The Newtown bee., 1879-01-14
Captain Boyton's Fight with Thieves.

Captain, is it true that you were as- sailed by robbers in the streets of Paris last summer 2" inquired a reporter for a New York paper of Captain Boyton, who has made innumerable long and danger ous voyages in European waters, clad in his rubber suit.
 "Yes," he answered, "and I must confess that it was a lively affair, and 1t came near resulting disastrously to me and others who accompanied me. There were eight of us together, and we had been outside the walls and were en- deavoring to reach point where we could get conveyance to our quarters in the central part of the city. Unluckily for us, we entered by the Belleville quar- ter, the home, as you know, of the vilest end most desperate characters of the French capital. As we walked along the ill-payed, narrow streets spoke to one of my friends by my side, who, by the way, carried that valise (pointing to a small green bag) with 1, 900 francs in it, and told him what bad section we were in. had scarcely ceased speaking when fierce-looking fellow caught me by the arm and demanded in French that should treat, saying that no per sons of my cut were allowed to pass without doing this. I told him to move of, but instead he turned suddenly and dealt me stunning blow on the left side of my head, knocking me down. As I fell noticed that my eight compan- ions were surrounded and that they were fighting. quickly sprang to my feet, seized an iron chair that stood in front of tow cafe, and as another of my assailants rushed for me let him have it full on the head. He went to grass in- stanter. Another one came for me on a fearful rush. These fellows get under good headway when fighting, and as they assail their victim strike with their fists or with a heavy piece of wood. Stepping quickly to one side to avoid a collision, I raised the chair, and as he swept by me hit him sumner on the back of his head, knocking him face downward on the gravel, which he scooped up for two or three feet, horribly disfguring his countenance. I was then hit again, and partially turned around and saw that there was at least hundred in the at- tacking party, and that they were mak- ing things extremely lively for my com panions. Tearing myself away from my assailants I pla ed my back against the cafe, and reaching for my pistol-p pocket yelled to the crowd to clear pathway or I would shoot. Fearing that had a revolver and that I would open fire, the towards ran from us almost as quickly as they had gathered. The money was saved, and none of us were badly hurt. No gensd were in sight at the time. I presume they are like the con- ventional policemen, and when wanted are hard to find. !"
 Captain Boyton describes his trip across the straits of Gibraltar as one among the most dangerous as we'll as important of his countless feats. He took the water at Tarifa, the southern most purI of 6Pain, and in fact of Eu- rope, on the 20th of March of 1878. at ten minutes to eight in the morning, steering southwest, the weather being calm and the sea smooth at the time. He battled with the fierce currents, watched for the sharks, drifted here and there throughout the day, and finally made shore in the bay of Tangier on the Barbary coast, at five minutes to one o'clock on the following morning. His longest trip was made on the river Tagus from Toledo to Lisbon, this occupying twenty-seven days. The captain de scribes the scenes along the banks of this river as unusually interesting. The American flag which he displayed was seen for the first tine by the natives. On arriving at Lisbon he was received by thousands of people, sn1 was very warmly welcomed