New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1890-12-17


tough looking cut throats as one
will meet within a days journey
through the sIums of any large city,
and twenty miles from the nearest
point from which / could hope to OBJ
tain any assistance, as / was right
in the heart of one of the worst
smuggling districts on the Atlantic
coast.
ssWell," said the captain, sas the
schooner is now in your possession,
I suppose you will have no objection
to our pulling her into the wharf and
making her easy?o To which I as
sented
The casks and cases which had
been slowed in the boat were again
placed on deck, and line was run to
the shore by which the vessel was
warped alongside the wharf and
made fast. The captain and crew
then jumped ashore and left me in
full possession without saving a
word.
They had not been gone twenty
minutes when it suddenly dawned
upon me that the captain had not
taken the seizure OF his vessel so
quietly for nothing. There was
something up, and if an attempt was
to be made to recapture the craft
alongside the wharf was not the
place tor me to attempt to defend
my prize. l accordingly cut the
stern and bow lines by which she was
held, and allowed her to drop off
into the stream. When about fifty
yards from the shore let go the
anchor, and awaited Developments.
By this tine it was daylight and
looking toward the shore I saw a
gang of about a dozen men, one
OF whom carried shotgun, coming
down towards the warf, where they
had expected to board her without
any any difficulty 1 had forgotten
to mention that when I first stepped
on the vessels deck [ had shown my
badge, and at the same time my re-
volver. which said would use upon
the first man who attempted to dis
turb the cargo or laid a hand upon
me. 1t was quite evident that there
were no firearms aboard the vessel
at the time, or matters might not
have gone as smoothly with me. The
only way the vessel could be boarded
was from a boat, and this gave me
an opportunity of holding the fort,
which would not have had had the
schooner been tied up alongside o.
the warf
When the smugglers and their pals
had reached the wharf they sat up
shout, calling upon me to come
ashore in the boat which lay along
side the vessel, to which I, of course,
paid no attention. The boat in
which | had made my trip to the
schooner lay on the shore, and in a
few minutes saw that an attempt
was going to- be made to board the
vessel in the stream. The boat was
boarded and showed off toward the
schooner. I stood by to prevent a
landing on the deck being effected,
and as the first man placed his hands
on the rails to jump On board drew
my revolver and cooked it in his face,
threatening to shoot if he did not
drop back into his boat.
Looking up suddenly saw a cut
throat looking ruffian drawing a
bead on me with shotgun from
the stern of the boat, while a dozen
pirates called to him to shoot, and I
think the command would have been
carried out had not one of the crew
Knocked the gun out of his hand in
to the water, remarking at the same
time that 1--WE will all be hanged if
you shoot him.
can tell you / felt little easier
when | saw thatgun drop overheard.
But there | was, one against twelve,
and l did not KIN oW how many more
recruits would arrive when word of
the seizure reached along the hostile
shore. had now been thirty-six
hours without sleep, and only
cracker or two to eat, which I had
fortunately put away in my pocket.
[ could not leave the side of the yes
sci for one moment, and / did not
know how long that state of things
would last The nearest point from
where l could get assistance was
twenty miles distant. To attempt
to hold the vessel against such odds
with no prospect of help reaching
me was ridiculous, as I must give in
in the end, SO determined to make
the best escape could.
The boats crew, seeing that I
meant business, and that any one
who attempted to board the vessel
took his Life in his own hands, after
hanging around for an hour or so,
pulled for the shore to renew their
attack in another way. Immediate
~ on landing they arrayed them
selves along in line, and commenced
a fusilade OF rocks upon the vessel,
smashing skylight and everything
breakable about the deck. dare
not leave the deck for fear that a
second attempts at boarding would
be made. aud to protect myself from
the torrent of stones which were fy-
ing about my head / was obliged to
take up a position behind one of the
masts, against which / had to stand
IL - r