Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-07-17
fWEED'S STRANGE LIFE ON A SCHOONER.
A STORY OF his ESCAPE.

The escape of William NJ. Tweed from
Ludlow street Jail, the mystery of his
long and successful concealmcnt from
the Sleuth hounds of justice who were
put upon his search, his vicissitudinous
wanderings and his final rccapture and
restoration TO his old prison, which he
never left again until he took the last,
long journey which puts all human be-
ings out the reach of bolts and bars. is
n romance rarely parallcled, never sur
passed. a portion of it has been told
with average correctness. There has
been missing chapter. though, whose
absence left the tale unfinished and the
plot incomplete. The Sunday Netcs now
presents the last link for the first time to
the public.
VIM. NJ. Tweed escaped from the Gus
tody of the sheriff of the county of New
York on the evening of December 5,
1875. He was ut the time in charge of
two deputies of Sheriff Conner. Accord
ing to their statements, rs embodied in
the published reports, his evasion of
their watchfulncss occurred in his own
house. where he was visiting his wife.
1t was thought impossible that so we'll
known man could effectually conceal
himself from the search which followed
with rigor never equaled in the GRIM
inal annals of the country. But DAYS
grew into weeks and weeks melted into
months, and the whereabouts of the flIgi-
tive remained still unknown. VIM. NJ.
Tweed had vanished rs completely from
official eyes rs If the earth had dcvoured
him. No definite information of his hid
ing place was obtained until. after many
months the excitement of his escape
was revived by the news of his capture
at Nigo, Spain, on board of merchant
ship which was bringing him from
Cuba.
What followed is well known. His
previous adventures in the Ever-Faith-
ful Isle are also part Of history But
there remains blank between his escape
and his landing on Cuban soil. That
blank the SVnfdy NctCs now fills from
information afforded by the man in
whose care the deihroned and flying
magnate left this country and the peris
which menaced him here behind him.
The schooner Frank Atwood was.
couple OF years ago. the best known YES
sci engaged in the West India fruit trade
from the port Of New York. She had
been built by Donald Mckay, the famous
Boston builder Of clipper ships. for his
son. The old shipwright had expended
all his knowledge and skill on her To rem
der her marvel OfsymmetTy and speed
He had succeeded. The Frank Atwood.
for model and sailing qualities. was more
yacht that a commonplace trader.
Her voyages were called the best on
record.
Young Mckay, after voyage or two,
fell into extravaganza and sold his
schooner. She became the property of
Mi ke Murray, the gambler Of Ann street
and Clinton place, and the partner of
Senator Mike Norton.
r al.
Frank Atwood Newburyport, Mass.
skipper, named Bryant, under whom the
vessel was sailed regularly in the fruit
trade with the West Indies. Captain
Bryant was poor man, devoted to the
interests OF his employer, who. on his
part, was good paymastcr and an easy
chief What follows is CAPTAIN Bryant's
story, as told to a Sunday Nc,Gs re-
porter:
''In the middle of April. 1876. the
Frank Atwood lay at the foot of Dover
street, loaded with general cargo and
cleared for Port Maria. Jamaica. a
messenger from Mr.. Murray brought me
note asking me TO see him at once.
went with the messenger to IL Ann
street, where found him in the private
room.
"'Captain,' he said. \ want TO send
two passengers out to Cuba with YOU
They will be on board tonight You
will want some fancy stores TO vary your
ordinary sea fare. Here are $50. Lay
in your stock at once. You are ready
for sea now"
"'Yes, sir"
One Of the passengers will assume
charge Of the schooner. You will do
whatever he desires, as If he was myself
By-the-by, ! will send down TO the
g schooner this afternoon. Give my mes
sengeT some token or other that the mes
sengers can bring to you as proof that
they are the proper parties and YOU
needn't put yourself out to tell any one
about this either
a messenger came that afternoon.
didn't know what to give him for a'token.
My wife, who was in the cabin sewing
took sail-needle, the eye OF which was
broken off and which she had been using
to make crochet-holes with, out of her
work basket, and said laughingly: Give
him this; IL is not good for much else ;
put the needle in n blank envelope and
sent IL.
cit was getting toward dusk that even
ing, and ] was all ready for sailing.
Some friends of mine were talking to me
on the quarterback when man came
down the wharf He was an ordinary
looking, medium-sized man. dressed inn
common dark suit. lie strollcd along as
If he had nothing particular to do and
plenty Of time to do Il in. lie passed
down the wharf toward the schooner's
bow. He stopped at the fore-rigging,
stepped on to the bulwark, and jumped
down on the deck.
"He didn't come AFT, though, but fool
ed round forward, chatting with The
cook, who was getting supper ready. till
nay friends went ashore. Then, just as