Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-11-08

penalty. | Slutl never forget the
dav the drumhead court martial was
in the cabin to decide the fate
of these men. 1t didn't take long.
When the sentence of guilty was rem
to crafty the caprice OF a
officer, the men were notified
that they had ten minutes to live.
There was no ceremony about the
announcement, and it vas as brutal
ly communicated rs possible. The
young boy. 1Syears of age, who was
charged with being ambitious to cap
ture the craft, raise the munity and
turn it into a pirate ship and com
maud it himself, never weakened, al
though his two companions asked
for time to prepare for death. The
lad asked TO De released frsm chains
long enough to write to his mother,
but the captain refused, and then
the boy dictated to the commander
a letter 20 her, which thecommander
never delivered.
The scene on board during the
ten minutes in which these three men
were preparing for death made u
picture rponm mind that can never
be effaced. While the elder of the
two was inclined to weaken, the boy
was "a hero, and only asked for the
privilege OF sending word to his
mother that he had died like n man,
and then asked permission to give
the word to fire the gun which was
to end his earthly existence.
THE first day of December, 1912,
was IA beautiful one. The tropical
sun, especially in the afternoon, was
tempered by a braeing breeze, and
the ocean was as calm as u mill pond
the first halt of the day. Not a sail
was in sight, and the black lines of
our ship cut swiftly through the sea.
1t was late in the Afternoon when we
were summoned aft to become ex-
cutioners. No time was lost in GER
emonial preparations. The hoy OBJ
iected to the n OF death. and
begged to be shot rather than hung,
but the captain replied:
"'No, sir. You must die from the
yardarm.'
The lad and one man were placed
on the right side, ana the third on
the left OF the ship. The ropes were
quickly adjusted (called whips in ma
val nomenclature) and all hands
were summoned to the dread duty.
lit is the rule on shipboard that
in an execution every living soul on
board shall have hold of the whips
(ropesl when the condemned is
swung off. Even the cabin boy and
the cook are not exempt from this
painful duty. This is exncted that
no one shall be able to chide another
with having taken part in death to
which all were not n party. In this
case the rule was inforced to the let
ter, because this was an execution Of
greater moment than any that had
ever taken D ace in the American ma
w, or has ever taken place up to this
date. The officers were dressed in
full uniform for the occasion, and
the crew were clad as flor inspection.
The ropes adjusted, the captain
stood back and in a loud voice gave
the command.
"Strike the bell eight! Stand by
Fire the guni Walk away with tn,
whips! Roll drums!'
AS the stroke of eight bells -Cre
ont upon the tropical air there wa:
one surge OF the whips, and tire,
bodies tangled from the yardarm
three men were strangled to death
A neck is never broken by such a
! method. | shall never forget thescen
at this moment. The crew wer
speeches. with horror. The un
certainty of the past forty eigh
hours had been almost unbearable
! and strong men had grown veal
2 from the tension upon mind an,
nerves. The awful spell was broker
as We were piped down to dinner ant
started forward. The captain a
this moment caught something O
the spirit of the crew, and, calm!
them back, eased the strain some
what by making a speech justifyin!
( the execution, and urging us to lool
upon the results of conspiracy an,
; take warning by it. He then callel
l for three cheers Tor the vindicatioI
2 of the flag, which were given withou
heart, and then the crew walked fol-
ward soIemnly to their dinner and Il
: discuss the execution as much u
5 they dared.
1.-The bodies OF the three men wer
] allowed to dangle in the air while n
e on shipboard ate and discussed tn
sad events Of the day. The scene i
: the officers cabin was especial.
striking. For around the table sa
! those who had condemned the tire
men to death, and Mt their head tn
n officer who had ordered the execu
3 ton. The details OF the alleged mi
: tiny was freely talked over, so on
t Of the officers told me afterwart
e But it always seemed strange that
boy Is years of age, good hearte
!, and full of mischief should hav
scared the officers OF vessel carryin
@ 100 souls, most of whom he woul
e havehad to throw overheard had h
undertaken the task of capturing til
u ship and turning it into a piraticf
. craft. Looking ut it to-day, it was
s most barbarous stretch ofauthority