The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-12-05
HEROIC MISS HOWARD.

HEROIC MISS HOWARD.
THE STORY OF CAPTAINS RESCUE FROM
DEATH AT THE HANDS OF MUTINoUs SAIL
oRs-TEMININE INTREPIDITY.
Among the passengers who arrived yesterday in
the steamship Rio Grande from Key West Miss
Ida Howard. daughter OF Captain Howard. Of the
British brig George Berry. 1t will be remembered
that this is the young lady who the occasion of
the mutny OF the Berry's herocally came
to the or her father while he
lay helpless the deck bleeding from
fourteen stabs inflicted by tho mutineers.
The story of the mutny the return of the vessel to
Key West, as well the subsequent arrest of the
wouldbe assassns and their arragnment before
the British Consular Court told III the HERALD
of November 9. but it remains for Miss Ida to tell
the tao of tho terrible onslaught at midnight her
father by his lawless crew. HERALD reporter
boarded the Rio Grande shortly after she moored
to her dock at pier 20 East River. and met
Miss Howard When the steward Mr.. Wallace.
presented the frail young creature the reporter
could not at first believe her to be the heroine.
eyes, am Miss Howard. the daughter of Captain
Howard" the petite creature said. looking for all
the world as if she had dropped her school books
to come aboard the steamer. She did not
look more than ffteen. but 1t was after
ward learned that she Is nearly eighteen
years of age. Her blonde hair was neatly
combed and frilled. and jaunty straw hat with q
red at the side perched on the back OF her
head. Her eyes were blue clear blue, and sparkied
necessarily. Her mouth small, but indicated
the frmness which displayed itself that
November night when the sailors thrust
their knives, sharpened for the purpose.
| into her fathers lace. neck, hands and
back The reporter observed that her courage must
have been sorely tried in the midst of such law
less band of sailors. She replied that she used
to going in her fathers vessel She had been
| away out to the Mediterranean with him. Her
| other sister, younger one-was out there too.
| She tried to accustom herself to sailors ways.
| Never before had harm come to her.
| SINISTER LOOKS.
III have come to speak with you, Miss Howard, Of
| the mutiny in which you came to your father 8
rescue" said the reporter "Please tell the HxRALD
| all about it,
| The heroine replied that she did only what any
body else would have done under the circumstances.
I'VE were four days out Of Pensacola said Miss
| Howard, "when the trouble began. We had had no
intmation of it; except that l had observed and
agreed with that they would need
he called them together on ' deck and told
them what he would expect Of them He said they
would be all we'll treated il they behaved them
selves. and if not they must expect severity. Ny
| father looked as If he meant. what he said.
,Ss attempt at seence rbs sas
| fast creeping over me that these follows
would do something terrible before the voyage was
| over. This not silly notion. but rather the
result OF thorough study OF their character There
were fellows there who seePed ripe for any mis-
'.Did you feel that harm would come to you per
sonally?"
not speak of my fears. however. On saturday. No
vember !. the crew seemed to do everything unwill
nsy They were n nos ovsrw0rtsa in fact
port. MY father called for tho watch to
relieve him at twelve o'clock Saturday night
the starbosrd side Of the vessel. WEIGH. one Of
the seamen. who was to take the wheel in the next
watch came behind him. catching his coat sleeve
and drove knife into his back. Thomas Britt. the
at the wheel faced my father with another knife
heard the disturbance. and throwing wrapper
| over me, prepared to go out. I my father hit
WEIGH blow in the temple which stunned him fol-
time. Britt attacking my father with his long
| neck
"IpA. IDA. BRING ME MY nEvoLvERl'
| Gas he fell to the deck he yelled out Ida Ida.
| bring me my revolver and will settle these fel
lows!' hurried on deck with the weapon just ~
ee with Britt drove WEIGH. with the pistol to his
head. to the forward part of the vessel. / dom,
know how did it. for the old thing wouldn't &c
| OIL, but he afraid it would. WEIGH called
to some OF the others TO assist in lowering boat
then ran to my father. WEIGH had clutched me by
| the back of the dress when first came deck but
the threat of blowing out his brains caused him ia
release me. When got back to my father he was
indeed a pitabe sight He bleeding from
many Wounds. and lay his back. kicking at Britt
| handed him tho revolver and Britt ran to tho as
sistance Of the others in launching the boat. My
father, after several attempts. fired the old
rusty weapon. and the shot went through
the hat Of of the fellows. and that scared the
rest. The boat which they were attempting to
launch fell overheard. bottom up The mutineers
then went to the forward part of the vessel. and
father below. We found that of his nostriis
and portion of his upper lip had been severed by
Britts knife. We united the two pieces OF flesh rs
best we could. Upon examination afterward he
| said. there thirteen stab wounds on his head
arms neck and back. went on deck and calling
the mate. told him Of the enormity Of the crime
of the mutinecrs He began to cry and said
| he had had nothing to do with it-that 1t was only
those two Britt and welch. We were then forty
miles from the Tortugas. My father told me to
order the vessel into Tortugas. The two mutineers
lashed to the asts and two other sailors were
taken board in their place. My father then gave
orders to the mate to run back to Key West
/ asked why he hadn't killed his two assailants
oil. Did faint after 1t all over? No. probably
because didn't have time to faint.
| THE MUTINEERs PUT ASHORE
.The vessel reached Key West the evening OF the
4th OF November, snd the two mutineers were given
into the charge of the British Consul. He wanted
to send them to England for trial, but that would
involve going there. so father wanted the exam
inaton held Immediately. 1 think the fellows will
| 20 Scot free--at least that is the impression
1 received from the residents of Key West. My
! father decided TO send Inc to my aunt's homo in
Boston. This was in consequence of his eye. being
opened to the terrible fate which awaited me should
he be taken from command of his vessel by
sickness or death; Ono Of the mutineers
told they intended to kill my father and then
aftcrward they would have brought the brig into
port and reported that had fallen overheard and
| why this clumsy scheme to secure nothingY In.
| CURED the reporter.
well I gys II to you merely as the statement
| Miss Howard went to the Office of her fathers
agents-p. l. Nevius 4 Son. No. II South strickland
escorted to the Fall River boat for Boston in the
afternoon, where she will be taken in charge by her
aunt.
RENO'S DEFENCE.