Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-03-18

fate of the prisoners that night, concluded
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
martial. So Taft and his two comrades
were released from the calaboose, and
assigned TO duty, though strictly watched
for some weeks. This sharp surveil-
lance, 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 crimping agents, who seized
and carried off men BY armed force-a
species of kidnapping tacitly counte-
nanced by the Government Naturally,
therefore, there were many sour and dis
contented spirits in the navy. Abner
TAFT was not long in discovering that
there were many mutinous aud dis
affected men on board Cautiously he
sounded them, and at last had fifteen
men, whom he believed he could
trust, pledged to stand by him. The
Tartar, since the taking command by
Capt. Scott, had become generally
known as "Hell Afoat," and the con-
spirators seemed to feel that, in case of
failure, execution was but little worse
than life under such brutal tyrant.
Circumstances conjoined in favor of
the plot of these three stern and daring
hearts of Marblehead, which was TO be
alike piece of superb personal ven
geance and great patriotic service.
Abner Taft, who conceived and organ
lied the enterprise, had instructed his
helpers to secrcte food about the decks,
and to hold themselves ready to wait his
signal. Accident, too, had placed the
eighteen conspirators in the same watch,
and had it not been for this mere
chance it seems difficult to understand
how such plot could ever have been
successful.
They had waited YEARLY for several
weeks for an opportunity which should
warrant them in striking the blow. Fate
at last smiled on them.
One gusty November night, Capt. Scott
and his officers were indulging in q Ca
rouse of unusual extent. The crew had
been severely tasked for several nights.
as the weather had been severe and tenn
pestuous, and slept deeply. No better
time than this to consummate the prof
ect. One of the plotters stole forward
and slipped into the hold, where he Lit q
bundle of oakum which had been pro-
vided. The cry of fire was sounded on
deck, and portion of the watch above
rushed below TO extingnish the flames.
Instantly Abner Taft and his seventeen
co-conspirators sprang like tigers on
the rest of the watch. Some were
stabbed straight to the heart with
long clasp-knives; some were stran-
gled with fell, deadly grasp; some
were hurled overheard into the seething
foam. The gigantic Marbleheader flung
three men over the rail as If they had
been infants. No sounds were heard, SO
swift and pitiless was the execution, ex-
cept some terrible gasp or hiccough of a
dying wretch. In moment Taft and
his followers were masters Of the decks.
Instantly the hatchways and cabin were
closed, spiked fast and barricaded. The
deck carronades, which were always
kept loaded, were dragged into position
30 as to command all avenues of egress
for those confined below. While can
noneers stood by the pieces with lighted
linstocks the rest of the mutiAeers pro-
ceeded to get the vessel about.
Abner Taft jammed the helm hard up
and dashed it fast while he ordered the
men to let go the lee-braces and square
the yards. The head of the gallant YES
sci paid off rapidly and soon she headed
northwest. AS the daring ringleader
afterward said with an unseemly profan-
ity, he was bound either for hell or Bos.
top harbor."
In the meanwhile the crew below ex-
tinguished the fire after hard fight, but
found themselves imprisoned while the
mysterious noises on deck told them of
some remarkable event having trans
PRED. At first Capt Scott and his
lieutenants, in the stupidity of their de-
bauch, had failed to notice the strange
events going on above them, but the noise
of the hammers spiking the matches, the
rolling of the carronades and the flap
ping of the yards impressed at last their
drunken senses with the alarming truth.
With the instincts of discipline and
obedience the crew, in their alarm and
amazement, waited for orders from their
superiors.
They had not long to wait. Capt. Scott,
though tyrant, lacked neither courage
nor energy. With a torrent of fierce i'm
precautions he ordered his men to cut
their way out to the decks. While the
axes were piled furiously stern voice
above was heard ringing out like trum-
pet of doom:
keep doom below for your livesl
There be six cannon-mouths guarding tn
hatches," said Abner Taft.
"Pll cut every bit of flesh off your
bones, you devilsw said the English Cap
tain, foaming at the mouth with rage.
Again, to his imprisoned men: "Cut, cut
for your lives"
The axes few in the hands of the En-.
glish and soon they had chopped the
matches in fragments. AS they thronged
up the carronades were discharged at
close range and an awful silence fol-
lowed, broken with low means The
slaughter had been fearful. The hatch
ways were again closed and fastened.
Three different attempts were made by
the English crew to break forth, attended
with similar results. In one OF these
Capt Scott and his officers succeeded in
escaping from the durance Of the cabin
and, stung into reckless fury, charged
with sword and pistol on the fierce band
that held the decks.
Abner Taft met his chief prosecutor,
cutlass in hand, and sharp, short com
bat was ended by terrible stroke which
beat down Capt. SCOTS guard and Glove
L. taH