Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-10


hard bout of drinking and this cursed i'm
prisonment nave made me what am. And
will prove it, captain; will prove it if you
will only listen
'sThe sensation caused by this dialogue was
immense The judge, the members Of the
bar and the spectators were equally aston
ished at the curious turn the affairs had
taken, and, though believing the man to be
guilty of desperate deceit to save his lie,
were eagerly awaiting what should come.
Captain continued the prisoner, i am
accused of numbering man here on June %,
more than nine months ago. Now tell me,
sir, was not John WILLIAMSBURG cexswain
invaded home from the West African sta
ton on the last day of that month";
"'What the man says remarked Capt.
Forsyth to the judge, is perfectly true. His
majesty's ship, the Invincible, sailed with our
invaded men for England on June 30
''The prisoner went on: Yes, and ar
rived in England at the end of July, weak
and ILL., and getting my prize money went
and drank it all away. And that's how it
was was found at Bristol, where had gone
for another ship: and ever since then have
been in this accused Jail
1.-THE fellow is plausible enough again re-
marked Capt. Forsyth He is certainly
about the height of Williams. Well, my
man, suppose you can prove what you say:'
Gay, ay, captain. Do you remember, on
the 10th of last June, giving orders for
night raid on the native town of which we
lay looking out for slaversf
ayes, do, to be sure
"tAnd that we were five boats in all. And
the first to the beach was the captains cutter.
And the first man to jump out of it was you,
captain
"'Well, this is the most extraordinary
thing I ever heardn And turning to the
judge the captain said: Every word of this
poor fellows story is true, my lord. He may
have picked it up somewhere, but l can't
help beginning to think there is something
behind Nv ship is still in foreign service,
and have only returned to take charge Of
another one
"'Wel1, 90 on, my man
"'One more word captain, and maybe you
will believe me- As we were fighting in the
town a great niger came behind you with
his ak and would have cut you in half before
YOU saw him had not a man rushed between
and STOPPED him with his cutlass; and yet not
quite stopped him, for that internal nigger's
Ak slipped down the cutlass and gashed the
man S head open. Who was that man, cap
tainn
John Williams was the reply, the cox
swain of my cutter
".Ay, ay, captain, and here is the cut
which that ak made and, bending down, he
lifted with one hand his long, untidy hair,
and with the other pointed to huge and
fearful scar running for several inches along
the side of his head. So.
''Capt. Forsyth leaped from his seat.
"'GOod heavens, you are right But how
You have changed! My lord, this poor fell
low had not sailed from the African coast
when the murder was committed il is i'm
possible that he could be guilty Of it. VIII
liams, you saved my life; thank God have
been able to save yoursn
AT these words everybody in the court
STOOD up and cheered the prisoner with the
widest excitement and enthusiasm; the
Judge said that in discharging him he must
at the same time compliment him on his gal
lantry; and the foreman OF the jury then
and there started a subscription for him
which came up to something near $50. Capt.
Forsyth ordered a chaise to take him post
haste to London for the purpose of removing
Williams from a place with such horrible
associations, and of getting him an appoint
ment from the admiralty. The people in
sisted on dragging the chaise out Of the town
with their own hands, the horses were then
put to and amid deafening cheers they drove
off and were never heard of again
''Why was that," some one asked, as the
colonel paused
Because it was q hoax"
WHAT we all exclaimed. ga hoax"
We had listened breathlessly to tho tale,
which the colonel certainly told admirably,
the perspiration standing on his forehead as
with horrible reality he personated the des-
perate sailor.
eyes" he said, "a hoax. 1t was all pre-
concerted arrangement; the captain was
merely a clever accomplish, who played such
parts for those of his associates in crime who
came near receiving their reward This was
probably his biggest performance; but though
it answered well enough then, in these days
of telegraphic communication and multiplied
navy lists it would be simply impossible."-
All the Year Round.