The morning call., 1890-11-08
THE COST OF A BUTTON.
How Germany Received Indemnity for
Insult offered.

How Germany Received indemnity for
an Insult offered.
The Cyclops, Captain Vogelgesang, was
making her regular round of calls among
the Haytian ports in 1879 and touched at
Gonaives just after the opposition to Presi-
dent Solomon had developed into one of
those fierce local rebellious that often arose
during his regime and rendered an exist
ence in his domain very precari0us one,
says the New York Times. The soldiers,
bribed by golden promises and crazed with
rum. had taken possession and were ready
to turn their hands toward anything that
promised an immediate monetary return.
The lives OF those who remained faithful to
the Government were put In jeopardy, and they
were obliged 10 fly for their lives. Some OF
them sought refuge on board the CyclopS,
which had touched at Gonaives 10 discharge
her cargo. When Captain Vogelgesang went
ashore he was surrounded by a rabble, who
insisted upon the instantaneous delivery OF
the refugees. and hurried the captain into
the presence OF the General commanding the
rebel troops. This functiOnary received the
captain and also insisted upon his landing
his passengers. The captain said ] g could
not do SO without an order from the German
Consul, who was some distance away, and
the interview was closed.
The captain returned TO the landing place,
but had t. force his way through the mob.
lHc 81 ulcio llcquCubil W SuOOt
him and possibly might have done SO had
not the General appeared. As it was they
laid hands on him and tore a button from
the breast of his coat the was in uniform at
the time) hustled him about and altogether
subjected him to very rough usage. He got
away finally through the Intervention of the
General and by telling the people 1t was not
possible for him to send the refugees away
from his ship unless he were allowed first to
go on board. he agreed t. land them if he
got word from the Consul before o'clock in
the afternoon and promised not to get away
before that hour. He also agreed to blow
his steam whistle as signal that he was
about to get under way. With this under
standing he was allowed to get into his boat
and pull off to the anchorage.
No cargo could. under the circumstances,
be landed or received on board, and as no
word came from the Consul, who had wisdom
enough not to be found, the whistle was
blown and the anchor engine started to heave
in the cable. The troops ashore, not willing
that their prey should so easily slip away,
had anticipated this movement, and had
manned the guns of small battery just be-
low the landing, which commanded the an
ch0rage, fully determined to blow the Cy-
clops out of the water if she attempted to
escape. There was considerable excitement
occasoned by the loading of the guns, and
great dismay and CONSERVATION when the
steamer, having weighed anchor. turned
quietly around, passed close to the guns, and
left without shot being fired. The reason
was quite apparent as the vents OF the guns
were found securely spiked with nails that
had been forced down into the chambers and
bent so that they could not be withdrawn.
The sequel to the story is of interest. AS
soon rs the Cyclops reached her home port
a report of the affair was made to the Ger
man Government. which took UP the cudgelS
for Captain Vogelgcsaug and succeeded in
getting $4,000 indemnity for the brass button
which had been torn from his coat in the
scrimmagr On returning to GOnaives after
the troubles were over the captain was
treated with great deal of respect, for his
pluck and determined action were much adj
mired.