The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-28
TWO LADS As MINERS.
Capt. Woodworth's Son. start to Make Their
Fortunea, md Their Hetnrn.

fortunes, ana Ihetr Return.
Among the crew OF tho schooner Mile |
Trim. which arrived yesterday from Venezuela.
were two lads brothers. who sailed from New
York nearly two years ago. full Of the hope of
making their fortune in South America. They
bring back only n few trlnkcts. monster snake
skin. some parrots. and constitutions broken
down by the coast foyer. The boys. IL and 20
years of age. are the sons Of Capt Woodworth
who sailed from Martins pier. Brooklyn.
about twelve years ago. in command
OF the steamship Santa Martha. which
was richly freightcd with provisions. pow
der and arms. for tho Spanish armies
in South America. the wnr between Spain and
Chill being then at its height Capt. Woodwork
was well to do. His family was brought up in
comfort and hc sailed on this trip happy man.
for he had bond signed by the Spanish au-
thorities that promised him sl00.0O0 in gold
after safely executing his orders. Tho Santa
Martha made one stop at one Of the South Amer
lean Spanish cities, and sailed for another She
was never heard from afterwar1. Then Capt.
Woodwoyth's widow had struggle to bring up
her two boys. for thoy were only 6 and years Of
age when their father died; but she kept them
ut school and carefully trained them until they
went away from their home in Lexington
street Brooklyn about two years ago. They
hau ntuiu hupuN ll' tDlN IllUfN III NtufNutlut
what chance there was to go there and yet
rich. and they went to the New York agent of
the New York and Mocupa gold mine. who
hired them. and they sailed soon afterward.
Samuel. the elder. is a curly hcaded. blue
eyed boy. His cheeks must have been round
and rosy once. but they are pale and haggnrd
now Frank. the younger, is also blue-eyed.
His face is naturally thin. and he has been
hronzed hv exposure to the color OF q half
breed. The boys told their story to the reporter
for THE SuN yesterday afternoon. although
they were in haste 10 10 to their mother. who
has not heard from them for nearly n wear.
Samuel WAS harefooted. and his shirt slc,'yes
were rolled back from arms that must have
shabby appearance. "We had no money to ect
clothes. he. said. Why. l even paid IS.
almost all | had. for these pointing to
grimy pair of duck trousers that he wore.
ewere going to get big pay. Samuel said
twenty per cent. saved on each month, and
paid US in n lump when We got through. Well.
we got To Bolivar-that's biz town in Nene-
zuela-and there we took some mules to- ride 20
gold mines are away back five hundred miles
| from the sea. and. excepting few Spaniards
| the miners are Trinidad Indians. They 90
| down under tho ground and work there six
hours, at time. Its dreadful country. aw-
| fully hot and there's lots OF South American
ones around. Wen. we worked there nine
months-wasnt ii. Frank ?-and we never could
get a cent OF money. went 10 Gen. March aud
said | must have some money TO send home
| 70 my mother and be told me 10 10 to hell
| Then wO left there and went to work in another
mine. and when they heard OF 4 they got the
owners 10 refuse 70 keep us. Then we had to
And Sam was that sick with the coast fever"
! Frank said. that ever SO many times wont 10
his hammock and thought he was dead"
| Frank had II. too. in the dav time" Samuel
| said, " but he'd sleep II OF nights"
You spoke OF the tigers. the reporter said.
Oh. yes. we'd hear em nights and often see
| them in tho woods. They didn't come very near
tho miners. but you had to look out for them
| when you were going along the road.
| , Tell him about the tiger you Killed. sam.
Frank said.
| amt safe. Those people think less ~ killing a
man than they do tiger. was coming ~ the
Then knew that III have trouble. | kinder
SHE'D along slyl, till got pretty near; Then
il. Frank2 The tiger ,snarled. and heard the
bushes cracking. don't think hit ii. but /
fired again. Then | knew did, for 1t yelled.
aud fired all my shots. one right inter the
| other. without any aim. Then WAS frghten-
ed for hed nothing more to defend myself
waited minute: then looked in the bushes
! ana se.s that II was dad Lucky for No. one
| of the bullets went in through his ear. What &
a tiger skin worth here I've got that"
How about the snakes p
YOU'VE got to look out for th"m." Frank
said il,. They come on yog syy' II they bite
They won't touch YOU unless YOU trouble
thom," samuel said: hut that's the bother
You've got 10 look out for them. Where's the
snake skin you brought along. Frank -
gave that 90 I'm lone 81 the crew. not m
hour ago, and he took II up IN tho c!ty. some,
where. That snake was fourteen feet long. and
| had n time with him. Frank said. 81 was
coming w the rond from Bolivar. on a mule
and the mule stopped and tremhled | looked
ahead. and right in the road there WIS that biz
snake. II looked like q log, all notified and
brown. Then il raised It's head aud looked a
! d IVA IA m Of IA L will ,
stick. That showed how foolish was. H. be-
gan to move slowly toward me with his head up
heard that il they get "A twist on you YOU
gone. The mule was scared to death, He KEEP
kicking out with his hind feet didn't see
coming along with his head up and his moutl
part way open. Then thought Of my revolver
and fred right into his back, That stopp.e,C
nm lh ne nrea again ah9 Killed him. h'
They didn't think anything Of such kind o
them often but never killed one. There's lott
OF monkeys around. but they're scnrce enough
when they see one Of these snake
| The worst thing. though Frank said. " II
" Did you see any one killed?' the reporte
y" See any one ? should say we did" Franl
| replied, with his eye strained wide open. why
for any little dispute, these miners Will knife
man ana nobody pays any attention TO II. lo'
Frank; tell him about that
=" Yes" Frank sand. ! was standing nea
Mansell one day At the mines. He was Il grea
big fellow with loud voice. | noticed liul
young fellow coming w 10 him. and he accuse,
Manscl Of dshonorlug his sister. Well
what Of it ? Manse asked in Spanish. am
added an insulting remark. The little fellow
black eyes snapped, and ] saw him make
quick movement with his hand. Mnnsell saw
Il. too, and raised his hand 10 ward OF the blow
Then | saw the dagger flash in the mir an,
Manse staggered aud Tell. The little FELLOW
had run the dagger right through MRnsell'
hand into his heart, II didn'f make any eN
cltement. Somebody took the little fellow dow
to Bolivar. and he was fined 500"
Only day or two alter that, Samuel said
the Commissary had little quarrel with tn
Projects brother. saw the Commssary draw
his sword. and run it into the other man
body. The man died in twenty minutes. NJ
body paid any attention to that
The Woodworth brothers were at the mine
when Mr. Bush was assass mated in April last
a brief account OF which WIS published in tn
SUN Frank told the story rs follows: ." MI
Bush was an American. from Northern Ney
York. | think, aud he was the mail carrier. II
left the mines for Bolivar some time in Apr
and had $4,000 in bullion with him. THIS h
had changed into money and started back
The money was gold pieces. and WAS strappe
on To the backs OF two mules. which two SER
wants who ware riding on other mules led
was somewhere between Chandalira an,
Bolivar that they had got. Mr. Bus
riding behind. Three Spanish Generals
Gen Zapata. Gen. Merio, and Gen. Gonzales