Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-04-18
Terrible Array in a Lighthouse.

Terrible ARRAY in a Lighthouse.
A special dispatch from Brashear, La,
says The Ship Shoal Light, at the
mouth of the Atchafalaya, sixty miles
south of here, is under the charge of Ed.
Dunn. He has three assistants. The
light overlooks dreary waste of swamp
and salt water, and is entirely isolated.
On February 10th two of his assistants
started for Morgan City in a small sail
boat to buy supplies. AS they did not
return Mr.. Dunn supposed that they had
been lost in storm. On Wsshington's
birthday, however, while his third as
sistant, Mr.. Leach, and himself were coal
tarring the roof of their dwelling, they
sighted a small boat three miles south of
the light. There was a dead calm. 1t
was about three o'clock in the afternoon.
After scanning the sail through glass
they were positive that it was the light
house boat. 1t contained, however, only
one man. Dunn directed Leach to pull
out to the boat and see what was the
matter. Leach did So He found a
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 to the lighthouse, and de-
manded her return. At first the man
refused to give her up. After ascertain
inc that Leach and Dunn were the
only persons at the lighthouse, he
said that Leach might tow her in
and he would steer her. Thereupon
Leach fastened a line to the sail
boat, and as the water was smooth and
there was not breath of wind, he tow
ed her to the light without difficulty.
They got there about 6 p. m. Dunn
| closely questioned the stranger, and as
there were neither provisions nor cloth
| ing in the boat, he felt satisfied that he
had stolen it. He said that he would
have sent Leach to Morgan City with
the fellow if he could have handled the
light alone. As it was, he determined
to await the arrival of his missing assist
ants, fancying that they would charter
some other boat at Morgan City and re-
turn. He fed the fellow, who seemed
willing to work, and made no effort to
escape.
On the night of February % Dunn
| had the watch from six o'clock to mid
night He had wound up he revolving
machine at nine o'clock, when he was
startled by pistol shots and repeated
cries of "Helpl" and ''Murder!' He flew
down stairs and found everything quiet.
1t was very dark. Cropping his way to
his valise, he got revolver and started
for the room where the small lamps were
kept to get light. On the way his
form was outlined against a window.
There was flash, and as quick as
| thought pistol ball was buried in his
shoulder. Dunn fired at the flash, and
again received a bullet in the shoulder
He fired three times in succession. The
fire was returned, and a 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 Lynch
coming in from the gallery. One
side of his face was cut away, exposing
his jaw and teeth. lie was covered with
blood. He said that the stranger had
assaulted him with Ratchet. He also
had three pistol balls in his body. Dunn
made a search for the assailant. He
could not find him in the dwelling. Pre-
sently he heard an iron trap door fall
The desperate had fastened himself in
the watch room in the lighthouse. Dunn
then dressed Leach's wounds as best he
could, and put him to bed. The rest of
the night he stood watch at the foot of
the stairs. As he had no more cartridges
he armed himself with a carving knife
and ship scraper. The screen stopped
revolving at 1890, 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 guard at the foot of the
stairway. The desperate remained quiet.
Had he known that Dunn's ammunition
had given out he would undoubtedly
have descended and renewed the fight.
Leach suffered terribly from his wounds.
He was excessively weak from loss of
blood. There was no light on the night
of the Goth, as the assassin maintsined
his blockade. At one p. 10. of the 9th,
a 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 whistles 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 gained his strength.
In the morning he had made some coffee
and shared it with Dunn. They asked
the assassin to surrender his arms. He
| passed his pistol and Ratchet through the
trap door and surrendered After his
descent Leach and Dunn locked him in
one of the bedrooms and nailed the shut
tiers tight. Here he was kept until March
2, when a vessel was hailed and he was
sent to New Orleans, accompanied by
Leach, who sought surgical assistance.
In New Orleans the prisoner was recog-
nized as Jim Woods, notorious des-
peradO.