er Schufeldt, our captain, had seen
some eighteen years service, and
lately had acted as Professor Of
Mathematics at Annapolis. Lieu
tenant Commander Jones. our ex-
ecutive officer, was but q few years
behind the captain in service, and
was known to the Department at
Washington as just the man to
break in the new ship and her
crew; while our sailing master
enjoyed the reputation of being
par excellence in his line Of duties
The remainder Of the watch Off
ce:s were all acting volunteers,
among whom vas the writer, in
the capacity of ensign.
Nothing of Importance had oc'
Cured during our passage until
this morning watch, when at two
bells I found it necessary to "gc
in stays" or in other words, tc
bring the ship to the wind and
stand off shore. l gave some eau
tionary commands to the captains
of the tops, and then turned my
attention to the wheel. While
the vessel was swinging, and be-
fore I could give the necessary
commands in such case, | wa;
startled by the cry of "Man over
board! !" I instantly ordered the
helm up, the head sheets to the
windward, and directed the quar-
ter-master to drop one Of the pat
ent fire buoys attached to th'
stern. By it's light we could JUS
see the head and arms of the los
sailor in an attitude Of suppllca
ton for help, but so distant tba
it precluded the possibility Of hi!
keeping afoat until the boat reach
| ed him. Captain Schufeldt nov
| came on deck, and directed the en-
gineer to spread his fires (theJ
were "banked," in obedience to
general order from the depart
| ment), and make steam, and l wa
to stand in the direction Of oul
| boat, fire an occasional blue light
and to see the propeller gear al
10 readiness to put the ship undel
steam power. (Our ship wa
rugged with a propeller wheel by
which we could raise the propelleI
out of water, and thus, when un
| der sail alone, make better head
way.) The engineer reported
steam, and l that everything wa
in readiness. The captain now
took the bridge and pulled the bel
-one, to 60 ahead slow. The en-
CINE had made but two or three
Revolutions, when the next blue
light showed as our cutter righ
| under the bows. The bell wa
pulled to stop, and back instantly
but the engine refused to reVolve
and we struck our boat fair Will
our stern, and literally run be-
under.
Everything now was confusion
| Do-co con foundaS until tha oan