Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-08-20
Chicago Tribune.


cling his fellow passengers.
The Beliefs fuel supply had besn pretty
we'll exhausted in her efforts to work off
the bar, and her captain deemed it advis-
able to replenish at a woodward near the
mouth OF the SciOto River, which WIS
reached late in the evening. "Wood up"
made an animated and picturesque spec
tacle, which all the cabin passengers, Of
course, went out on the guards 10 admire.
By the Tuddy light of two great fires of
bituminous coal, burning in iron baskets
at the bow of the boat, they saw an endless
chain Of singing cOlOred men carrying the
wood on their shoulders from the bank to
the boat. There was no confusion, but
everywhere anxious haste, for the Belle
was already seventeen hours behind her
schedule time.
In all that excitement nobody noticed
that among tine last darkeys 20 run mp the
gangplsnk with loads Of wood was stall
wart white man who did not belong among
them, and who quickly disappeared some
where on the boiler-deck as soon az he got
aboard. Had not his face been well
shaded by his SLOUGH hat somebody would
have been certain to recognize him as Ran
som barley, we'll known along the Ohio
River as the Giant Flatboatman."
Daley next appeared on the guards in
front OF the cabin, where, after peering IN
side for few minutes, ne caught pass
ing cabin boy, whispered some words to
hin, and put money in his hand. Then
be went below to the bOiler-deck again,
still without attracting any attention.
Colonel Lee, seated at the card table
and in excellent spirits now that the voy-
age was resumed, had ''iust passed out"
on that particular deal, when the cabin
hey, leaning over the back of his chair,
whispered something TO him.
Wants to see me-" exclaimed the Col
onel in surprise, bat speaking low.
''Yes, sab. Oa the boiler deck. Port
side. sab"
"What kind ola looking mani"
"Dunno, sah. Mighty dark out dare
whah he spoke to me. Couldn't really see
him. sah."
The Colonel, rising, excused himself "a
the other participants in the game and left
the cabin. Outside, before descending the
stairs TO the deck below, he transferred q
revolver from his hip pocket to the right
outside pocket of his coat, where it lay IN
his hand ready for use. He had reached
the boiler deck and gone One-third OF the
way along it sf,, when suddenly from be
hind a pile OF freight, the "Giant Flat
boatman" stepped out and confronted him.
The gambler, without waiting for word
or hostile motion, threw up his pistol and
fred ut the big man. Before he could fire
a second shot the weapon was torn from
his graep and he was ielled to the deck.
Ire pistol-shOt attracted attention, and
q score Of persons came running from ell
directions, but only one disinterested per
SOD. the second engineer, had seen it fired,
and knew that whatever might appear
from the present positions of the parties,
the one on the deck had been the agrees
or. Nevertheless nobody seemed DESTROYS
Of interfering in the affair. Darley's hat
had fallen of, and several recognized him.
Looking down upO7 the gambler at his
feet, barley demanded.
Archibald Lse, where are my wife and
child?"
The man addressed maintsined a cullen
silence
"What have lyou done with the foolish
woman and my innocent child? Where
are they?n persisted the giant.
81 don't know nything about EN-, "
snarled the gambler.
Archibald Lee, you lie. hold you re-
sponsible for them. Raising his eyes
and looking upon the crowd now surround
ing them, the big astbOatman said, with q
voice that seemed to have tears in 1t;
Men, had little baby girl that was
dearer than all the world to me, and a
wife. a foolish woman, but / loved her.
That fellow came to my house when l was
away and got the woman to run of with
him and to take her child with her. He
was seen bringing them aboard this boat
at Wheeling yesterday. followed and
got aboard at the woodward tonight, and
here I've caught him. Some Of you know
Rauae Dlrley, I guess, aud those who do
know that don't lie. Those are the
facts. Now, what would you do with
him if YOU were in my place."
Look out" shouted half dozen voices
at once. and il another instant another
pistol shot was fired by the fellow lying
on the deck ct the man he had wronged.
The rascal bad managed unobserved TO
draw derringer from his vest pocket and
use it before he could be seized. But he
had not been able to take effective aim
and the shot did 20 harm to Darby. 1t
settled his fate, however.
The now Infatuated giant seized him by
one ankle, twirled him over the edge of
the deck, which-ss this boat was deep
iaden-was not more than two feet from
the water, and there suspended him with
mia hesd in the river, drowning him ~ one
might a dog. For a minute or two the
diving gambler vsinly beat the water with
his hands. kicked and clutched at the
boat but the mighty g,ip of the flatbOat-
mems one hand held him as easily as q
nov would a doll. When his struggles
ceased the grip was relaxed and his body
sunk out Of sight.
barley tossed the revolver into the river
and silently passed through the crowd and
-, 70 the cabin. Nobody tried to step him,
nor even seemed to think that ne had not
dome lust what was right. But IN the
cabin. As he was going toward the room
that a cabinboy had pointed out to him,
the captain met him, and, laying his hand
on his arm, said in a tone of mingled
sympathy and circumstances
URsnse. remember she's woman. "
"Don't be afeared, csp'n," replied the
Giant huskily. Owe no idea of hurting
6sr There went be no fuss.
He tried the door. 1t was unfsstened.
Starting up from sleep and recognizip
bsT brshand she shrieked and spraug ont
Of he'd and, 1etreatiug to the further end
of the little apartment, cried wildly;
"Don't kill me, Ranse! It wasn't my
f,nIT oouldn't help it! Mercy
He did not seem to hear her. Gently
he reached up to the upper berth aud took
down the little girl, who awoke IN alarm,
Init at the sight of her father face clasped
her little arms about his neck, burrowed
her nose into the mass of his big brown
hear5. end seemed content. With her IN
his arms he turned away. Then the woman
snrsus forward, crying
"DSn't take Nellie from me, Rause'
Take me. too. Forgive me, Ranse. Take
ma along. Won't you. RanseS'
He turned ana said but the one word
NO"
But the way in which he said 1t seemed.
NJ aha drained