The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1875-05-27


faces of his victims.
"Englisbmen, by CD" said he
Hno cursed rebel Yankee ever talked
like that. Pass the word forward fOT
the bosom he'll know 'em down to
the shire and village"
The bosom, a weather-beaten Old
salt. with a viliainOus face, who
had been one OF Tic most cruel and
INSCRIPTIONS crimps in the Plymouth,
and was q sort of humble edition OF
his chief, came aft.
"Ah, ha bosom, here's good, fat
piece of work cut out for you and
your mates with the eat," r0ared he
commander. "LoOk at these scoun-
drels, Englishmen, deserters from the
cOlOrs Of their King. They'd pass for
Yankees but / know the breed too
well. Talk to 'em and let's know
what part of Old England they hail
FROM"
| "Ay, ay, your honor / know 'em
by the very cut of the jib !" answered
the petty officer, scraping and pulling
his topknot to his superior.
The men of Marblehead saw the
trap into which they had fallen, and
Obstinately refused to answer any
i AulbnGt uucSllOuSs OcclLh nDtliuB
but grim death before them they
were going to die grimly and silently.
"Away with 'em to the gangway
and tricc 'em to the grating !" shout
ed the English captain, with volley
of oaths, infuriated with the dOgged
disdain OF the prisoners. "Giye 'em
four dozen apiece, and with q right
good will, too, or you and your mate
shall take their places. Tomorrow,
it will be matter of the yard-arm."
The bosom executed his mission
with cruel delight, aud the crew
were mustered to witness the savage
torture as the blood spurted on the
naked backs from the strokes OF the
terrible cat.
The unfortunate men were taken
below and put in irons, expecting
next day to be executed on the pre-
text which had been so unexpectedly
raised by their brutal captOr. His
comrades had WINGED under the tor
ment of the cat, but the blows had
fallen on Abner Taft's herculean
shoulders as on cold, impassive mar.
bic. Not sound from his lips, nor q
quiver in the flesh only cold, quiet
look in the eyes, full ...of some strange
meaning.
The three fishermen owed their
lives to the fact that the Tartar was
at that time somewhat shOrt-handed.
She had taken several prizes, and
crews under the command of petty
officers had been detached for the
captured vessels. Her ordinary COM
plement of hands was thus cut down
more than third. Capt. Scott and
his junior officers, in discussing the
fate of the prisoners that night, con-
cluded to postpone their purpose of
execution. They could be used to
advantage in working the ship for
the present, and by-and-by they
might be tried by cOurt-martiRl.
So Taft and his two comrades were
released from the calabOose and as
signed to duty, though strictly watch
ed for some weeks. This sharp sur
velllance, however, gradually wore
off in view of the apparent submission
and good behavior of the men.
The British navy at that period was
largely supplied with sailors through
the operations of crlmping agents,
who seized and carried off men by
armed force-a species of kidnapping
tScitly cOuntenanced by the govern
ment. Naturally, therefore, there
were many sour and discontented
spirits in the navy. Abner Taft was
not long in discovering that there
were many mutinous and disaffected
men on board. Cautiously he sound
ed them, and at last had fifteen men
whom he believed he could trust,
pledged to stand by him. The Tar
for cfn fhn fnlrsuo-
Captain Scott, had become generally
known as "Hell AflOat," and the
conspirators seemed to feel that, in
case Of failure, execution was but lit
tie worse than life under such a bru-
tai tyrant.
Circumstances conjoined in favor
of these three stern and daring hearts
of Marblehead, which was to be alike
piece Of superb personal vengeance,
and q great patriotic service. Abner
Taft, who conceived and organized
the enterprise, had instructed his
helpers to seerete food about the deck
and to hold themselves ready to await
his signal. Accident, too, had placed
the eighteen conspiratoTs in the same
watch, and had it not been for this
mere chance, it seems difficult to un-
derstand how such plot could ever
have been successful.
They had waited wearily for sever
al weeks for an opportunity which
should warrant them in striking the
blow, Fate at last smiled on them.
One gusty November night, Cap
tain Scott and his officers were indulg-
ing in carouse OF unusual extent.
The crew had been severely tasked
for several nights, as the weather had
been severe and tempeStuOus, and
slept deeply. No better time than
this to consummate the project. One
of the plOtters stole forward and slip
ped into the hold, where he Lit bum
die of oakum which had been provid-
ed. The cry of fire was sounded on
deck, and 3 portion of the watch
above rushed below to extinguish the
flames. Instantly, Abner Taft and
his seventeen cOnspiratOrs sprang like
tigers on the rest of the watch. Some
were stabbed straight to the heart
with long clasp knives some were
strangled with a fell, deadly grasp
some were hurled overheard into the
seething foam. The gigantic Marble
header flung three man over the rail
as il they had been infants. No
sounds were heard, so swift and pitt
less was the execution, except some
terrible,gasp or hiccough of a dying
wretch.
In q moment Taft and his followers
were masters of the decks. Instantly
the hatchways and cabins were closed
spiked fast and barricaded. The deck
carronades, which were always kept
loaded, were dragged into position so
as to command all avenues of egreSS
for those confined below. While can
Roneers stood by the pieces with light
ed lime-stalks, the rest of the muti-
neers proceeded to get the vessel
about.
Abner Taft jammed the helm hard
up and lashed it fast, while he ordered
the men to let go the ice-braees and
square the yards. The head Of the
gallant vessel played off rapidly, and
soon she headed northwest. As the
daring leader afterward said, with an
unseemly profanity, he was bound
either "for hell or Boston HarbOr."
In the meanwhile, the crew below
had extlnguished the fire after q hard
fight, but found themselves imprison-
ed, while the mysterious noises on
deck told them of some remarkable
event having transpired. At first,
Captain Scott and his ieutensnts, in
the stupidity of their debauch, had
failed to notice the strange events GO
ing on above them, but the noise Of
the hammers spiking the matches, the
rolling of the carronades, and the
Tapping Of the yards impressed at last
their drunken senses with the alarm
ing truth. With the instincts OF dis
cipline and obedience, the crew, in
their alarm and amazement, waited
for orders from their superiors.
They had not long to wait. Cap
tain Scott, though q tyrant, lacked
neither courage nor energy. With 3
torrent OF fierce imprecations, he Or
dered his men to cut their way out
to the decks.
While the axes were piled furious
ly, stern voice above was heard,
ringing out like trumpet Of doom
"Keep doom below for you lives
There be six cannon-mouths guard
1 ing tn, hatches," said Abner Taft.
tiI'n cut every bit of flesh of your
bones, you devils 2" shouted the Eng
lish captain, foaming at the mouth
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