The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-07-17
THE ESCAPE OF W. M. TWEED.
Capt. Bryant Supplying the Miss
ing Part of the Story.

VIM. NJ. Tweed escaped from the
custody of the Sheriff of the county of
New York on the evening of December
8. 1875. In April. 1876. the schooner
Frank Atwood lay at the foot OF Dover
street, loaded with general cargo and
cleared for 'Polt Maria Jamaica. A
messenger from Michael Murray, her
owner handed her Captain (Bryantl o
note syrmnsoniug him to the owners
Office, and in the Office the owner said:
Captain, want to send two passen-
ous to Cuba with you. They will be on
board tonight. You will want some
fancy stores to vary your ordinary sea
fare. Here is $50. Lay in your stock
at once. Yon are ready foI sea now"
"Yes, sir"
zone of the passengers will assume
change of the schooner. You will do
whatever he DESIRES as if he WAS my
self. BY the Ivy, I will! send down to
the schooner this afternoon. Give my
messenger some token or other that the
passengers can bring to you rs proof
that they are the proper persons, and
you needn't put yourself out to tell any
one about this either"
The messenger boarded the schooner
that afternoon, and Capt. Bryant gave
him a token wherewith the expected
passengers might authenticate them-
selves. Capt. Bryant continues the
narrative as follows:
"It was getting towards dTsk that
evening and was all ready for sailing.
Some friends OF mine were talking to
me on the quarter deck when q man
came down tho warf. He was an ordi-
nary>looking, medium sized man. Dress
ed in common dark suit. He stroll ed
along as if he had nothing particular
to do. and plenty OF time to do it Iu.
He passed down the wharf toward the
schooner's bow. He stopped at the
fore>rigging. stepped on the bulwark.
and jumped down on the deck. He
didn't come aft, though, but fooled
around forward, chatting with the cook,
who was getting supper ready, till my
friends went ashore. Then, just As l
was going down the cabin stairs, he
walked briskly aft and called:
Capt. Bryant
"That's my name," I said.
"Then you know what this means"
and he handed me the token. told
him ! recognized it, and asked him
what could do. He said:
"If you have no objection, wish
you would get clear of this dock at once
The sooner New York sees our heels the
better I'll like il"
"Very WE'LL" I said; "but I'd like to
know some name to call you BY"
"My name is VIM. Hunt"
I had the watch ealla0 mp, aud We
cast off from the wharf. signalled a
tug and was towed out of the dock and
down to Governors Island. There the
tug cast loose and We made sail. There
was brisk breeze gong. and we bowl
ed along at . good rate till we were
about midway between Fort Hamilton
aud Murray & Norton's Coney Islaud
wharf. There Hunt told me to run as
close into the beach as I could and
anchor. obeyed. anpt was perfect
ly cool and collected, as if he had his
whole programme clearly mapped out.
But he watched every movement Of the
schooner ksenly. When the anchor
fetched ground asked him if be should
furl the sails. He said:
"Not much. Unless you want the
trouble Of setting them again tonight. Z"
This timc it was ss dark as pitch.
The men went to snpper. and took q
snack on deck, as hunt had said he
might want me any minute. He sat
on the traffrail, smoking one Cigar after
another. hnmmiug . tune and looking
toward the shore, without ever turning
his head. suddenly, at abo1t 3 O'Clock,