The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-17
A STORY OF TWO ISLANDS.
THE SAME BEING LONG ISLAND AND
THE ISLAND or ANTIGUA.
bread Cast on the waters by Printers
Devil. and Rumor that II u About 10
Return 90 Him AbundnntIy Buttered.

Bread Cast or the waters by n Printers
Devil. and n Rumor that II u About to
Return 10 Him AbundantIy Buttered.
Early in the summer OF 1868 the schooner
Kate McIanc returned to Port Jefferson. l.. l..
| from the West Indies She brought n cargo Of
junk which she landed at Philadelphia on her
way North. There was one passenger aboard.
n young man whom Capt. Conkling, master OF
the schooner. took on at Antigua. ono OF the
British West India islands. and II member OF
| the Leoward group. His name was Antoine
! Mercer. IIo was about 80 years old was
native OF Antigua. and had the dark
! skin and black hair Of the mixed race
to which he belonged. He spoke English,
with something Of the accent OF tho educated
| Englishman. He was fairly schooled. well
read. and knew something about the printers
trade. Capt Conkling. who was related 10y
marriage to Harvey Markham. then editor and
| owner Of the Port Jefferson Independent Press
| obtained for Mercer an opportunity TO earn
| living as a compositor In the office of that pa
per. The story that Mercer told Of himself was
that he was the only son of n native Of Antigua.
who was an officer Of the English Government.
lie had one sister. by reason OF Il disposition
to form amorrlagc alliance with young woman
| in whom negro blood predominated he had been
! furnished with considerable sum of money
| and sent away from the island He said that he
| had an uncle who was a wealthy planter. AMI
| whose heir he expected ~ hn-providrd the rich
uncle should forgive him the folly winch WIS
! the cause % his % ing sent with Capt. Cnnkllng
| when the Kate M'Inuc touched nj Philadrl-
/ phig, Mercer donncd his best sun ol clothes put
/ gu his money into his porketi ana Went ashore.
! In the morning he returned, clad in most
| wrct'hcd-looking ST Of garments nnd robbed
! ~ every cent ~ his CASH He told the Captain
! that he had been Dir MI ing, aud IL was evident
! from the condition IA which he cnme hqcN that
/ ne must huvc been worry drunk twas this epi-
soie TINT led 10 his going g. Port Jefferson with
! Can't. COukliug and taking "a JOB in tho printing
/ onl'r lie said that the police in Antigua
! et Philudrphia did. and he never forgive the
ndrrhi9 l"i'ce i9r tn'iT n"g,ecI "I u9ty 81,
! menus az an end when he was landed nt Port
! Jefferson. aud wgs July installed ns a compost
! young women who wers setting type In the
/ oii'' objected 90 his presence. h''aus' oi ms
| Smii4r objections were made low the inmates of
/ Ga" house where hr was boarding. II % WAS not
! avery valuable nlIu in the printing onlro. and
! Mr.. NarNham did not retain him ia opposition
] to thH otl rtluu- TINT had h'"u made. When he
/ lost his Job b. wis turned away from his board
/ NIX h"u-" II" was %. a WA disposition. given
| 20 occasional -prros. and had saved no money
IN the short time ne had been at work. For
| want az something better tp do. le shipped IN
| board Hu outgoing schooner. and WIS seen no
! more IN Port JEFFERSON during tho summer
There wn- u' that time ia the office 90 the m
d,n,i,.l,f Press "A younr nUursrti Ia, hy tho rnfflo
| ner. lived i'm Port jefferson. and worked i'm n
carriage ~h"p. 4 sort ol frieni-hip had sprung
! no between young skinner and Mercer during
| their "mp. oymrut 10 TIE same ori'e. Into in
| ragged. pouuiicss. and di-heartcued. etried
! 90 Mud some work in order that he might earn
| nobody would employ him. IL had nowhere in
sleep and nothing To eat la this plight be anne
! arr rs Young SSiuu'r. who oh. rel 10 take him
60 bis fathers house and keep him there while
hn WIS looking tOr -pmeth ing fn ll. hUf u order
/ |" inNk" Euod ms olrr oi h'ep,ialUN SNlhu't
had to ovorcom" the objections % his father and
! mother. which he accomplished 10y dint ot the
iuosi earnest interces~iou ia behalf oi the p'nni-
/ Joss West u ian. Mercer was received ~ the
| nom" az the Skluu"r-. and was rroiu-r In
lli- expressions Of gratitude. Auer continuing
a sum Of money hv Mr. skinner with which to
10 do herr. Alter n few duys Mercer wrote
| money 20 pas 'or his passage back 10 PORT JEFF
| i.rson. Su~p.rluns ~ &" 40 truth col his story
! money was scnt and M"rcer came hack. He
stayed nj the home oi the Skinner- some wccss
work his passage back 20 Antigua in schooner
thai was going out. When he shook hands ui
ir'.--cl icep srnitulc aud said; "OI Antoine
NJ never ,orSri y','i s.mctme You VI. 9e g.,
'i'i ' H"'; ., ,'' H. 'i''' "'S t','. ',',
/ hi- Suuiav clothes, for Mercer folded them up
| with BITS own when hr went AWAY.
