The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-08-19

| ~ along, tull Oh tcaf ana GrcmDunS. Inc
10Th proved to be the day of fate. Tho
| philo Parsons, passenger steamer ply
ing between Sandusky and Detroit
stopping at Put-in-Bay, left Detroit ear
ly in tho morning. The first stop on
small Canadian town. Here a quartet
of men came on. At Maiden, a short
! distance further down, @ score more
boarded the steamer. Several of the
men carried large valiscs, but the most
conspicuous piece of baggage was great
| Od-faShioncd trunk, secured with ropes
and seemingly very heavy Still there
WAS nothing at all suspicious about eth
cr the, men or their traps. AT other
points down the river passengers were
taken up until when the Parsons came
TO the dock at Kclly's Island, some four
teen miles from Sandusliy and ten miles
from the island, she had an unusually
large passenger list The clerk happen
cd to be i'll charge of the boat, the cap
tain being off for the day. When the
boat had got clear of the island, and was
fully on her way to Sandusky, four men
stepped up to the clerk, and at the point
of revOlvcrs compelled his surrender.
The trunk was burst open and relieved
oil ITS load OF revOlvcrS and bowie knives
The boat carried no armament, and had
but few hands to work her, and the
task Of securing possession was trining.
Under the direction of the leader of the
conspirators, they cruised about idly for
some time, then put into Middle Bass
Island. AS she lay here the Island
Queen, passenger packet, plying between
the islands and Sanduslly, ran alongside,
and threw out plank to discharge her
passengers. Instantly she was seized by
the plotters, who fired volloy after vol
ley, but did no damage. Captain Orr,
Of the Queen, attempted to cast off the
rope, but was prevented. The engineer
refused to obey the orders of the cap
tors, and received a severe wound in the
check, from revolver fired by some un-
known party. The passengers, includ-
ing fifty one hundred day men, on their
way to Toledo to be mustered out, were
put in the hold. Captain Orr was close
ly questioned as to the situation in San
dusky, the numbers of strangers in the
city, and the excitement existing, but he
absolutely refused to talk. The number
of people on board was too great, and
1t was decided to put the women and
children ashore, together with the one
hundred day men, who were Darolcd.
The Queen was then taken several
miles out to sea and sunk. From the
unsettled conduct Of the raiders it was
evident to Captain Orr that some part of
the plan had miscarricd. The man in
command was Bcall. His appearance
was such rs to excite remark, moro cspc-
clally as his followers were particularly
mean looking set. This was strikingly
the case III the person of John Burley,
who was second i'll command. The fol
| lowing programme is outlined from q
document in the Confederate archives,
prepared by Jacob Thompson. *
Bcall was to lead the water part of the
scheme while a man named Cole had
charge OF the land end Cole was to
either ovcrpower tho officers of the
Michigan, or to throw thcm off their
guard. At a given signal Bcall was to
steam rapidly in and capture the ship.
n cannon bail sent screaming across
the island was to be the signal for the
5000 prisoners to rise and ovcrpower
Their guards. Sanduslly was to be sacked
and Toledo, Cleveland and Buffalo were
to suffer like fate. The prisoners were
to go to Cleveland and from that point,
stealing horses wherever they could
| dash across the State to Wheeling, W.
Va. But Cole failed, and SO did the plot
to capture Johnson's Island. Bcall at
last saw the game was up and started for
the islands. Tho boat was urged for
ward at terrific rate. She stopped long
| enough to land her captain and crew
and then proceeded TO the Canadian
shore where she was silt to the bottom.
Many of the islanders, fearful that the
| plot would succeed, had, during the day,
| IL nCI Of l,oi,
excitement which next day followed the
exposure of the plot was wonderful, and
for the time Ovcrtoppcd the Presidential
campaign which was then at white heat.
Three months later Bcall was captured
near the Suspension Bridge, ut Niagara
Falls, and locked up. 1t was discovered
the turnkey, 50, 600 having been offered
him to release Bcall. The prisoner was
then placed in confinement ut Fort
Lafayette. One j. $. Brady appeared
for Bcall at his trial. The defendant
was charged with being a spy; with at
tempting to wreck Lake Shore train,
tor the purpose of robbery, and with the
! 1clonlous seizure Of vessels Bcalls de-
tense was weak, he admitting very much
that was charged against him. One of
the features of the case was q manifesto
from jefferson Davis, declaring that the
acts on the border were committed bv
his orders, and should be recognized rs
lawful acts Of war. Bcall was declared
guilty, and General Dix approving the
sentence, the prisoner was ordered to be
executed on Governors Island, the resi-
dcDcc Of the late General Hancock,
February IL, 1868. The night before
the day set for his death, Beall wrote n
touching letter to his brother, III which
he claimed that he was unaware Of hay
ing committed any crime against society.
! President Lincoln at tho last moment
granted respite until February 24,
when the prisoner was executed, without
showing the slightest sign Of fear,
The plot pertaining to the shore was
entrusted to Major G. II. Cole, who, tho
better to conceal his purpose, was fgur-
ing as Iitusvillc, Pa, oil merchant.
His first step was to obtain an introduce
ton to the officers of the Michigan,
This done, the rest was an easy mat
ter, as he was furnished with plenty Of
money by Thompson, and the officers
were always willing to spend q pleasant