Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-07-24
REMARRABLE TRIAL.
The Ftrst Capital CeaViettsa Usder
she FedeEaI Conssteuttsn.

M an ann AMIN \ hf - H.
The Ftrst Capital Conviction UadeE
she RedeFaI CsHssitattsa.
''Sail o." cried young Walter Jordan from
the mast head Of the fahing schooner Betsy.
a. she was plongbing her way, before . strong
east wind, across OasoO Bay in the then prov
inos Of Maine, and heading for Falmouth,
nov Portland, harbOr.
Where away p called out Skipper Jordan,
who was standing ~ the helm, and Watching
the boys ~ they we're preparing TO take 3
reef In the main-saii ...
Three points ON our weather quarter, .
said Walter"
II see her," said the skipper. Come
down. and hand me the spy glass"
Walter hastened down, and brought the
spy glass 10 his father.
Steady the helm |" aaid the skipper, as
hs took the glass and elevated II toward the
distant vessel. Shes . stranger" " he added
after taking brief look through the glass ;
land, by them colors she's got hying there,
guess the wants somebody TO pilot her in.
Come, bear hand. Gvt . double reef in
that main sail before the wind tsars IL all TO
pieces. And We must try to hold on = little,
too, and lot that weasel come up"
The boys soon had the main sail under
elOss reef and the little Betsy was yASing
OF and coming 10 and tilting over the waves
like young duck that waits for its compan-
ions 10 come up. The Strange vessel was
nearing them quite fast. She proved TO be .
schooner Of about thirty tons burthen; and
coming down under ~ much sail as she could
possibly bear, she was soon alongside the
Bstsy. When she bad come up within speak e
ing distance, Skipper Jordan hailed her
What schooner il that Z" shouted the cap
tain Of the fisherman.
Tho schooner Rover, Captain Bird, was
the hoAFse, load reply.
where are you from p
The coast OF Africa"
Where bOundT'
ITO the nearest American port, ansWered
Captain Bird, who had now approached near
enough for easy conversation. ANY port in
Q storm, you kaOW, continued the CON-
mandar Of the Rover ''and think We have
q storm pretty close at hand. What port are
yOu bound 10, Captain z"
I'm bound into Falmouth" said Captain
| Jordan, (which is the nearest port there is
and il isn't more than ten miles into the hAr-
bor. II you amt acquainted with our coast,
you just follow in my wake, and III pilot
yOu In"
Tho captain OF tho Rover thanked Skipper
JOrdon for his politeness, and kept his yes
sell In the wake OF the Betsy till they entered
the beautiful hArbor OF Falmouth The toW n
Of Falmouth formed one side Of the harbOr.
and Cape Elizabeth the other and ~ Cap
tain Jordan belonged 10 the latter place. after
making a graceful curve through the Chan.
mel, be brought his vessel 70 anchor near the
| Oano Rlizabeth ahore. The Rover eama nm
and anchored but few rods distant. Il was
nov near ni0ht the strong east wind thai
was driving into the harbor began 10 be ae-
COMMANDED bv thiek. beating rain and A
aOon A his asils we're snuglV furled. and the
little Betsy prepared 10 ride out the storm.
Captain Jordan and his boys hastsned on
shore. 70 Join the family circle, from whom
they had been absent on q four weeks cruise.
The atorm continued through tha nexi
daV. With heavy wind and copiOus rain.
N1,neroas Ve,seis had come into the barbor
during he night. 70 escape from the peril
| Of An eaetsFlV slorm on the rough and dan.
Oeroaa eoast Of Maine and In the mornin o
| theiF naked masls were seen rocking 10 and
| fro 6ka lsaaass treea in autumn wi5ds Tho
iphabilapts Of Falmouth and Oape Elizabeth
| we're hat Iittle abroad on thai dav but manv
| a spy. RIass vas pointed from the windows.
ON both sides Of the harbor. 10 scan the dif.
ferent yes.els that were there At anchor.
None attracted more attention or eIioited
| more romark than the little Rover. She
aeen,ed 10 be q elranee bird among the Aook.
1 GlAHNAr.
Obvious she was NOT ashsrman. She had !
strap0e kind of foreien look about her. thai
induced the inhabitants, pretty unAnimously,
| to decide that ''she didn't belong any where
/ about theaa marta
The storm paased over The next dav was
/ clear and pleasant. and a gentle wind was
bIoWinO from The nOrthvest, The Transient
veaseIs m The harbor. one after another.
shook out their sails TO the breezs, Rlided
smoothly through The obannel and pat 10 aaa.
Bafore nina O'CLOCK All we're GONE exespt tbs
strange little schooner, and the veaasis thai
| belon0ed 10 the MORT. or such a. were there
waitin1 CARGO But dav After dav DSssad
| away. and the little Rover still remained Al
| anchor. Il could not be discovered that she
/ had anv special object in her Wait 10 FAI.
month She had brought no cargo 10 ths
| tovn ana ala mot aaau, 10 ha Iookino Gor oDa
Har 1hola ore,v oonaisled of bot three man
| who we're ON shora every dav At P.Imonth
or Cape FliEabeth. and entering into yarioos
IittIo barter. trader with the inhsbitants. Pub.
| lio curiosity began 10 be considerablv excited
| in re0Hrd 81 the stranfe vessel and xhenevar
the crev were ON shore their movemants
| we're obaeryed with Increasing attention.
1 nav aflsr dav and Avan vaaE RftAr VvaaE
| had now ela1sed sinoe the Rover came ipto
Dort and there she stiII remained At anchor.
snd heT crew veTe sDending most Of their
time In idlensas and no one could discover
that they had any definite object ahead.
MystsTious whispers and vague TumOrs be-
gan 10 be set Afioat among the community,
/ OF character 30 grave and awful as 10 excite
| the attention OF the public authorities.
The time OF which We are nov speaking
was the month Of Jaly In the year 1883.
The Supreme Jadioial Court OF Massaeha-
/ selts was then holdiGg session Il Falmouth,
in the district OF Maine and The seasion was
near its cloaa. When these mysterious ru-
mora respecting the schooner Rover reached
the ears Of the court. the judges deemed il
their duty before the court should adjourn 10
inquire into the matter. They accordingly
sent for Robert Jordan and William Dyer,
two young men OF Cape Ellzabeth, from
whom many OF the reports in circulation
were said 70 have emAnAted Robert end
William, being brought before the court,
were questioned ~ 70 what they knew CON
mN.a.a.a ~ -