Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-02-18

under what flag they sailed, and the
Negro didn't count The prize had not
long been on its course before the cap
tain found out that the Negro had once
been a slave. and he foolishly threat
ened that when he got TO Charleston he
would sell him, with the rest of the
cargo. at the biggest price he could get
The threat filed the Negro with horror,
and inspired him with plans of escape
from fate which he dreaded more than
death.
He tried to enlist the Swedes in a
scheme to overcome the captain and
the two sailors of the prize crew, but
they declined, saying that the risk to
them was too great as they would be
killed if any such plot failed, and they
had nothing to fear from being taken
into a southern port After their re-
fusal the Negro seemed to give up his
idea, and nothing in his words or acts
gave any intimatiou of whatwas going
on within him. He was large and
powerful man, ebony black, and that
part of the ye which is usually white
in him was a bright yellow. which
gave him peculiar expression, some
what like tiger; he had also, habit
of treading softly with his toes punched
like a cushion.
The brig was steadily moving on
with light airs over smooth seas toward
Charleston, and seemed likely to reach
port in due time. One moonlight night
the captain was asleep in the cabin,
one of the prize crew was at the wheel
half asleep, and the other one was on
duty at the waist The Swedes were
in the forecastle, where the Negro was
also supposed to be. Stealthily his
dark form crept through the shadows
till he came suddenly upon the helms
man, and with one blow from an ak
which he had concealed beneath his
jacket he laid the sailor lifeless on the
deck The man in the waist of the
brig hearing the fall aroused and sprang
toward the Negro, who disabled him
with another blow of the ak
just at this moment the captain, who
had been warned of danger by the call
of the second sailor appeared at the
companion-way, armed, and in a mo-
ment the Negro and the captain were
locked in a deadly embrace, and rolled
together down the stairs into the cabin
After a brief struggle the Negro came
up, dragging the body of the captain,
who was still alive and begging for
mercy. mo" said the Negro; you
swore you would sell me for slave in
Charleston, and you're going over
board. F" And overheard he threw the
captain and the bodies of the other two
sailors of the prize crew. The Swedes
had come on deck, and trembling for
their lives had taken to the rigging
The Negro called them down, assuring
them that they should suffer no harm,
explaining to them that killing pirates
was not murder, and that if they would
help him navigate the vessel to New
York the salvage would pay them
handsomely.
They trusted the black man, and the
vessel was safely brought to Sandy
Hook, where pilot was taken who
brought her to New York. A case was
brought for salvage, and successfully
argued by eminent counsel The Negro
was kept for time in prison, but was
hAbiiAAabCAO ACACaoCds ACOCAfCQ LIS sd
wage money, with which he bought a
farm in New England, where a few
years since he was living in comfort
and happiness and also giving home
to his aged mother.
/ have mentioned the fearful look
from this mans eye. An amusing in
stance of its effect took place in the
lawyers Office. The delay in getting
the money out of court after the case
was settled and the Negro at liberty
was inexplicable to him, and he used
to come often to know when the amount
awarded him would be paid. The clerk
who received visitors, little old man
of timorous nature, was one day
startled by hearing, in a deep bass
voice: Where's my money!" He
looked around, saw this large, yellow
eyed Negro bending over him, and his
terror was SO great that he leaped clean
over his writing-desk and fed to the in.
ner room of his employer. Y. OBJ