Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-12-08

first.place; while the unusual moderation
of the officer who oyerhauled Us later was
the only circumstance that prevented us
! going home in separate boxes as q result
of that encounser. BoytOn had several
friends with him besides the reporters,
and the empty torpedo with his rubber
suit was carried in a bag. Staten Island,
as most New Workers know, used to be n
favorite place for prize fights Therefore,
when we arrived at Tompkinsyille, a re-
port went forth that q gang of pugilists
were on the way to have a private mill
under the benign laws of the Marquis OF
Q~ueensbury; and straightway the rumor
flew. so that in ten minutes t~hree-fourths
of the population OF the island was about
the little hotel that we made n temporary
refuge. There wa nothing 10 do but want
for them to retire, and / have ever since
been impressed with the belief that pa
thence is the prevailing characteristic of
Tompkinsville. for the population hung
around the hotel until 2 o'clock IN the
morning. We gave up all hope of getting
the news in Wednesdays papers, and con-
graduated ourselves on taking things easy
for Thursday.
But soon after > o'clock BoytOn put on
his rubber suit, which made him look
I A PARTICULARLY FAT TURTLE,
and started out toward the Garnet, which
Law half a mile off the shore, her bnlleyes
throwing a stream of ripping light from
her keel toward the shore. The reporters
had hired a bOatman to follow Boyton:
and. as the boat was small, Il weight
brought her sides almost level with the
water. Boyton's friends prudently re-
manned on shore. The night was dark,
and there was no moon, and the Garnet's
lights were our only guide. Silently Boy
ton paddled himself out TO the man-OI-war,
and our little rowbOat followed him close
". We saw a marine pacing the deck,
but he did not even hear US, until the
captain had fastened the torpedo case III
the rudder chain, and was padding away.
Then the guard rushed to the side.
What boats that? Speak quick he
cried. leveling his rifle.
No one made any reply, and our boat
men hegGn TO row toward the shore. We
learned aiterward that the sentinel was
severely disciplined for not firing on Us At
that moment. As il was, we heard a series
ofquick orders given, lights flashed all over
the vessel. and in a momen a steam
launch manned 10y twenty men IN com
mand of a bare-headed officer, doomed up
in pursuit. The launch had been ready
with steam up, on the other side of the
vessel. which accounts for the eNtraOrdi-
nary rapidity with which she gave
chase.
There was no use trying to escape this
swift craft. She overlook BOytOn first,
the men dragged him IN board, and then
she overhauled our boat. 4 calcium light
hared up, and we found that we were look
ing into the stern faces of 4 score of British
marines, right over the barrels OF as many
cooked rifles leveled at our breasts. Not a
word was said for a moment, and then
Boyton with an air of bravadO, took hold
of the ride a soldier held at his head and
inquired, iocularly:
rs IT L~OADED?'
Quick as 4 flash q sword leaped from the
officers scabbarb and the point flashed TO
within half an inch of BOytOn'S breast.
The Captain was perhaps afraid the officer
would cut a whole in his rubber suit, for
ne cried in a voice that quivered in three
oCtaVeS:
"Help, boys! He draws 4 naked sword
on me-"
The officer turned to the reporters boat
ahd asked sternly: What were you doing
under the Garnet
Even then, with those rifles in our faces,
we did not realize that We were in any
danger. On the other hand, we thought II
was rather impudent of 4 British officer tn
be questioning us in our own bay, and !
regret 10 say that an avalanche of impre-
cation came down upon the launch and
her occupants, and likewise included the
Garnet, her commander, the English adj
miralty. the throne and the bOundleSs
dOminiOnS upon whichthe sun never sets.
Looking hack at that night now, | wonder
that the marines kept their temper and
held that fire. The officer ordered us on
board the launch. and we babe him depart
to that post mOrtem resort over the exist
ence of which a theological controversy is
at present raging.
Il demand once more that Won come on
board and surrender yourselves" said the
officer cxcitedly, Men, if they refuse
fire when l count three. One!'
Nobody in our boat stirred, but we
promised to see them all in the aforemen-
toned disputed locality first.
Two said the officer.
The eyes of the marines glistened rs the
butchers anticipated the word three, but
not r man in the reporters boat moved.
| saw the word trembling ON the officers
lips, but he did not say it, and fell to par
leying with us again.
The conclusion of the matter was that
the officer accepted Boyton's statement
that he was swimming to COney Island to
test his suit. and we were following him in
case ne became exhausted. The rest Is
history. We got a couple OF columns each
in Thursdays papers; business doomed at
The Ship everybody called BOytOn a
hero; the Captain of the Garnet was court
martialed and transferred, and / realize
that if | ever had two narrow escapes in
one night it was on that occasion.