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

EMAAcc:R " the awful or
der / once heard given when l was a
boy on an American man-ofwar. 1t
sent three souls into eternity. A per-
son who has never witnessed an *
ecution at sea cannot conceive a
fraction OF the solemnity which sur
rounds it. The death penalty has
been invoked but very few times with
in 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 or nervousness mistakes
for discipline. The tragic scene |
witnessed in West India waters might
readily lie called the harshest of
names without an infraction OF the
truth. But it was done in the name
of discipline, and while it did not re-
ceive the sanction OF the government,
Il board of naval officers acquitted
the captain of crime; but the shadow
Of hat execution hung over his after
lie, and he lived in retirement from
the moment he touched American
shores till he died.
1T is forty-eight years ago next
December since | witnessed this trag
edy on the ocean," continued the old
tailor, who was spinning this yarn
about an experience at sea. "Gou
see" herano on, I'VE were sailing from
Liberia to the United States. and
were keeping a sharp lookout for
slave traders. Ours was a sort oil
trading ship for midshipmen not
like those we have in these days, but
one that in those early days was re
garded as fit for educating young
men in the practical details of navi
cation. l think there were a little
moreS than a hundred boys ABOARD
on this voyage, and for some month:
we had enjoyed a plesanttime, with
out anything startling torelieve this
mOnotony of a sailors life. OuI
captain was not a popular man, anG
the crew often found fault with hh
orders, but no one ever dreamed thai
serious trouble was brewing, unit
one afternoon, late in November
when we were standing head in to
ward st. Thomas, in the Bermundas
about three days sail away.
DOG watch on shipboard is from
4 to s o'clock, and | was on tn
afternoon OF Nov. p. 1t was abou
6 O'Clock in the evening, and We wer
standing at our posts as though tn
ship was ready for action. ltmigh
be clearer if Ishould say that W
were at regular drill, which tool
place every night at 8. | wa
stationed at one of the guns bacl
OF the mainmast. Nothing unusua
had occurred to even suggest to u
that there was anything wrong. Al
at once came the order from til
captain:
Gan hands leave the quarter deck.
sit was the general rule on ship
board that the gunners at their post
even after the crew were ordered for
ward. So every man at the gu
stood fast. In a second came tn
temporary order:
"'All hands forward OF the main
mast
"As | moved off l noticed that al
the officers of the vessel save on
were congregated about the capital,
in the after part of the vessel. TIL
absent mid5hipman remained at hi
post at the forecastle. A momen
later another MILDLY was sent by til
captain to tell this hoy that he do
sired to speak with him. The two lads
neither of them 20 years ofage, wall
ed off together. The officers of til
ship opened in two ranks to receiv
them, and Immediately by the con
mandment ordered the midshipma
from the f~orecastle to be disarme
and put in irons. None of the ship
crew knew of the occurrence until la
er, when two of it's number were a
rested and double ironed. No OF
on the vessel knew the cause OF tn
act save the officers. For u nigf
and day almost the silence of deaf
AluhS ONNA nv i6lfOi-WS 90 otFb
steadily on it's course. The ere
spoke to n another under the
breath, and the officer walked tt
deck doubly armed. The terrible a
thority of a naval officer at sea wa
to be invoked, and the 100 souls {
board mostly boys, fresh from Il
naval school, were to be awed by II
scenes which were to follow these a
rests.
lit was the second day after the
men we're arrested before the 81
gestions of mutiny we're quietly sli
ped among the crew and middies {
board. No one had ever heard of
as a well defined plot; but the Sc
picions of the officers had be-