The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-05-23


were ransacl5ed from top to bottom
without success.
Further search was useless. What
was TO be done?
That night, all having been made
snug, and the passengers having turned
in-none of them, as you may imagine,
in very brilliant spirits-I went on
deck, it being what we call at sea, ''the
captains watch"
About four o'clock in the morning
turned in, the second officer then com
ing on duty. My cabin was situated
amidships and on deck, and from
window wherein 1 could command
view of the after-declS of the ship.
Somehow or other could not rest, so
dressing myself l determined to sit up
and smoke I drew aside the curtain
of the window have mentioned and
looked out.
1t was just the gray light of the
early morning, and there was stiffish
breeze blowing. To my great surprise
beheld Mr.. Reginald Moore on deck.
was about to open my cabin door
and invite him to join me in my rest
lessness, when the peculiar nature of
his proceedings riveted my attention.
He looked around on all sides as If
afraid of attracting observation.
Then, suddenly, as il assured that
the coast was clear, he walked rapidly
toward the empty water-cask, on
which he was accustomed to manufac-
ture his model of the "Janet's Pride. I"
Once more glanclng cautiously about
him, he then applied his hands to the
top of the casl1, and, with rapid
movement lifted half of the top bodily
off.
My astonishment and my excitement
were intense. Another hasty glance
around, and he put his hand down into
the casl, then quickly withdrew it,
holding in his grasp small bag, which
he rapidly concealed in the breast of
his coat Again he took hasty sur
vey, and was about making another
dive into the strange receptacle for
hidden goods, when he suddenly with
drew, having with astonishing rapidity
replaced the lid on the cask. In an
other moment the cause of his alarm
was made known, as couple of sailors
passed him on their way to relieve the
man at the wheel.
When all was again quiet, for an ipl
stant he seemed determined to return
at once to the casll, and no doubt with
draw something more than the inter
ruption had prevented him from taking
in the first place. But suddenly chang.
ing his mind, he went down the stairs
that led from the deck to the sleeping
cabins.
Scarcely had he disappeared when
another figure stealthily crossing the
deck met my anxious observation. 1t
was the boatswain.
saw him glance toward the stairs
down which Mr.. Reginald Moore had
taken his departure. He then made
directly for the water-cask. 1t was now
obvious to me that the old boatswain
had been watching the pleasant pas
senger
Just as he reached the water-casl, a
heavy green sea struck the ship to wind
ward, necessitating the boatswain to
hold on by ropes so as to keep his foot
ing, and precisely at the same moment
Reginald Moore appeared at the top of
the cabin stairs. l shall never forget
the scene.
The instant the ship had steadied her
self, the boatswain commenced his eX-
animation of the water-cask, For a
moment only Moore stood looking at
him with as evil an expression on his
face as l ever beheld. With one bound
he was upon the boatswain before he
could protect himself. 1 waited no
longer, but flung open the door of my
cabin in an instant and in another |
was to the rescue, and in few minutes
we had our pleasant passenger in irons.
So, you see, he was the thief, after
all, hiding his knavery under the pleas
ATTEST exterior that / ever knew a man
to possess. The manner in which he
had manufactured the top of that water
casll was the most finished and ingen-
ious piece of carpentry have ever be-
held.
In the interior of the side of the caslI
he had driven several nails, about two
feet from the top, on which he had sus-
pended, in wash-leather bags, the jew
elry he had stolen.
You may easily imagine the surprise
evinced by our passengers on board, on
discovering that the thief was the man
for whom each and every one of them
entertained such regard.
At the expiration of thre days from
the date of the pleasant passengers de-
lection we landed in Melbourne, where
duty compelled me to hand him over to
the police but as no one cared to re-
main in that town for the purpose OF
prosecuting him, he was summarily
dealt with. The presiding magistrate
sentenced him to six months imprison-
ment with hard labor. Blade.