The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-09-26
Effective Resistance, and Final Sinking OF
the Outlaw-Tho Lsader Killed
by His Men.

Cosgrove and his friends were young.
and after two or three years Of rough
ing 1t in tho excitement OF the mining camp,
thoy determined to spend their money In the
lazy sea jaunt. Pirates were frequent in
western waters just then, and every vessel,
however small. made lone provision for re-
s~istance. They had no sooner got clear of the
settlements that An ugly looking, low-lying
vessel bore down on the loungers one bright
morning in April. They laid by for the ap-
proach Of the stranger, when, to the sur
prise and alarm Of those on board OF the
little coaster. named the Gold Bug, n black
flag was run up, followed almost immedi-
atelJ by a shot that sprang across tbs Bugs
nose. Cosgrove was in charge of the yes
sol, as he was an able seaman before having
become a coaster in the California trade.
He ordered his friend and sailors to pre-
pare what arms there were on board for a
sturdy resistance of tho pirate.
Every gun or pistol on board the little
craft. every cutlas. saber, or jacknife, and
every iron pin or bit of steel from the rig
ging that could be used as n weapon was
hurried on deck md the men stood ready.
The heavier guns of the vessel consisted Of
several field pieces. capable of carrying q
1aAAs Doo Aob OOoA
used for some time and little was expected
of them. Each of the little fellows was
carefully loaded. however.
Presently another shot came from the
side of the low-lyinR vessel opposite them.
I. struck the water fifty feet from the Bug,
and bounded along 100 yards further. Then
another white puff Of smoke was seen, and
q muffled report followed. Before it could
be heard, however, a ball had whizzed
through the rigging above Cosgrove's head.
That determined the master of the little
vessel.
'It will just hurry the matter up, boys"
he said, "and 80 l guess we'd better go at
'em. We may do good for ourselves be-
ginnin' now"
Half a minute later one Of the little guns
on the Gold Bug turned half around; a shot
had spod away from it in the direction Of
tho pirate vessel. The aim of the sturdy
sailor was good. The small shot caught the
strange craft amidships, just above the
water line. and the spliuters that flew from
her side told that the fight was not to be
one sided. The pirate ran its flag to the
top of the mast and bore directly down.
Her decks were full of men apparently,
and she was we'll armed, while tina little
ship that Cosgrovs manned was not we'll
equipped in any way.
Lay low, boys" was the command, and
the men sank behind improvised bulwarks.
Shots from the pirate began TO come thick
and fast. One after another poured down
ovsr the little vessel. but they were badly
aimed. The stranger continued to approach
the Bug. however, and CosRrove and his
mon saw that it was time for the fight to
begin in earnest.
Jim Brookbank, who afterward died a
convict in the Illinois p~enitentiary at Ches-
ter, an aged counterfeiter, was a young fol
low who had run away from home in New
York. Under a raking fire Brookbank
sighted ono of the Bugs small guns at the
black craft. The pirate was not 200 feet
away when the first shot was fred. The aim
was good and again the freebooter received
q ball in her side, very near the place whore
then took charge of the gums, and trained
them as nearly as possible in the direction
of the other shots. Two puffs of smoke,
and two more iron messengers sped across
the waters. The next moment Colvin fell
to the deck MORALLY wounded.
The black craft was seen to list pro-
nouncedly and then CosRrove shouted.
''She is sinking, boys, don't let them
board"
II was a close scratch and more than one
OF Cos0rove's brave fellows was hurt in the
rigging as the Bug was made ready to get
out Of the way of the pirate. which in spite
of her disabled condition. was bearing down
on the little coaster. The Gold Bug WAS
moving slowly while the fight was in pro-
gresa. however, and as the strangers move
ments became slower escape was easy.
But Cosgrove did not stop with the es-
cape. The moment all chance Of a hand
to-hand encounter was over he laid to and
watched for results. The erew on the pirate
made for the boats. Tho master could be
seen gesticulating at his men and a mo-
ment later he whipped out a pistol and
began firing at them. He would not let
them lower the boat. They had lived
a life face to -faos with, death, and
now the should not Finch when the mon
efnr lo6 nm Two 1T TIM rira%a nror,,
fell ia the deck dead, when the others
turned on their leader. In q moment the
captain was run through by u saber. leaving
tho men without a head. They rushed
pellmell to the one boat that had been low
cred. some tnmbling over the rail into the
water in their haste. There was but boat
room for fifteen of the pirates. and but
thirteen got places before tho two yawla
pushed off. Tho large craft was rapidly
sinking, and from her black sides the re-
struggling in the water or swimming aim
lessly about i'll the hope of succor from the
little coaster.
In thirty minutes from the firing Of the
first shot the pirate craft careened and with
u swish vent to the bottom. The Don't with
the thirteen sailors on board was we'll clear
of the eddy and the men were Iulling east
ward rapidly. Cosgroyo started in pursuit.
The attempted escape OF the thirteen pirates
IVES a hopeless endeavor, for a shot or two
.auoAn ~ oolu Dug pIOuRub tnem TO Terms.
When the Bug came up with the pirates
they surrendered and one at II time the
thirteen Gullenly climbed over the rail and
wore ironed. They reported the pirate ves-
asl the Black Chief, commanded BY Miguel
Lorenzo. of Havana. Among the thirteen
prisoners was sam Knowles. an American.
He escaped and became u pirate chief un-
der tbs name of Lopez. He was again Gap
tured in 1867 by a United States man-of-
war in the Gulf of Mexico, and was banged
at New Orleans.
Coagrove and his men concluded to put
back to San Francisco. The Gold Bug put
into San Diego harbor for supplies, but
fearful lest the Spaninrds there might at
pushed on to San Francisco. There the
men were tried. and all vera hanged az
cer!t Knowles, who escaped OH a merchant
trader.