The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-07-13

| NueH eSGlu caiIle Iiie same voice
sounding SO much like the dead, wa
heard, giving this time the surprisin
expression:
"rwas Warren Gregg! Twas Wal
rem Gregg! Twas Warren Greggw
To attempt to portray the astonist
ment and startled amazement of off
GERS and crew, would be a failure
Their actions were beyond description
One and all stood in blank astonisl
ment, staring unconsciously, perhaps
upon the first mate, who, like tn
guilty wretch that be was, tremble
from head to foot. deathly pallo
overspreading his features. until mad
ened to desperation by the terrible aC
cusation of the mysterious, unseen aC
cuser, his pent up guilt, Which b
could hold 10 longer, burst forth int
into wild, frenzied cry:
who dares to accuse mel"
The quick eye of Haywood if no othe
saw the guilt Gregg SO plainly showed
and prompted by self interest, he ex
claimed.
II dor'
Liar" Missed the trembling wretch
and then, with a horrible oath, h,
bounded upon him, murder plainl,
written upon his very look and action
But the sailors quickly interposed
when he turned upon them and fiere,
struggle ensued.
''Secure him!" cried the skipper, a
soon as the crew had succeeded in over
powering him. "We will keep both il
irons and wait further Developments.
But though everything was done thai
could be to ascertain the cause of thost
strange cries from the sea, the day pass
ed without solving the mystery, and the
superstitious sailors all believed that
the dead had spoken. And their be-
lief was strengthened when there was
heard, at different intervals the follow.
ing night, the same voice, only more
sad aud mournful, saying this time:
"Warren Gregg, a murderer a mur-
dererl a murderer
The next morning Gregg called the
captain below, TO whom he made full
confession of his crime, saying he had
killed Lewis mistaking him for young
Haywood; and then, upon his bended
knees, the guilty wretch begged for
mercy.
The only reply lie received was to
wait till he reached port.
Gregg's confession clearing Haywood
of all guilt, he was freed at once; and
partly to atone for the injustice he
had done him, the captain gave him the
berth of first office.
One mornings a few days later, Gregg
was missing, and as no trace of him
could be found, it was supposed that
he must have got upon the deck our
ing the night, when unseen and un-
heard, he had thrown himself into the
sea. That to escape the punishment
of man lie had gone to receive the
Judgment of his Maker. with another
crime upon his already blackened soul.
The voice from the sea.was not heard
after the nurderer's confession, and
soon the superstitious mariners ceased
to speak of it. having solved the mys-
terry to their satisfaction, by deciding
that the dead had already spoken iu
vindication of the character of the in
nocent victim.
In the due course of time port was
safely made.
A year later Frank Haywood and
Mabel Stanford were united in wedlock
amid the congratulations Of all their
friends.
But the strangest and best part of it
all was, that among the wedding guests
was Lewis Stanford. The brides broth
er, who, instead of having perished on
that night, as was supposed, had, by
tile dlO Ol d DOA wlllCu lIhu Octl luTO"u
overheard among some other things,
to keep afioat till morning.
when an outward bound ship had pick
I'd him up; and after considerable diff
culty lie hai succeeded in getting
home in season to attend his sisters
wedding.
Thus their cup OF Happiness was full
to the oyerfiowing, and in their great
Joy the crimes and misdoings of the
evil minded mate were forgiven and
forgotten.
Years afterward a flock of young
Heywoo is would gather round their
mother and ask her to repeat to them
the story of that fearful ordeal of a life,
when their father saved himself from
an ignominious death by his pow
ers of ventriloquisIn which, unknown
to his accusers, he possessed and used
with such satisfactory result.