Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-09-19
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 6,
and his sister a baby in her mothers
arms. The vessel was an old sailing
ship, fitted out after the ordinary meth
cd of emigrant vessels in those days, was
bad sea boat, and, a9eeting with terri
BILE storms in the Atlantic, was driven
far out of her course, and with difficulty
kept above water. When at last the
weather moderated it was found that the
provisions, of which there had been an
! insufficient quantity at the start, were
running short. Everybody was put on
short allowance, but when at last the
ship was on her direct course for Boston,
whittier she was bound, further reduc-
ton had to be made. This was soon
again reduced, and at last there was no
feod left on board, and starvation stared
the crew and passengers in the face.
Driven desperate by hunger, the crew
mutinied, and the Captain could only re-
call 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 emf
grants came on deck to participate. The
beans were all wrapped in pieces Of pa
per, and it was agreed that none Of them
should be opened until noon on the day
Of the drawing, so that, if during the two
Lsurs that interviewed ship or land
were sighted, the doom of the drawer
of the fatal black bean might be
averted at the eleventh hour. The Cap
tain was the first man to put his hand
into the death box. He drew it out,
and, unable to master his anxiety to
know his fate at once, he tore off the
covering, and discovered awhile bean. He
was saved, and as the officers, one by
one, drew beans from the box, they fol-
lowed the Captains example, pulled off
the paper, and showed white beans.
The first man among the crew who drew
was the lookout, who came down from
the masthead, secured white bean, and
resumed his lofty post. After the crew
had all drawn, the black bean still re-
manned in the box, and it seemed clear
that the victim was to be found among
the passengers. They drew by families,
and comparatively few beans 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. He scarcely
comprehended the full nature Of the
terrible 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 to tear off
the paper when the shout of Gland
ashore !" came from the masthead.
Amid the tears, laughter and feeble
cheers Of those on board, Mr.. Jones cast
the bean into the sea, and the future
Count never knew whether it was a
white OF black one. But the Jones
family were not destined to escape I'M
scatlled from the hardships of that disas-
trous voyage. Before the land that the
keen eyes Of the sailor at the masthead
had discerned far away was much nearer,
the little girl had died in her mothers
arms of starvation. Soon afterward,
her youngest son, Richard, showed
signs of failing intellect, and before the
passengers landed he was violently in
sane. He recovered in some measure
after few months, but the Count used
to say that up to the time of his death
he was subject more Or less to attacks of
mental depression and mild lunacy, the
results of his suferings during those
eighty-fve 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.
TWENTY-TWO YEARS n PRISONER.
Twenty -two years ago the iron gate Of
Auburn prison closed with clang upon
William Comstock. Maddened by
whisky, he had slain his father and
mother, in Brookfeld, N. Y. Inasmuch
as the double murder was committed
while the man was wild with delirium
tremens, he was permitted to plead
guilty to manslaughter in the first de-
gree, which he did, and was sentenced
by Judge Hiram Gray to imprisonment
for the term Of his natural life. Com
stock was 81 years Of age. During all
these twenty-five years he has not been
outside the prison walls, and now, at the