The news and herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1876-1881, 1876-11-09
QUELL ING A MUTINY.
How Commodore Ammen Did It.-A
Good Story Well Told.
Washington Cor. Chicago Timo4.

Washington Cor. Chicago Timc4.
From oil accounts tho captain of a
man-of war must be very unhappy
being. He is grand, you know, but
he must be lonesome. He has his
separate cabin, dimes alone, reads
alone, and when he ascends to the
deck all Of the officers at once cross
to the other side and leave him one
side unobstructed. He could not
be moro let alone if he had the
small pox. Officers claim that this
unbcnding rigidity of behavior is
alone one of the most potent Gle
ments of discipline with a crew.
The crew of q man-of-war lis largely
made up of reckless, dangerous
men. In nurnharD cho3 ~J ,.l.1
always be able to seize upon the
small arms of the ship and osor-
power the officers and turn the
vessel into q piratical cruiser. To
keep down a gang of reckless men
of this class the slightest infraction
of n rigid discipline cannot be passed
over unnoticed. A story told Of
Commodore Ammen, of the navy,
the inventor of the steam ram,
illustrates how important is un-
hesitating action in case of n
mutiny. SO severe are the penalties
for mutiny, and so closely are the
men held in check, that mutinies of
late have become very rare. At the
close of the war Ammen was the
captain Of a Pacific mail steamer.
He had shipped MS part of his
crow lot Of soldiers, men who had
been sailors before the war, but had
served since that time in the army.
They were n reckless, bad lot.
Almost before the steamer had
left Now York it was evident that
there was going to be trouble.
These sailors Haunted at the grub
ful nished them and sid they must
have us good as tho cabin passen
gers. One day the affair culminat-
cd by this gang forming and coming
aft. When they ento:ed tho saloon
they wore headed by two despern-
does who hal intitcd the mutiny.
at their appearance several army
officers on boald volunteered
their services to Ammcn. He
thanked them mildly but said he
would not need their help. He
walked forward lmguidly toward
the mutineers, and without giving
them an opportunity to say word
took out his watch md said: "Now,
men, I want you tx 60 right back to
the fokesel. I vii give you ono
minute to CO."
Ammen has the appearance of
benevolent old cBacon who would
weep with pain o. tho necessity of
killing fly. His voice was as soft
as if his mouth vas lined with plush
velvet, and as weet as maiden q
whisper when Adolphus first en-
circles her timil waist.
When he sad simply to the mon,
sNow, I wantyou to go right back
to the fokesel' the leaders giinned.
This mutipy was to succeed too |
easily. So dtriag the minute they
scoffed at'tht old man. At pre-
cisely sixty seconds after the OK |
piration of Ammens remark he
raised pistol and shot one of the
ringbaders dead. "Will you go |
backto the !okesel? :" said Ammen to |
the second ringleader, pleasantly.
Theman hesitated; a flash! q ro-
por, and he too fell dead.
The deadly persistent blandness
of Ammen's composure drove terror
though the ranks of the mutinoers.
,ptey went forward, and there was
njver any moro trouble. This
prompt action alone saved very
'ich ship and large number of
passengers from plunder, outrage
md murder.
Judge Mackey has issued an
'rder directing that all the State
'rms in Lancaster county shall be
collected and turned over to the |
Sheriff.