Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1880-10-21
The Fatal Black Bean.

George Jones, father of the late Count
Joannes, was an English chemist, who
about the year 1918 emigrated with his
wife and three children, of whom George
was the oldest, To this country. His brother
was but years old, he only q, and hs sis
ter baby In her mothers arms The yes
sci was an old sailing ship, fitted out after
the ordinary method Of emigrant vessels in
those days, was a bad sea boat, and, meet
ing with terrible storms in the Atlantic YVES
driven cut of her course, and with difficult
ty kept above water. When at last the
weather moderated it was found that the
provisions, of which there had been an in-
sufficient quantity at the start, were running
short. Everybody was put on short allow
ance, but when at last, the ship was on her
direct course for Boston, whittier she was
bound, a further reduction had TO be made.
This was soon again reduced, and at last
there was no food left on board, and star
vation stared the crew and passengers in
the face. Driven desperate by hunger the
crew mutinied, and the Captain could only
recall them TO their duty by agreeing that
beans should be drawn from box, and the
one upon whom the black bean fell should
be killed for food for the others. Officers,
| crew and passengers, women and children,
everybody ON board, were included in this
horrible lottery, and with heavy hearts the
famished emigrants came on deck to par
ticipate. The beans were all wrapped in
pieces of paper, and il was agreed that
none of them should be opened until noon
on the day of the drawing, so that, if
during the two hours that interviewed, a
ship or land were sighted, the doom of the
drawer of the fatal black bean might be
averted at the eleventh hour. The Captain
was the first man to put his hand into the
death box. He drew it out, and unable TO
master his anxiety 10 know his fate at once,
he tore off the covering, and discovered
white bean. lie was saved, and as the Of
ticers, one by one, drew beans from the
box, they followed the Captains example,
pulled of the paper, and showed white
beans. The first man among the crew who
came down from the masthead, secured q
white bean, and resumed his lofty post
After the crew had all drawn, the black
bean still remained in the box, and it |
seemed clear that the victim was TO be |
found among the passengers. They drew |
remained in the box when Mr.. Jones with |
his wife and children, advanced to take |
their chances. The father and mother |
drew white beans, and then the little boy, |
George, was led TO the box. lie scarcely |
comprehended the full nature of the terri
bic ordeal he was undergoing, but he
plunged his little hand in and drew out
bean. His father hastily snatched it from
him, and was about ro tear off the paper
when the shout of "Land ashore." came
from the masthead. Amid the tears, laugh
ter and feeble cheers of those on board,
-,.'SS Tsist tIle Dean IuUO tIIo s,o and |
was white or black one But tihtft h5StG; 5StG;njitb il
family were not destined to escape un
scathed from the hardships of that disas-
trous voyage Before the land that the
keen eyes of the sailor at the masthead lad
dlscerned far away was much nearer, the
little girl had died in her mothers arms, of
starvation. Soon afterward, the youngest
son, Richard, showed signs of failing intel
lect, and before the passengers landed, he
was violently insane. He recovered in
some measure after a few months, but the
CouRt used to say that up TO the time OF
his death, he was subject more or less to
mental depression and mild lunacy, the re-
suits of his sufferings during those eighty
five days. AS for the eldest son, George,
who lived to be the Count Joannes, he was
quite blind when he went ashore at Boston,
and six weeks elapsed before he regained
his sight.