The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-09-19

of-war was called aft to take part in
the ceremonies there was q sort OF
dread superstition iE the mind OF
every one. The night was dark, and
the storm which had kept us busy in
the afternoon had left quite a heavy
sea, aud the vessel tossed and pitch
ed as she cut her black figure through
the bounding pillows, looking as
though she was a funeral car carry
/: ing the dead over the sea. No one
spoke above his breath save the cap
tain, who read the burial service.
The officers and crew responded now
and then with a sort of low
mutter, which sounded like mnf-
| fled voices in the distance.
No one on board was quite satisfied
with the proceedings, for sailors are
superstltiOus, and the storm follow
ing so closely upon the stranging of
these three men, and the curious cast
OF the water and the sorlber dark.
ness OF the night when it should have
been moonlight and beautiful-all
had It's portent to every tar aboard
that ship.
"The ceremonies took place by the
light of battle lanterns. which height
ened the dismal aspect of the sea.
They were held close to the captain,
whose stern tase never relaxed as he
went through with his last sad duty
to those who had suffered the death
penalty. The Pickering light from
these lanterns would occasionally
shoot out in yellow streaks, and rest
for second upon the solemn faces
of the crew, and then shift here and
| there as If in search of some new vic.
tim to receive the last offices of the
dead. AS l said, the captain read
the service, and all of us responded
until he came TO the words:
"'We commit this body to the
Deep
'Then all three were dropped into
the ocean. There was a splash and
g sudden gulp of the waves, as il
hungry, and the tragedy was ended
There was little sleep on board thai
night. Men lay awake in their ham.
mocks marveling upon what had oc
CURED, and conjuring up all sorts OF
fancies as to what it foretold fol-
good or evil. Occasionally one ship.
mate would slip over to another and
speak with him in whispers. Tive
men on watch that night declared
the next morning that they could
see the bodies floating in the waves,
although each one was sewed up
separately in a hammock, with three
twenty-four pound shot at his feet.
Two nights later one man avowed
that he saw the MILDLY executed and
thrown into the sea walking over the
forecastle. So it vent on for days
and nights until our shi p reached New
York. Then the sailors breathed
easier but | have never met one oil
them to this day, and all of them are
old men now, who has forgotten ar
incident of that arrest and execution.
| never sailed on that vessel again,
but took French leave of the navy
very soon after our arrival at the
Brooklyn navy yard. This tragic
event had nothing whatever to dc
with my going, but had seen enough
of the sea, and never recall my ex.
perience thereon, one OF which am
relating to you, without a shudder.
The old salt who graphically told
this tragedy of tho sea is wrinkled
and gray. With him was an old ship
mate who had been his companion
on that Hateful voyage so many years
ago. Every now and then he would
add some fresh point to the narrative
that the speaker had forgotten, and
by the two a wonderful complete
story is told. The midshipman that
was hanged with the two sailors
was Philip Spencer, son of
John c. Spencer, then secretary
of war in Tyler's cabinet. The event
convulsed the nation, and brought
Capt. Mackenzie to trial, first be-
fore a naval court, and then upon
the charge of murder, which the civil
courts dismissed for the want OF
Jurisdiction. How strange it is after
all these years to find men still deal
ing in tho affairs of every day life
who witnessed that tragedy nearly
fifty years ago-one which Gail
Hamilton. in thoughtful review OF
the case. pronounces murder on the
part of Capt. Mackenzie, the COM
mandant of the American man-of
war.-Boston Herald.
A Fortune in Litigation.