Morning journal and courier., 1885-01-09

| ting out an expedition te raid and break up | such establishment it wts necessary to as- certain if such really existed t9 avoid the sending of men out on a fools erTahd, which would prove subversive to discipline, inasmuch as a wild goose chase would have a tendency td weaken the confidence of the
 rank and file in their officers, besides it would
 be very mortifying personally to the officer
 directing the movement. Presumably such
 an establishment was reported to be in op
 eration would be guarded, for the product
 would be of sufficient importance to warrant
 government protection such as 1t was. A re-
 connoissai1ce in force would not do, for that
 would result in skir1nish, during which the
 whole paraphernalia of the establishment
 would be carted away. The only course to pursue under such circumstances evidently
 would be to send one or two men to look the ground over, to examine the situation and act upon the report thus secured. This is just what was done. Such service is eX- tremely hazardous, for, if the enemy takes notion to do so, he can classify 1t a spy, pun ishable with hemp jig if captured; therefore, for it's proper execution, men of peculiar tenn perament must be selected. Courage, united with discretion, must be an indispensable at tribute, together with that quality of mind that preserves perfect coolness, whatever con ditions of excitement may arise. Frank $. Butts of this city, and sailor by the name of Donnelly were selected on this occasion and ordered to secure the information de- sired They entered upon their duty with alacrity and engaged in it with a spirit of en- thusiasm. It was break in the monotony of shipboard life. It was freedom from re straint in one sense, 1t was an opportunity to act upon personal responsibility rather than at the dictum of a superior officer under his very eye. The two were set ashore in small boat and left to carry out the execution of their orders according to their own judg
 ment. The sense of freedom, the responsi-
 bility upon them, their enthusiasm, out
 weighed every sense of danger, and they did
 not stop to discuss, even mentally, the rlsk
 they were running. They turned their faces
 inshoreward and started for the interior,
 carefully picking their way through sheltered
 fields, through brush and woods. They ap-
 proached sufficiently near the salt works
 without discovery to estimate their capacity
 and the probable force guarding them, and to determine in their own minds upon a
 proper plan to effect their capture and the force necessary for successful raid. While
 returning cautiously through the woods they
 saw a mounted soldier riding leisurely along
 and listlessly picketing the road leading from the shore. They determined to capture thls
 man and take him to their vessel. Separa- ting, they stole to the road with great care not to break a twig or rustic a dry leaf to at tract the picl1et's attention. Both stepped into the road at once, pistols ill hand, Butts in front of him and Donnelly in his rear. The former ordered him to surrender at once, and the man quickly raised his carbine to fire, but the click of Donneilys pistol in his rear and the repetition of the order to sur render caused him to hesitate and turn his head The chances are, had he fired at But E and put spurs to his horse, he would have e. caped and more than likely unscathed, for it is quick and unerring hand that can use a pistol with effect under such circumstances. He did not do this and the half second of | uncertainty cost him his liberty. The pis- l tols were directed right at his head then and at short range. He that it was no use | and surrendered. He dismounted and the l two captors tied his hands together with
 some telegraph wire that they found near by | He was a big, strapping fellow, full of grit and pluck, and he felt deeply mortified at | having been captured by two boys, and
 growled and grumbled all the way to the I shore, offering to fight ''the boys in any | way they might choose If they would glVt | him the use of his hands. His insults anc l entreaties alike were intellectual and he was | conducted to the vessel. He armed | with this carbine, which NIr. Butts, who pre | sented it to the society, allowed to re
 tain There is cut i'll it's stock ''T. J. Van,
 which is the name the gave to place
 upon record as prisoner There was alst | captured with him new United States off l cers sabre, which is in MT. Butts possession | When the fashion of manufacturing briga | dier generals for political torchlight proces | sions dies out and the petroleum- -politico l martial brigades reach stage of chronic de cline, perhaps this will be deposited with tn l society.
 It is we'll to add that subsequently, the sal
 works were attacked successfully by de | tachment from the vessel to which MT. Butt | and Donnelly belonged, and the manTfactur | of salt from sea water in that locality wa | etfectually broken up.