nI~ rirl n~ta'" f-tft'ns the SAnlay
el''n"s nui ih" "t"t 90 making ihe skinner
90 the a'-ont Mercer. Thry heard .n.tl-
ing Of him tnr moro ihtn ten Yr4r-. la the
moan thine ne fuu.lly htt moved tN bridgeport.
at hi- trade and -uus john had wlrkci ss %
rnitl"sltnr Doe ills Offices q ~''rtal Competent
paper- several months 49, nt secured q '.-r
! 20 the "oWlN- nag rH.m oi ih' New HNru
J''D' ~ r. '."'..' aul a" la- recon WORKING
tI.S,. oyer since. Ou. luv u0t long ago. hc ~
ceiv"l 90 lri,cr rom relative lu lH"hu-u". ru-
closing % sin. eIt trnu 30 0. W-pivrr continuing
eq tom quoted from " uapyr published in The
Good Turn nos rye- iup'hrr' 10 went on 90
say TINT q strange VIA fl,' hai nppearoi ia
since % person iu the North ly the same o. John
l.. SS!uner. then % printer, hnd hr'ucutri %
WHO. previous % h.- death. which occurred two
years ago. became thn u0~so-sor ~ % vaef estate
ly the dccca-e oi gn uncle; TINT this estate was
disposed ol an ~nrh a manner tHt ille income
resulting from 10 ior I've years should 20 to The
town in which he died M. the expiration %
which tim" II should H. made over % his dearly
beloved friend IN tho North; Tint an only sister
OF the decreased Mercer had begun coutrstinE
the will; that steps would IT, taken by the
American Consul to ascertain II John f. skin
ncr WI stu living and tina, the estate ioots up
John l.. Skinner was found recently at his
case ia tue New Haven JJuitd' dnd courier
composing room. He WIS unloading stack Of
suggestive of n long nights work. and did
me- seem ovrr-clatel hy any prospect Of
! coming into possession of a prIuccly estate in
the West Indies, Ne says that he can prov" be-
You'd question that be is tae person who be-
Jefferson dlsc.osr~ the fact that scores Of wit
nr--,s are Hble TO testify that he j. the man.
NeW Haven gentleman having business in
the West Indies. who undertook 10 learn for
Skinner whether there was any truth IN the
rumor ot h.- good fortune. writes:
have very thoroughly Investigated the case ~ YOUR
friend. Mr. ~siuuer. uiW certain there b. in fuuuia
,on ior the report at least iar the enc, OF s.
Thomas b. tunc, ruUd B'Iu- Ncrf we'll acquainted uo %,
! sure have lct nothing untonc ~ Thomas i a
small. isolated place uui uuihul could occur here of
such lmi ortlucc without being known state again !
sure. A. ar rs this city Is concerned. there j. uu
here. whether be- lived here or not ana NOT certain
| Although this seems 10 settle the matter So
far Ms one city is concerned. il is not likely that
Skinner will rest content to leave unanswered
tue question as To how the West Indies paper
knew Of John T.. skinner and his relations with
! Mercer unless through some such chain OF cir
cumstancos as that published.
The Death Of Gen L. W. sherman.
NEWPORT, March lG.-Gen. Thomas W Shcr-
man ho is said obtaiucd entrance at West Point hy