The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-05-26

=
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a pollceman's Lot.
v,rr or ROMANCE AND ADVENTURE AS
rorn A CHICAGO REPoRTER-How THE
TuReAp OF STORY AND A MANS FINGER
WERE LOST.
frrom the Chicago TimssI
show did you lose your finger, l'euten.
antfo A Times reporter addressed the
above Ia one Of the most popular ana en-
Client officers Of the police force.
The lieutenant glanced up at the inno-
cent face Of bis interrogation, smiled pecu-
liar smile, and then, after moments pause,
said: nAano
that very few people are faniiar w1u:
Won would like to hear II, and inier rom
vour first question that you wou'o' WIZ
tell you aboutit"
81 sm ell attention"
,.,s am about 10 unfold II becomes neces-
.,rv for me 10 tell you that twenty years ago
was not policeman, but lieutenant on
the limited States corvette Concordia, fast
sailing vessel, which, at the time reier 10,
Was looking after slave-ships 10 ana ABOUT
the Indian ocean. On the morning OF May
fstb we sighted suspictous-iooking
schooner and gave chase, but after follow
. a., h.r Tor three DAYS we lost her and were
forced 70 give Il up. On the morning OF
Nav %. 1860. we dropped anchor about TWO
miles from the island OF Borneo, and,
taking ten men with me. went ashore.
eve had been landed but about three
hours, and were Just preparing TO return 10
the ship when the boatswain caiied my at
tention to peculiar odor coming from ne
kuew not where. l shifted the air ana couid
smell the fumes OF something akin 10 IN,
cense. All Of my men noticed " 100 anu
we stood for some time breathing that nes-
yeply perfume. Suddenly deadly pai'or
o,er,pread the bo's'oD's face, and he drop
ned 10 the ground with groan. A mo-
fpent later /, too, became veal. tottered
for an instant, everything turned crimson,
and fell. =,
"How long lay can't tell, but when ]
regained my senses found myself lying in
the midst of my men in front Of rude nut.
I was bound hand and foot, but could see,
by turning my head, that there were many
other similar butts, and that several h'deous-
looking sGvages, fercely arrayed, were seat
ed about us, doing guard duty. Shortly
after having come to life was approached
by q savage more gaudiIy appareIled than
the others, who gazed at me long and fixed
", A ferocious smile lifted the corners OF
his mouth, and satanic light glowed In his
eyes as be spoke:
"sAt last said he, rs my revenge about
TO be copsummated. Six years ago, when
You and l lived In the same little New
England town, we had quarrel. You
thrashed me then, and shortly after that
ran away to sea. j came to Borneo, made
myself o chief among these sayages, ana
have finally become the ruler OF this island.
You unwittingly came ashore. l delayed
YOU with the spray OF narcotic PERFUME
and YOU became insensible. You were
brought here, and tomorrow, when the
sun is three hours high, you shall die.
will cut you in pieces-limb from limb,
Joint from Joint. oh I! it will be fun.'
And the ferd rubbed his hands in glee.
While be spoke remembered him as Bill
Smith, an old schoolmate, as he said, had
souDdIy thrashed.
at was pleasant prospect for the NOR
row, and l sbuddered as ] thought OF ii.
All at once the idea OF escaping crossed my
mind, and at once commenced to cudgel
uy brain how to make il. l worked my
bonds and found that breaking the thongs
vas out OF the question. Finally, by moving
around, found a piece OF hard, sharp
stone, aud by its aid freed my hands and
feet; then by keeping perfectly quiet
alIayed suspicion, and when the night came
/ cut the bonds OF the men and skipped
away In the darkness. ! stumbled along In
the Jungle, tripping over roots and vines,
and falling into bitches, until at last,
totally tired out, / lay down upon a
bunch OF moss and went to sleep.
When awoke the sun shone brightly over
head and jumped to my feet aud buried
on, reaching at last rise in the ground,
from the top OF which saw the Concordia
lying two miles out, directly before me. /
fastened down to the shore, found our boat
living lust where we had left her. and began
getting her into condition for pull to the
SHIP. Suddenly heard number OF shouts,
and moment later my men came into view,
and getting into the boat we pulled OF to
the ship.
"When we clambered up over the rail
the captain started back with an eXcIama-
ton OF establishment.
"My Godi" he cried; Lieutenapt, we
all thought YOU dead. Where have you
been these twelve long montbs?"
"sTwelve months = we repeated in as
Punishment. Have we been gone more
than few days?"
"sIt is Just twelve months to-day since
you left the boat. This is the 10th day Of
May, 1861
ait was true We had been gone whole
year. We couldn't realize 1t. The ship
put about and we had an excellent trip
home, landing in Portsmouth September
6th."
Wonderful! (" exclaimed the reporter.
elbow do you account for that long blank
OF twelve months!"
81 don't account for it,. can't"
"But you haven't told me about the
finger" said the scribe, suddenly remem-
berlng the origin OF the conversation.
ooh! the finger. guess ] must have
ost it some time during that twelve
months"
"Oh! l see. Thanks"
AS the reporter was stepping out OF doors
the lock up keeper tapped him on the shout
der and whispered:
"Say, George, don't you believe that
story. He cut hts finger off with an axe
one time when he was trying to kill cat"
Luxury in Chill.
PRIVATE HOUSES COSTING QUARTER OF A
MILLION, AND PANAMA HATS AT $3.50.
A correspondent OF the London Times
writes from Santiago, Chill, of the habits