Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1882-06-08

The Ship Shoal light at the mouth of the
Atchafalaya, sixty miles south OF Bras
hear, La, is under the charge of Ed.
Dunn. He has three assistants. The
light overlooks dreary waste of swamps
and salt water, and is entirely isolated.
On February 10Th, two of the assistants
started for Morgan City in small sallboat
to buy supplies. AS they did not return
Mr.. Dunn supposed that they had been
lost In storm. On Washington's birth
day, however, while his third assistant,
Mr.. Leach. and himself were coal-tarring
the roof If their dwelling, they sighted
small boat three miles south of the light.
There was dead calm. 1t was about
three o'clock in the afternoon. After
scanning the sail through glass, they
were positive that 1t was the light house
boat. 1t contained, however, only one
man. Dunn directed Leach to pull out to
the beat and see what was the matter.
Leach did so. He found q stranger at the
helm. The man said that he had bought
the boat from three men in Morgan City
for 800. He was bound for Pascagoula.
Leach told him that the boat belonged 10
the light house, and demanded her return.
at first the man refused to give her up.
After ascertaining that Leach and Dunn
were the only persons at the light house,
he said that Leach might tow her III and
he would steer her. Tbereupon Leach
fastened line to the sail boat, and as the
water was smooth and there was not q
breath of wind, he towed her to the light
without difficulty. They got there about
P. nj. Dunn closely questioned the
visions nor clothing In the boat, he felt
satisfied thst he had stolen 1t. He says
that he would have sent Leach to Morgan
City with the fellow if be could have
handled the light alone. AS it was he de
termined TO await the arrival Of his mis-
sing assistants, fancyng that they would
charter some other bCst at Morgan City
and return. He fed the fellow, who
seemed willing to work and made no effort
TO escape.
On the night of February %, Dunn bad
the watch from O'Clock to midnight. he
had wound up the revolving machine at
o'clock, when he was startled by pistol
shots, and repeated cries of ''Help!" and
"Murde- ~ He flew down stairs ana
found every thing quiet. 1t was very
dark. Cropping his way TO his valise, he
got revolver. and started for the room
where the small lamps are kept, TO get q
light. On the way his form was outlined
against q window. There was Hash,
and as quick as thought pistol bali was
buried in his shoulder. Dunn fired at the
flash, anG again received bullet in the
shoulder. He fired three times In success
sion. The IRE was returned, and bullet
struck him In the side. Then all was
still. Dunn reached the lamp room and
struck light. On descending to the ground
floor he met Leach coming IN from the gal
lery. One side of his face was cut away,
exposing his jaw and teeth. He wus
covered with hlo0d. He said that the
stranger had assaulted him with Ratchet.
he also had three pistol balls in his BODY
Dunn made q search for the asSailant. He
could not find him in the dwelling, Pre-
sently they heard an iron trap door fall.
The desperado had fastened himself IN the
watch room in the light house. Dunn
then dressed Leach's wounds as best he
could. and put him to ped. The rest Of
the night he stood watch at the foot OF the
stars. AS he hal no more Cartrges he
armed himself with carving knife and
ship scraper. The screen stopped revol-
wing at y, 80 but the light kept burning
until morning, giving no light except at
eight different points of the compass.
All the next day and all the next NIGHT
Dunn stood watch at the foot Of the stair
way. The desperate remained quiet. Had
he known that Dunn's ammunition had
given out, he would undoubtedly have
des cended and renewed the fight. Leach
suffered terribly from MS wounds. He
was excessively weak from loss OF blood.
There was no light on the night of the
Goth as the assassin maintained his block
ade. at Z. NJ. of the 9th steamship
bound for New Orleans hove IN sight
Dunn swung out the American colors union
down, but the vessel did not stop. She
acknowledged the signal with three whis-
ties and went on her way.
After she had passed, the desperate
called for parley. He was FAINT and
hungry. He had been shot in the knee
JOINT. The pain was SO great that he
asked for mercy. BY this time Leach had
comparatively regalned his strength. In
the morning he had made some coffee and
shared 1t with Dunn. They asked the as
sassln to surrender his arms. He passed
the pistol and hatchet through the trap
door and surrendered. After his descent,
Leach ana Dunn locked him in one of the
bedrooms and nailed the shutters tight.
Here he was kept until March 2, when a
yess Il was hailed and he was sent to New
Orleans, accompanied by Leach, who
sought surgical assistance. In New o.
leans the prisoner was recognized as jim
Woods, a notorious desperate.