The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1889-03-14

Ilculaf pains 10 conceal what mad hap
pened, and it was as we'll that he did
not. Such an occurrence could not be
suppressed, and soon the story was in
everybody's mouth.
Thus it very quickly reached the
governor of the island, who imme-
diately wrote to Captain Burke, asking
him If the story was true.
Burke, more proud than otherwise of
the series of duels, answered in the af-
tirmative, saying he certainly shot five
Frenchmen, who, he said had insulted
him, and he added humorously that
he would have been glad to have
made it an even half-dozen if he could
have done so.
He was, however, considerably taken
back on receiving a note from his su-
Ferior, informing him that in fighting a
duel with an inhabitant of Mauritius
he had violated one cf the strictest
laws of the island, and that he must
consider himself under arrest. until
"a SOIA OACIL COIlu LC COl4N SlCu W lEE
him.
Captain Burke was furious at this.
He saw no harm in dueling. and he
thought that he was being i'll used by
the authorities, for engaging in what
was to him noble, manly custom. In
his rage he swQre that he would mark
every member of the court trying him,
and shoot them dead on sight if he was
dismissed in disgrace from the navy.
Unmipdful of his threats, however,
he was shortly after put on trial before
a court comprising the commanders Of
the five men=of>war which we're then
laying iA the harbor,
These were Terror, Captain Blake:
the Nautilus, Captain Williams; the
Desolation, Captain Webb; the
Arethusa, Captain Davis; and the
Thistle, Captain Mcdonald. Of these,
the first four were Englishmen, bluff,
gallant British tars, all of them, while
the last was a Scotchman. a shrewd.
cautious native of the Land of Cakes"
The officers had heard of Captain
Burk's threats in regard to their action
in his case, but they were not Influenced
a particle thereby.
After Il careful hearing of the evil
dence against Burke, he was fouad
guilty and sentenced to bA dismissed
from the navy, and at the suggestion of
the cautious Mcdonald, his dismissal
vas supplemented with disgrace, so
that they could avoid meeting the terri
BILE duelist when he called them out on
the field of honor.
The Englishmen did not fear Burke
in the least, but they were influenced
to add the expression of odium to his
discharge by the cautious Scot, who had
no wish to meet the fire-eater if he
could help it.
So Captain Burke was accordingly
discharged in disgrace from the British
navy. He swore bitter vows of venge-
ance and repeated his threats to kill
every member Of the court that had
tried and condemned him.
His first move was to find out how
the officers comprising the court-mar-
tial had voted to see if any had favored
him. According to the oath of secrecy
administered to every member of the
court-martial, which oath l have quot
ed above for the benefit of the reader,
it was impossible for Burke to know
how the naval officers had voted, but
he hoped to secure the necessary in-
formation by bribery, or some other
underhand means,
His frat step in this direction was to
approach the paymaster of the frirate
on which the trial had taken place, this
official having taken part in the trial,
acting in the capacity of Judge advo-
cate.
This individual was poor man with
large family, whose pay was small
and insufficient for his many needs.
he had the reputation among his asso-
ciates of an unscrupulous man who
would do anything for money; a fact of
VIII ich Captain Burke was well aware.
The paymaster was very cautious at
first, and loath to give Burke the infor-
nation he required, afraid of the pesats
ty he would incur if it became known
that he had violated tha oath of Sc
crecx.
but an offer of three hundred pounds,
which Burke made to him was too much
for his scruples, and he gave Captain
Burke the information he wanted.
This was all the latter required, and
he at once began his career of VEN
gsahoe against the five naval officers
who had incurred his hatred.
The sequel will show how like q
blood hound he trailed and degged his
enemies, killing them off one by one
until at last they had all fallen before
his unerring aim.
The first victim was Captain Blake of
the frigate Terron Meeting him one
day. p menth after the court-material,
he purposely insulted him, hoping that
Captain Blake would challenge him.
So duel followed, and at the first
fire Captain Blake fell, shot through
the head,
The next victim was Captain Webb,
of the frigate Desolation. Burke met
him in club room, and as in Captain
Blake's case, insated him and was
called out.
Like Blake, Captain Webb fell at the