The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1885-03-28

about Tomorrow
He answered: This will do me for
couple of days"
Nonsense. I'll have a square meal
for you here i'm the corner Of this wheel
house, so that you can get it without
trouble. I'll leave it about this time
tomorrow night"
"You won't tell any one, any one at
all, sir"
mo. At least, I'll think over the
matter, and if see way out I'll let
you know"
'God bless you, sir.
turned the incident over in my mind
a good deal that night, and l almost
made a resolution to take Cupples into
my confidence. Rodger Cupples, a
lawyer of San Francisco, sat next me at
table, and with the freedom of wild
Westerners we were already well ac-
quainted, although only few days out.
Then l thought Of putting SUPPOSE
tious case to the Capitalize was a
thorough gentleman-and if he spoke
generously about the suppositious case
/ would spring the real one on him.
The stowaway had impressed me by his
language as being a man worth doing
something for.
Next day / was glad to see that it
was rainy. There would be no demand
for ship chairs that day. l felt that
real sunshiny weather would certainly
unearth, or unchair. my stowaway. l
met Cupples on deck and we walked a
few rounds together.
At last Cupples, who had been telling
me some stories of court trials in San
Francisco, said, Lets sit down and
wrap up. This decks too wet to walk
on"
"All the seats are damp" said.
'I'll get out my steamer chair. Stew
ard" he cried to the deck steward who
was showing mop back and forth,
"get me my chair. There's tag on it,
Berth SO. ,"
mo, no." 1 cried hastily; ''lets go
into the cabin. It's raining"
"Only drizzle. Won't hurt you at
sea, you know"
BY this time the deck. steward was
hauling down chairs trying to find No.
SO, which / felt sure would likely be
near the bottom. ! could not control
my anxiety as the steward got nearer
and nearer the tarpaulin. At last l
cried:
Steward, never mind the chair; take
the first two that come handy"
Cupples looked astOnished and, as we
sat down l said:
81 have something to tell you, and I
trust to your honor to say nothing about
it to any one else. There's man under
those chairs"
The look that came into the lawyer
face showed that he thought me dement,
ed, but when / told him the whole
story the judicial expression came on
and he said, shaking his head:
''Sharp. that's bad business" :.
81 know it."
"Yes, but it's worse than You have
any idea of. presume that you don't
know what section 473S of the Revised
Statutes saysp"
mo, l don't"
"Well, it is to the effect that any per-
son or persons, wilfully or with malice
aforethought or otherwise, who shall
aid, abet, succor or cherish, either di-
rectly or indirectly or by implication,
any person who feloniously or secretly
conceals himself on any vessel, barge,
brig, schooner, bark, clipper, steam
ship or other craft touching at or COM
ing within the jurisdiction of these
United States, the said persons purpose
being the defrauding of the revenue of,
or the escaping of any or all of the just
legal dues exacted by such vessel, barge,
etc., the person so aiding or abetting
shall, in the eye of the law, be consid-
cred as accomplice before, during and
after the illegal act, and shall in such
case be subject to the penalties accruing
thereunto, to wit: fine of not more
than $4,000, or imprisonment of not
more than two years, or both at the
option of the judge before whom the
party so accused is convicted"
Great Heavens! is that really SOP"
"Well, it isn't word for word, but
that is the purport. Of course, if had
my books here I-why, you've doubt
less heard of the case of the Pacific
Steamship Company VS.. Cumberland.
Well, l was retained on behalf of the
company. Now all Cumberland did
was to allow the mamie was sent up
for two years-to carry his valisle on
board, but we proved the intent. Like
fool, he boosted of it, but the steamer
brought back the man and Cumberland
got off with $4,000 and cost. Never
got out of that scrape less than $40, 900.
Then again, the steamship Peruvian VS..
McNish; that is even more to the"
''See here, Cupples. Come with me
tonight and see the man. fyou heard
him talk you would see the inhumanity
-
flush. I'm not fool enough to mix
up in such a matter, and look here,
you'll have to work it pretty slick if you
get yourself out. The man will be
caught as sure as fate; then knowingly
or through fright he'll incriminate
YOU"
what would you do if you were in
my placer"
my dear sir, don't put it that way.