The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1890-09-18

&
der / once heard given when was a
boy on am American man-of-war. It
sent three souls into eternity. A per-
son who has never witnessed an ex-
ecution att sea cannot conceive a
fraction OF the solemnity which sur
rounds it,: The death penalty has
been invoked but very few times with
ia the history Of the United States
navy. 1T is one of those rare events
that are too liable to be shrouded in
mystery and covered with injustice,
which malice ornervousness mistakes
for discipline. Tire tragic scene /
witnessed in West India waters might
readily be called the harshest of
names without an i1lfraction of the
truth. BUT it was done in the name
of discipline, and while it did not re-
ceive the sanctioned thegowernnent,
a board'of naval officers acquitted
the captain of crime; but the shadow
OF that executions hung over his, after
life, and he lived, in,retirement from
the moment he. touched American
shores till he died!
lit is forty-eight years ago next
Decent Der" since [ witnessed this trag
edy on the ocean," continued the old
sailor, who was- spinning: this yarn
about an experience, at sea- "You
see;"' he ran on, 1--WE were sailing, from
Liberia to- the Unitedi States. and
were keeping a. sharp lookout for
slave traders. Ours was: a. sort OF
trading ship forr midshipmen' not
like those we have in these lays, but
one that in those early days was: re-
gardeeb as fit for educating young
mem, in the practical "details of, nawi-
gationu I think there were aalibtle
more than hundred boys aboard
onthisTOyage, andfor some months
we. had enjoyed plesanttime; with
out fanNthing startling to ,relieve the
monotoHy of sailors life: Our
captainwas not;a popular man, and
the crew often found FAULT with. his
orders, but no one evepldreamedIt THAT
serious trouble. was brewing; until
one afternoon, latte in, November,
when'1 we were standing head into
ward ST. Thomas, in the Bermundas,
about three days sail away.
Dog watch On shipboardiiss from
4 toS o'clock, andiI was on, the
afternoon OF Nov. 81. 1t, was about
6 o'clock in the evening, and c,were
standing at our posts as though the
ship was ready, foriae5ion: ltmight
be-, clearer if Ishoula say that we
were at; regular drill, whioh took
place every night at 6. i was
stationed at one of the guns back
OF thet7nainmast, Nothing unusual
had occurred to even suggest to, us
that there was anything wrong ALL
!at,omce came. the, order from the
captain;
AN handsleaNethe quarter deck.
sItr was the general rule.on ship
| board that the gunmers attaheirp0sts
even after the crew were ordered for
ward So every man aa the CUR
/! stood fast. In, a. secondl oanae thu
temporary orden:
":sAn hands, forward. OF the main
mast
''As movadl off notieed that all
the officers of the vessel save one
were congregated aboub the captain
i'm the after part of the, vessel. The
absent mids}bipman remained at his
post at the forecasts. A moment
later another MILDLY was sent by tn,
| captain to, tell this boy that he de
sired to speak with HIM The two lads
I neither of them 20 years ofage, walk
| ed off together. The, officers of tn,
ship opened in two ranks to receive
them, and Immediately by the com
& mandment ordered the midshipmal
from the forecastle to be disarma<
and pint in irons. None of the ship
crew knew Of the occurrence until hat
er, when two Of it's number were. ar
rested and double ironed. No, on
on the vessel knew the cause OF thi
act save the officers. For a nigh
and day almost the silence of dealt
hung over the man-of-war asst stoo,
steadily on its course. The GREY
spoke to one another under thei
breath, and the officer walked tn
deck doubly armed. Theterrible au
thority of q naval officer at sea wa
! to be invoked, and the 100 souls O
board mostly boys, fresh from tn
naval school, we're to be awed by tia
scenes which were to follow these 81
! rests.
1T was the second day after thes
men were arrested before the sue
geetions OF mutiny We're quietly sliI
ped among the crew and midslles .
board. No one had ever heard OF
; as a we'll defined plot; bnt the sls
picions Of the officers. had bee