The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-11-03

TWAS l." he said, proudly, "Who dis.
covered how TO split the Bank OF England
note BY plaeing them between steel plates
covered with q strong cement, to which
each surface Of the note adhered, so that
each hall formed perfect note, almost
imperceptibly thinner than the entire
one. ] should have made 4 fortune then, /"
he sighed, "only, while was passing the
notes at the rate Of El0o day and often
more, at TGt:ersalps, my partner he went
10 the Bank and rounded on me, he did. -
ibid you ever commitmur-. That il,
did you ever take human liie?" asked
him one day.
"Never but once" said he, "and that
was in selt-defense. had cracked a crib
alone up on Sixth avenue, near the Cen.
trail Park, and l was making nv way
down toward the river, with basket with
the swSg in it on my arm, when came
tull.butt on TO policeman. His revolver
was out in 4 moment, but was a. quick
as himself; and a. his buliel-Whistled
through my hat, mine went through his
brain. ! heard atIerwart that he was the
best shot in the force; but on that night,
his own revolver being out Of order, he
had borrowed that OF q brother officer.
which threw little high and he was not
aware of it. or shouldn't be here now
telling you my adventures"
Thus the voyage passed away, each day
leaving me more sStonished 1t the ex.
traordinary mixture Of good and evil in
this mans character. He never gambled,
or Guarreied, or drank, and seldom ever
swoTe; but for gold he hungered and
thirsled. he used TO dream Of it all
night, lie told me, and by day certainly
his only theme was gold and its acquisi.
ton. On this point am sure he was a
mononanisc. For the paper currency Of
the United States he had the greatest con.
tempt The yellow metal itself was his
darling; and even while converting he
would Keep Esrvously twisting in his
strong, sineWy fingers a great twenty.
dollar gold piece, which ! am sure no
pGvalions would have induced him TO
change. But TO the very last moment Of
his liie-ior | regret to say that poor Mr..
Baxter, as you will hear, "died in his
shoes'-my properly was sacred IN his
eyes. When my watch was appropria-
led by one Of the enlightened patriots
under my command, they had q very
rough time Of it betWeen.decks until my
indignant sergeant recovered the missing
property, and gave the unlpcky thief
such practical homily on the tenth com.
maudment as l am sure he never forget;
and when subsequently our priVatious
rendered the men so desperate that they
stole and fought for each others food, my
ration always remained intact in the
watchtul care OF poor Jonas Baxter.
am not writing history Of the Cuban
Revolution, SO will pass over all the de.
tails OF my campaigning in the island,
merely remarking that the men proved
amenable TO no discipline, and that they
fought independently, as only reckless,
desperate men, Injured to bloodshed and
the lisht Of death in every form, could
fight. AS for Jonas Baxter, he was q
host in himself. Every days march
brought him nearer the goal for which be
painted. His precious tools, / was we'll
aware, were concealed in his knapeack:
and when he pillowed his head upon i. al
night, wee bOtide the man who should at.
tempt to deprive him Of one OF those aids
to boundless wealth. But, alas,
"Ihe best lid sehemes Of mite AID men
Gang aft agIey."
Mr.. Baxter did reach p, and so did
!; but it was as prisoners OF war, taken in
arms against the Spanish Government,
and with pretty acute perception that
scant courtesy from our captors would
De afforded US.
We were lodged with other prisoners
in large cell in the town Jail, which &C.
cupied one side Of the principal place,
and from the closely barred window we
could see the very bank that lured my
poor, covstous comrade to his doom. He
was almost grand in the SublimiLy OF
his despair. "Six million dollars in
goIdr' he would repeat, gazing fxedly at
the fatal building Six million dollars
in gold" thought Of Napoleon at St.
Helena. But though his dearest hopes
were frustrated, and all chance Of escape
denied him, he behaved with gameness
and pluck ! have rarely seen equaled,
never surpassed. l had been wounded,
and was in very weak and languid state
mot improved by the thought that II had
been rather fool to get into such mess
Tor no reason at all-and 10 procure me
acme little comforts (of which be per.
Tistently refused to partaEel this hard.
eucd thief parted with his beloved twenty
dollar piece. Neither Of Us supposed for
q moment that our lives would be spared
and though l escaped (how and why need
not be detailed here), NOT many days had
elapsed before our arrival in p when
they took poor Jonas Baxter out to
be hanged. The gallows we're erected in
the large place on which our windows
looked, and, led BY horrible fascination,
drew near to it, and watched the awful
proceedings.
"GoOd.6y, Captain said he as they
led him out; though I'm 10 swing, I'm
right glad TO think that you'll swing
clear. Iplayed for big stake and I've
lost; but il could I'd do it again. Just
think, six million dollars in gold n And
away he went, his irons elanking heavily
but his demeanor as uncorcerned as ithe
were merely going 10 smoke pipe with
his friend Mr.. Sykes, Of Tyesrs Ray.
BE died a. he had lived dealntIy. His
last breath was usGd to chat his execu.
TONERS and beg them 10 make haste, as he
-had an appointment for which he did
mot wish to be too lste;n and as the dror
fell and his body swung slowly round
now facing his beloved bank, and now
turning the swollen, blackened face TO-
wards the Jail, l am not ashamed to con,
less that bitter tears rolled down M
cheeks for the sad fate Of the poor repro
bate who was what crime and criminal
, laws had made him, bat who, under dit
ierent circumstances, might have beer
worthy Of better end.
ArrcstOi stock Operators.
SAN PRAScIsco- Nnyemher 9-Thre,