The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-08-04
THE CONVICT'S ESCAPE.
AS TOLD BIZ SAILOR IN "a SUMNER IN TH
AZORES"


liza, was ashore and 1 see nice lookin'
young fellow. about twenty four years old,
eyein' me pretty sharp. he was at work on
chain gang. Watchin' his chance, he says
to me- "Are you the mate of that whaler %
eyes" says l.
Then says he, HAS the priest said any
thing to you about me ?"
mo-" says I.
"WeD, he's going to-" says he, and passed
on quick.
The priest follered right along, and asked
me if I'd ever seen that young man before.
"Sever to my knowledge" says l.
Then he told me it was Fenian
prisoner; that he had been confined in Dart
moor prison in England for seven months,
and then sent to Australia for life that he'd
been there goin' on 'leven months, and want
ed to get of. And the upshot of it was the
priest offered me five hundred dollars to get
him Off
1 told him didn't want his money. If
he'd been thief or murderer l wouldn't
have tried to help him away; but couldn't
make out that he'd committed any crime, so
the priest and fixed it that the next day,
when my ship was under way, should pick
him up in the Yawl-and did.
1t beats all how quick everybody on board
teok to that fellow-he was SO pleasant, and
such handsome young chap.
Well, 1t come AuAIst. we had to put into
Rodrigues for water. 1t was that, or die of
thirst
BY this time the news OF ---'s escape
had got ahead of US and was known all over
the world. 1t was just before sunset when
boat from shore come alongside, and her
officer boarded up.
was standin' Just as near me as l
be to you, when the officer up and says to
me: "Have you got man aboard by the
name of --?"
L kind of thought minute-It seemed If
twas about an hour-and / says, NO.
Saws I, very quiet "We did have a fellow
aboard by the name of Brown, but he died
two months ago at Java"
He looked at me a minute, then says he ::
"WeH, you've got some ticket of-leave men
aboard, haven't you ?"
l was mighty glad he asked me that; for
1 thought it would take his attention and
give me little time to think.
'T can't cay as to that" says 1.
well" says be, "call your men from for
rard and we'll soon find out"
ono" says I 81 don't want nothing to
do with that kind OF business. You can look
for yourselves if you like"
So be and his gang went forrard and haul
ed oIt the stcwaways, and put 'em aboard
their boat, and pulled ashore, appearin' to be
satisfied
As soon as they were gone, --, half
crazy, says to me ''My God it's all up with
me What can 1 do? They'll come back
for me, but I'll never be taken alive 10
knew he meant what he said for the
priest had told me he'd tried to commit sui
eide, and, if he couldn't escape, had deter
mined to kill himself. l calmed him down
told him to go below and keep out of sight,
and I'd try to think up something but says
/: 'fYou shan't be taken as long as l can
stand by you.
knew very well that as soon as they got
ashore those ticket-of-leave men would blow
on him and really didn't know what to do.
Things looked black.
By this time it got to be dark, ard sat
down by myself to think. Then l remem.
bered a kind of locker under the stairs,
where the stewart sometimes kept the dishes
he wasn't usin'. 1t was shet by pushin' one
of the steps right over it. l knew they d
never find him there. Then I went To-
and told him to go and find little grind
stone there was on the ship, while KEEP the
men busy forrard when 1 come back I'd
stop a spell and talk 20 the steward, and
when he heard me taIkin' he must throw the
stone and his hat overheard, give a shrek
and then run and stow himself in the locker
When come along back 1 stopped and
says to the steward II don't know wha;
will happen when those fellows come aboard
tomorrow morning. will never be
taken alive. He'll kill some of them and
kill hisself-he threatened to do it In Aus
traIia."
just then l heard a great splash and a
scream. whats that?' says I.
Its -" says the steward, "he's
thrown himself overheard"
Everybody heard it. The captain was OF
that day. 1 rushed aft, told the other Off
! GERS, and ordered out the boats. The men
felt terrible. Every one Of them was fond
OF him. We got ont our boats and swept
that harbor for hours. 1 was the last boat
in. When 1 got aboard found the second
mate leanin' over the ships side, crying bit
terly. Hes gone, poor fellowI Here's his
/ hat" says he 1.-THE men have just picked il
/ up. We never shall see him again"
! There wasn't a wink of sleep on board
that night The next morning 1 put the hsG
! at hslf-msst. Everybody was solemn a:
| death. --'s wet hat lay on the hatch
way. They all thought he was dead.
! The captain came off to see what was the
matter. l told him the story-how we heard
the splash, got out the boats and picked VI
t--'s hat. Right in the midst of it the
! officers from Rodrigues come aboard to claim
! their man. We told 'em the story, and
! showed 'em the wet hat. They never offer
! ed to search the vessel. They see how baC
the men felt, and they believed it all and
1 pulled off.
/ Late that afternoon we got our water al
! abo ard and bore away to sea- waited til
we was almost out O. sight o. land then
says to the captain 81 guess I'll 90 below
and get a cigar" l went, and hauled tht
step away and there was --, all In
heap. 1 can see that fellows face right be
fore me now, white as chalk, eyes as blacE
as night. He looked like wild man.
'What ?" says he, trembling all over
"Come out OF that" saysI l,
''What do you mean ?" says he.
Don't stop to ask questions, man." say
! 1. ''Get out of that and come up; YOU'RE
safe for this time. Land Is almost out o
1 sight"
He crawled out, and we went on deck to
zHaINr.