The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1881-02-04
NUMBER 3.
An OLD STORY oE TIE SEA.
a SHIP CAPTAIN THROWS SEVEN PASSENGERS
OVERHEARD TO LIGHTEN HIS BARK.

OVERHEARD TO LIGHTEN HIS BARK
Among the old stories retold at the open
ing of the new year, there is no one that ere
ated so widespread a sensation in its day,
and the memory Of which fingers more pro-
foundry still, than that of Capt. Holmes, of .
the ship William Brown. The ship with a
full cargo and a number of steerage passen-
gers left Liverpool for New York On her .
voyage she struck an iceberg and began 70 .
sink. Two boats left the ship-one with a .
number Of sailors, the other, the long boat, I
with the passengers and balance of the crew. /
This boat was in charge OF Capt. Holmes
The passengers were Scotch and among the f.
number were women and children.
The boat had been a. sea several days, /
when Holmes was noticed by the passengers
to have private conversations with the sail
ors. At first the latter objected to the prop
ositions made to them, but finally yielded an
unwilling assent. The boat contained a
cask of water and provisions for few days
only. 1t was soon made plain what was the
subject OF Holiness conversations with the
crew, and this the passengers learned full
well. He thought that the boat was over
crowded, that it lay too deep in the sea for
safety, tkat there were six or seven too many
people on board. And so, in cool blood, he
determined to get rid Of the extra six or
seven. Incredible as the story at this time
may seem, lie made up his mind, and got the
other sailors to agree with him, to throw
overheard six OF seven Of the heaviest Of the
passengers, so as to tighten the long boat by
just the amount these six OF seven weighed
making so many lives just the matter Of so
many pounds.
There were thirty-two people in the long
boat, counting Holmes. Holmes made up
his mind that there shouldn't be over twen-
ty-iive or twenty-six Counting Holmes, Of
course). Holmes had at first determined to
make snort speech to the passengers, tell
ing 'em why he was forced to throw 'em
overheard. But lie thought afterwards that
that sort Of a speech would make trouble, as
it probably would, so he determined to throw
'em overheard first and TO explain after
wards.
He waited till night came, and then he
waited till eleven O'Clock at night 1t was
pitch dark then, except when there was a
flash OF lightnin', and every now and then it
rained a little. Altogether IL was gloomy
night.
Suddenly Holmes and two ether sailors
came up close 10 where d man, one of the
passengers, called Owen Reilly. was sittin'
Holmes made a sign, and then the three Of
'em caught hold Of poor owen Reilly. He
looked wildly; it was lightning pretty fast
just then and Reilly coEId see, by the flash
es, the cruel faces and stern looks Of the
three men who had hold of him. De clutch
ed tight hold of the side Of the boat and said
to the three men ''WLat are you going to
do with me?" The two sailors didn't know
what TO say TO this natural question they
didn't know how to put the deed into words.
But Holmes spoke right up, and answered 8:
eve are going TO throw you overheard and
tighten this boat. 1t is better one should
drown than thirty-two" Reilly fought Tor
while but he was soon overpowered, his
hands and feet were held fast, and they be-
gan 10 swing his body to and fro 50 as to be
able 10 hurI 1t into the sea so far that he
couldn't reach the boat again in his dying
struggles. Then poor Reilly gave up fightin'
and called out TO the women, who looked on,
or tried to see what they could, trembling
but afraid and unwilling to interfere. Ask
EN- to spare my life, for Gods sake said
poor Reilly to = giIl who had been sittin'
next him but the girl didn't OF couldn' {
speak, and in less time than it takes to write
this, poor Reilly was hurled alive into the sea.
His death shrek was sonethin' awful, but
his cries and struggles didn't last long
. There was silence in minute and when the
next flash Of lightnin' lit up the sea. there
was nOthin TO be seen Of poor Owen Reilly.
There were only thirty-one passengers
now, and the long boat was about one hun
dred and eighty pounds lighter, but Holmes
and the two sailors conscieuCes were heavier
by a good deal more than one hundred and
eighty pounds.
The two sailors who had been helping
Holmes seemed themselves TO feel bad, but
Holmes didn't give them time to think
Telling them to come with him, he stepped
up to where another passenger was sitting, 2
man named Frank Atkins, and seizing him
the three men threw him overheard, in spite
Of the tears and prayers and struggles Of q
pretty young girl a few feet of from him. OF
another seat Frank Atkins struggled, but
he didn't say anything about his own life
and only cried out to the young girl, 600
bless you, Mary" Then he went dCwn int,
the sea, with big splash, like a stone. II,
couldn't swim.
who's that young woman making all thi
noise2' asked Holmes, with an cath.
Il am the sister of the man YOU have Jus
thrown overheard, p" answered the young cir
whom the dying Frank Atkins had jus
blessed as Mary
"Oh, I thought you was his sweetheart,
sneered Holmes, whose bad blood was noy
up.
4 loved him better than sweetheart,
answered the young girl, looking up int
Holiness face with sad, brave look. The
she continued: you might as well fnis
your work. l have no desire now to live
since you have murdered him.
ron call it murder, do YOU 90 sal
Holmes. well, we will take You at YOU
word, and send you overheard TO join you
brother. You weigh almost as much as
: did, anyway. so. making sign to his mel
Holmes took hold of the Young girl, who o.
, fered no manner Of resistance, and the tlre
threw her overheard into the sea.
The two sailors did not seem 10 Ike thi
killing Of women, but Holmes had them con
pletely in lis power, and they did as the
= were told. Mary went overheard withOu
{ a groan was seen floating on the water
minute or SO later, by the light afforded by
fash Of lightning, and all was over wit
? Mary. Perhaps her poor brothers praye
had been heard and answered, and God ha
I blessed Mary sooner than either Of them ha
a expected.
Then somebody on the boat said that Mar
+ and Frank, lust drowned, had another siste
n TT..Fv, an.