Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-06-16
AN ESCAPE FROM PIRATES.

to unlucky vessels were ever paruonaole,
it must surely have been so in the case Of
the brig Crawford, owned first at Free
town, Mass, and afterward for many
years at Warren, r. /.
1t would seem as If no nervous person,
acquainted with her history, could have
trod her decks in the still midnight
watches upon the ocean without a creep
ing sensation of dread.
The writer has a distinct recollection
of this little full rugged brig as a vessel
which figured prominently among the
notable craft OF his boyhood. There were
dark stains on her deck which had the
appearance of iron rust, but which all
knew were not iron rust. She had been
the scene of a tragedy that, with its asso-
Citations, was one of the most remarkable
upon record.
Her whaling voyages from Warren, OF
which she made number, were all un-
fortunate in pecuniary sense. From
one of them, after an absence of IA
months, she returned without having
taken q drop OF oil-her captain having
actually been obliged to purchase sup
ply for the binnacle lamp at some foreign
port.
But the one dreadful event of her his
tory had occurred while she belonged to
Freetown. In fact, it was chiefly in con-
sequence of this that she was sold to her
purchasers in Warren, her original own
ers feeling that they could no longer bear
| to look upon her.
1t was, think, about 1929 that the
Crawford sailed for the West Indies un-
der the command of Captain Bright
man, whose crew consisted of his two
mates, a cook, and three foremast hands.
Her outward cargo was disposed of at
Havana, and she was nearly ready for
the homeward voyage when four Span
iards came on board, seeking for pas
sage to the United States. They were
villainous looking fellows, with swarthy
faces and flashing black eyes.
The mate advised Captain Brightman
not to accept them, and urged his objec-
tions with some force The captain him
self hesitated at first, but the thought of
the passage money was too tempting, and
he finally consented to take the strangers
on board.
One of the four passengers could speak
English, but his companions knew only
Spanish. After the brig had been at sea
few days, the cook detected this man,
whose name was Tardy, in the act of
sprinkling some white substance on
quantity of food in the galley. Tardy
explained that the article was kind. of
seasoning well known in Cuba, and that
he wished the officers and crew to try its
| flavor.
The cook scraped off as much of it
as he could; but, although the fact of
his doing so shows that he must have
had suspicion of foul play, he unfortu-
until too late. He may have thought
that his knife had removed all danger.
Immediately after eating, the captain
and chief mate were taken violently i'll.
The foremast hands also felt some bad
| effects from their meal, though in a less
| degree; but the second mate escaped, as
his duties on deck had kept him from
eating with the captain. As to the four
passengers, they, of course, had taken
care not to touch the food on which the
white powder had been sprinkled.
1t was now that the terrified cook told
the mate what had occurred in the gal
ley. But in few moments his voice
was silenced forever. He was struck
down by the murderous pirates. who
seeing that their work was but half ac-
complished by the poison, at once pro-
ceeded to complete it with their knives.
The captain and chief mate they killed
80 A.
foremast hands were murdered close by
the windlass, ON the forward part of the
deck; while another sailor was killed as
he stood at the wheel.
Meanwhile, the second mate, whose
name was Durfee, and a man named
Allen Bicknell, of harrington, X. l.,
who were now the only survivors, ran
aloft in the forlorn hope of thus saving
their lives. The pirates fred at Bick-
nell with pistols, wounding him as he
stood in the foretop.
Tardy now hailed the second mate,
promising to spare his life If he would
come down, as they required him to
navigate the vessel. He accordingly de-
scended, and was not harmed. Seeing
the officer in present safety, Bicknell,
the poor sailor, already wounded, asked
If they would spare him also. Upon re-
ceiving reply in the affirmative, he
came painfully down the rigging; but
the moment he reached the deck he was
killed.
The vessel was now entirely in the
possession of these monsters, and the
feelings Of Durfee must have been indie
scribable, as he realized the extent of the
tragedy and his own dreadful situation.
He knew. of course, that the pirates
would never, IL they could help it, per-
NIT him to leave the vessel alive. 1t
might serve their purpose to spare him
for time, but unless he should be able
to hit upon some manner of dsliverance
the fate Of his shipmates must at last be
bis.
The bodies of the victims were thrown
into the sea, and the four murderous
scoundrels then commenced searching
the cabin, being apparently aware that
she had on board considerable amount
Of money. This they brought on deck
and divided, all the while talking rapidly
in Spanish.
Tardy now informed the second mate
that the brig must be taken to South
America. Durfee well knew that should
he carry the wretches to that part of the
world his own doom would be sealed
the moment they reached It's shores. He