Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-09-25
OH, I'M APIRATE KING
cApruAe or THE CRAFT THAT STOLE
Mr.. sTsAaNss WHEAT CROP.
A Long Chsse After Bold Buecanser-
Dodgine from Port 10 Port
Escape Of tho Crew.

Mr.. Franklin SteaTns. Jr.. his manager
Mr.. Winston, agent for the Steafns estate
ana detective have at last succeeded IN
getting ths graphing irons OF the law
upon the vessel which pirated crop OF
wheat belonging TO tho frst-naned gen
tleman. They did not, however. ind the
wheat. secure the insurance on II, OF
capture tho pirates.
This robbery, taken oil and all. was one
OF che moet audncious that has been per-
petrated since Blackboard terrorized the
Virginia main and puts the achievements
az the historic Dolly Ann TO the blush.
IL will be remembered that in the early
matt ~ August a schooner, the ostensibie
name Of which was the w. A. Muller,
Louis Jones captain. loaded $500 Dusneis
OF wheat for Baltimore at stearns's wharf.
on tia Pamunky river. The bills OF iaain p,
were made ont in the name OF the w. a.
Miller and tho wheat was insured as being
In that vessel. The craft sailed away. bu.
after reasonable time had elapsed and
she iid not put in an appearance at baitl-
more Mr. Stearns began TO suspect very
we'll deyeloped Get in the wheat bin. az the
Miller had disappeared Us completely as II
she had been swallowed up.
TWO "m1LLERs" FOUND.
Investigation was set on foot and two
schooners named w. r. Miller were found.
But one proved an abb, end 1t was ply
steal imposslbility that the other could
have held the wheat xr ~
In the meantime IL seems the w. \:
Miller that had soindustriousiys sought
after bad been metamorphosed INTO
her proper person, so TO speak. the W.. l.
Simpson. The captain had resumed his
right name, which Is George Brown me
craft was bounding over the pillows OF the
Atlantic, and the skipper was blithely and
defantly singing "Oh, l am pirate
king"
These later facts the searcb-party got an
intimation of from another schooner cap
tain. who traded in the Pamunky, and
who knew something of the bold bucea-
neer Brown, and upon thor going TO Baitt-
more they got clue to the location OF the
Simpson.
LONG CHASE.
Then commenced stern chase in dou-
bic sense, and, like oil stern chases, IT was
a long one 1t was discovered that the
Simpson was registered from Camden, N.
j., aud that when last heard from she was
al Westerly, II. /. This latter place was
visited. but the pirate had sailed away.
The next trace was from StoDington,
Conn, where ii was stated the craft was
loading for Perth Amboy, and at this port
a trap was set for her. However, the willy
Brown must have gotten wind of the game
of the enemy, for instead of making Perth
Amboy he put into New Haven, Conn.
But he reckoned without his host IN TINS
maneuvre. Scouts for the pursuing party
were on the outlook, and soon after the
vessel arrived at New Havon deputy
marshal boarded her and notice was sent
TO the pursuers that she had been tied up
at the wharf.
THE PIRATES EscAPE.
But. as before stated, the pirates were
not captured. In New Haven the news of
the steal had become noised about among
the ship-brokers, and one of these happen
ing to see Brown passing his establishment
lust after he landed asked him merely as
Joke il be was the man who stole that
cargo of wheat down in Virginia. The
broker was entirely innocent Of the fact
that Brown was suspected, but, as the story
goes, the pirate turned pale, took reef in
his beard, and scndded to the wharf at Fly
ing-Dutchman speed. Reaching his craft
before the deputy marshal be burned all
his papers. piped all hands except the
cook to the yawl, and pulled away. Be-
fore leaving he told the cook. who IS Q
mere youth, to prepare feast, as he and
his companions would return VIZ o'clock.
At last accounts the cook was sitting
astride of the stove-pipe singing Come
back, my ocean rovers, come," but there
was no sign of their coming.
1t is learned that when Brown and his
crew left the Simpson In the yawl they
took with them q number OF valuable nau-
teal instruments Brown had purchased IN
Baltimore, and the slpposition is that be
intended to secure cargo for some port
in the West Indies.
When Mr.. Winston was asked yesterday
evening what had become of the wheat
he said he imagined it had been ground
into -four and the -four had been eaten.
Among the ashes of the burned papers
found on the Simpson was part OF letter
from Brown to some person, whose name
did not appear. urging hun to press the
collection for that cargo OF wheat" as
be Brown was in need OF the money.
The Simpson will be sold to indemnify
Mr.. Stearns for the>loss of the wheat.
Much of the expense attaching 10 the
chase was caused 10y the delay In securing
the necessary papers 70 seize the schooner
should she be found, but it was determined
in the interest of the public to run her
down at all hazards and at any cost. At
Perth Amboy the municipal authorities
Haid they had no power to act in the mat
ter, but agreed TO take the risk if the COLI
lector of customs of the port would CO.
operate with them. The latter could not
act without certain papers, but he pro-
missed Mr.. Winston that if the Simpson
ever got in there he would manage that she
never got out.