The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-10-19
A Box of Diamonds.


occurred which | am about to relate be
fore the Mail companies and Glasgow clip
pers. when q man had to make his will ant
set his house in order before putting hi,
foot on board a ship, and when once yor
had passed the Eddystone, it was almost 9
hundred to one against your ever setting
foot again in Old England. However, here
| am laid up like an old hulk Tor the re
mainder of my days, with nothing to tll
back upon but the memories of the past
and sad memories some of them are yot
may stake your life.
| was young man then, and had been
knocking about in the Brazils and West
lndies-eyerywhere in South America
may say, tor | believe made one Of the
first party of Englishmen to cross the An.
dies. from Valparaiso to Buenos Ayrcs-nr
light feat in those days, | can tell YOU
was doctor by profession, and many a
time, by the exercise OF my professional
skill, have saved my own scalp among
the savage Indians Of the Pampas | am
not going, however, to tell you anything
about the Indians now-somc other time,
perhaps-a slice of lemon? Thank you
and sugar, that will do. Now for my
story:
AS said before, had been knocking
about good deal in South America, and
shipped as doctor on board an old tub of a
trader leaving Rio ,lanciro, homeward
bound for Bristol. with Il cargo and q
couple Of cabin passengers
The Good Hope was commanded by
Capt. McFarlane, hard headed old
Scotchman. John Williams, first mate,
and n crew of thirteen hands all told,
made up Of Englishmen, Dutchmen,
Swedes and Il couple Of negroes. one OF
whom was the stewards mate We sailed
on the 14th Of December Il blazing hot
day, with scarcely a breath Of wind to fill
the sails; but the captain was anxious to
get away, as Yellow Jack was in port, and
he had no mind to knocking his heels in
quarantine longer than he could help We
had, however, hardly got clear cf Baza Is
land, when breeze sprung up and we
were soon bowling along as fast us the old
ship could be made to step along, all stud
ding sails set, and, so far. clean bin of
health on board
On the 21st, however. l was sitting for
ward getting a breath Of fresh air and
smoking my pipe, when Pete, the stew
ards mate came up and summoned me ait
to see one Of the two cabin passengers,
Mr.. William Grierson, who had been very
unwell during the night and began to be
afraid he was in for Il touch of the fever.
went aft and saw him, but there did not
appear to be any alarming symptoms Just
at present, 50 | prescribed some cooling
medicine and left him
lie was worse, however, next ,Iav, and
the next, yet it was not Il case of yellow
fever, and there was something in the
symptoms, | am not ashamed to say, that
fairly bai11ed me. On the 24th he was so
much worse that | began to be seriously
alarmed, and communicated my fears to
the captain
1t is not tho yellow fever. uI lnaL 1 ulu
sure"
What is it then ?''
We'll to tell the truth, can hardly say.
Nothing that can administer seems to do
him any good, and he is evidently sinking
rapidly"
The conversation was cut short by the
arrival Of Peter, who Informed US that Mr..
Grierson had been seized with Il sudden
and alarming pain, and was apparently
dying, adding that the patient wished to
see me at once and alone. In obedience to
the summons l went below, and having
shut the cabin door and administered the
necessary remedies, asked the dying man
QOr there could be little doubt he was dy-
ing) the reason for his wishing to see me.
II wish to see you because | feel that
am dying, and | can put off no longer
what | wish to say, if it is to be said at
all, responded the patient feebly Fetch
me that box from OF the top of my chest,
and listen"
| brought it, a small oblong mahogany
box, and laid it by his side upon the COW
erlet and Mr. Grierson laying his hand
upon it and at the same time detaching a
key from a string by which il was sas
pended round his neck, which his fingers
played with nervously during his recital.
continued
''l am Il murderer-Aye You may start
and think perhaps that my mind is wan
dering, but it is the truth twenty-five
years ago, twenty-five years Of misery
| committed the deed which am now in
the presence Of my Maker about to confess
| was a clerk in Il banking house in Lon
don, and the facilities and opportunities
for speculation offered me We're too much
for me to withstand, Lut circumstances
occurred which convinced me that discov-
cry could hardly be much longer delayed
and | was casting about how to escape
while there was yet time. Just at this
juncture one Of the senior clerks in the
house had to be sent down to Bristol in
charge of Il very large sum Of money in
gold, and was deputed to accompany
HIM to guard the treasure. In those times
matters were differently conducted from
what they are at the present day, and we
had to take the money in a box, strongly
secured and sealed with us. by the mai
coach which started from one of the old
inns in the city for the west Of England
There was sum of 1000 guineas in the
box, and the idea suggested itself to my
mind that if | could become master OF
such sum | could get clear away, by
some ship leaving Bristol for foreign parts
before the bank could become aware of
the fact of my escape But how to get rid
OF my companion. Briefly, for | feel my
strength sinking, and | must hurry for
ward to the end of what | have TO tell
you. | procured poison. which | poured
into the leathern bottle, in which | carried
my IellbSuInenL On Ine ROAD, ana, watch
ing my opportunity offered it to him tc
drink. He sank back in corner of the
coach, and in Il few minutes was corpse
Emptying the remaining contents Of the
bottle out of the window, and placing the
dead man in such an attitude as woulc
lead people to suppose he had died nat
urally in his sleep. hailed the guard will
every stimulation Of trepidation. and stop
ped the coach. The outside passenger:
got down. and a scene of great eXcitemen
occurred. At the next village, the loca
doctor, who as it happened was man o
no great skill, was sent for, and dexter
ously insinuating to him that had known
my companion to suffer from heart disease
OF long standing, with many compliment
to the professional acumen of the docto
himself. that worthy was not long in pro
nouncing it a case of sudden death from
heart disease; and l was suffered, in view
of my representations as to the urgency
of my mission TO Bristol to proceed on M
Journey This is the bare outline of m,
crime, the details would only weary you
and my time is short. succeeded in leav
ing England and reached Brazil where