The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1891-09-16

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muskets and revolver-all the firearms
the brig could boast Of. The first mate
took one boat with three men in it, and
l took the other with an equal number.
We planned TO menance him, 80 that he
would fall into confusion, and we lay on
our oars and let the ship drift down to
ts. l was to hook on to her bows, while
the first mate kept the sailors busy aft;
but we didn't know how much devil
there was in him. He divided his stock
Of guns forward and uft, aud his first
bullet killed man in the mates boat.
My boat had hooked on to the forechaius,
aud | was thinking we had a clear way
to the deck when he upset pail of boil
ing water over us from the rail, and all
of us were forced to leap into the sea to
ease our torments. The trio of us were
terribly scalded and one Of the men en-
tirely lost the sight of his left eye.
We had not only made another failure,
but here was another dead man and more
wounded. Our crew was now for bearing
away and making no further attempt to
board the stranger, but the captain cried
out that he would stand by until he had
lost every man and his own life, 700, be-
fore he would be defeated by single
man. We had to furl everything to keep
in company with the ship, and for three
hours the two crafts drifted along
almost within musket shot. Then we
were ready for another attack. We had
constructed three bullet-proof shelters
along the port rail, and the idea was to
run down alongside the ship and shoot
the Portuguese as we passed. We made
sail and ran down, but only to find that
the willy villain had himself constructed
a shelter and our bullets could not reach
him. He gave us three shots while
within range, and though he hit no one,
his shooting was uncomfortably close,
and proved that he was good marks
man.
There was but one other way to at
tack him, and we put that off until late
in the afternoon. We wanted wind aud
sea to 90 down aud we had our wish.
Along about 4 o'clock the breeze dropped
almost out of sight, while the sea
was without white-cap. We had made
heavy graphing iron, and the idea was
to lay the ship aboard. When all was
ready we bore down on her, and this was
move the Portuguese could not check
mate. He had to remain behind his
shelter or expose himself to our bullets.
We ran alongside, cast our grapnel, and
the two crafts drifted side by side. Our
captain then gave the signal, aud five of
us made rush over the ships rail. In
doing so we were exposed to the sailors
fire, and he shot the carpenter through
the heart. He had time to fire only
once, however, but when the four of us
piled orto him we found him almost our
match. Had not help come verify be.
lieve he would have gained the victory.
He seemed endowed with The strength of
giant, aud his ferceness was that of a
wounded tiger. While he was being
bound he got sailors finger between
his sharp teeth aud bit it clean off, and
not one of us escaped without bruises.
When we had finally secured our man
we began the work of clearing up the
mystery. Not soul could we find aboard
the ship, nor could we at first account for
the absence of the crew. Then one thing
and another was brought to light to tell
us the horrible story. She had lett Sgd
ney with fourteen men. The tiend of q
Portuguese had murdered each and every
mau by means of poison in the rum. He
was the cook. A week out of port she
had met with heavy weather and been
obliged to lie to and ride it out. This
was how she came to have everything
snug alof. II was while she was riding
out the gale that the captain had some
trouble with the cook. Just what 1t was
no one but the Portuguese knew. He
claimed to have been brutally assaulted
without cause, and to revenge himself he
poisoned demijohn of rum kept for the
captains use. Some of this rum he
claimed, was afterwards served out to all
hands without his knowledge and the
entire crew were thus killed off.
What the real facts were could never
be brought out. As we found no blood
or other evidences of murder in the Or
dinary way, we had to accept the sailors
statement about the poison. He had
dragged every dead nan on deck and
thrown him over, and when the gale
ceased the ship had taken her own way
to come about aud go driving off. The
villain had no idea as to where she would
bring up, and he didn't care so long as
he was not overhauled.
After a great deal of hard work we
got both crafts TO Cape Town, and there
the wholesale murderer was turned over
for trial. He told the story of the poison
ing as coolly as you please, and l shall
never forget his statement of what fol-
lowed after the liquor was served out.
"Captain he fall down and cry out and
die!" explained the fiend. ''Then the
mate he roll over and scream and go
dead. Then the sailors call to God to
save 'em, but all go dead in one-half
hourln
"Then what2" was asked.
"Then l laugh hal ha | hal and throw
'em all overheard Some sink and some
float away"
/ was present when he was executed.
During all his trial and Imprisonment he
never expressed the slightest regret for
his awful crime. There was a demsnd
that h. be hung alive in chains, but CT
course nothing of the sort could be legal
ly done. He walked to the gallow's
with smiling face, bowed to the crowd
gathered to see him die and shouted so
that all could hear;
al kill seventeen men, aud you kill
ouly one-hal ha! haw-M Quad, in
NeO York World.