Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-11-30


VA tlsa lAad .sa toot AMI Deposited 10
ths boat ca The bach fheE ths gzn,s
spfresch-i ne d<or u body. and me
lsssisr called ~ M;
.-Coms. now. open thts coori We
know Yen srs al alone IN there. but We
dat want bioosishsd u Il GA b aroid-
ed We nave come after that inonsy and
ere bound 10 have IL"
''Thars's no rnoasy here. AK my cons-
rsds. snd hs'll tsll yoa the same"
''Bar open tho door end lst o. sea
Il sk~n't do itf''
The lighthouse WAS . plate worth loot
ing. We lad three or fcar barrels 20
on. barrel ~ naol4ssss. one 81 rioa. bali
hsrrvl Of sugar, two barrels Of hour.
lot II bacon and hard tack. barrel of
coffee and other ssan. II the gang piua-
dercd tbs place. they were not likely to
leave two witnesses behind when they
sailed away, nor was II probable thsy
would land us 20 any point where We
could give sn immediate alarm. The
chances were st least even up that thsy
would murder N b conceal their idensi-
". Having served - . soldier for over
three years and knowing the strength OF
the position l occupied. WA not ~ 81
frightened BY the presence Of the gang.
A demand was again made on me % opsn
the door, and when l refused knew
pretty well what their frst move would
ba. On the beach near their boat lay q
piece Of timber which the tide had strand
A. - tr.t n
hands Of sin stout fellows II would have
proved q powerful battering ram. They
had evidently made mp their minds that
| wouldn't dare shoot. for they catae
straight a the door with the timber.
Even when thrust my musket through
the loophole they paid no attention. but
as saw they were bound 20 batter the
door In I put bullet into the right
shoulder Of the leader. he wasn't over
IS feet away. and the bullet whirled him
twice around and then pitched him head
long. Two OF the gang seized him and
pulled him aside. and then al got out Of
range. Every man Of them had knife
and a pair Of revolvers. bat they soon
discovered that numbers and weapons
utuu CUAut. AnC4U W ~ w thR&tto w
fire on me except through the loopholes.
and | was carefully watching one OF
those. They did creep mp 10 the other
and fire five or SIX shots into the room.
but IL was powder and ball thrown away.
II was about half past o'clock in the
afternoon when was driven inside.
Half an hour after the wounding Of their
leader they were ready to give II up rs q
bad job and return TO their sloop. Their
small boat lay directly In front Of the
door, and as they began moving toward
IL fired and slightly wounded one Of
the men assisting tho leader TO set dewn
10 the beach. All Of them ut once bur-
ried to the left 10 get out Of range. II
had struck me that IL they took Wilson
away they would murder him. and de
termined TO keep them from ths boat. In
q few minutes one Of the gang came
creeping around a. near my loophole ss
he dared To demand my surrender. II 1
refused, they would burn me out
There being no drift stuff within q
mile Of Us. did not worry over his
threat As he retreated TO the rear Of
inc nou1o W fcIOtu Ills VIII ofitotis = naW
Wilson's head rise above the gunwale Of
the boat. Seeing the coast clear, he rose
up. lesped out Of the boat and showed
her into the water. The tide was going
out. and with the help Of the oars he was
soon aboard OF the sloop. Imado my
way To the lantern room to watch his
movements. and when | saw him han
ding double barreled shotgun which
he had brought from the cabin gave
him q cheer which put the rascals below
On the alert and resulted In their discov-
cry OF what bad occurred. The sstua-
ton now presented was curious one. ]
was a prisoner inside the lighthouse. but
the gang were prisoners outside as well.
Wilson had captured both boat and
sloop. and while he could render me no
assistance he stood between the men and
escape.
Iexpected to be fred on when light
ed the lantern, which was in an exposed
position. aud sure enough they opened on
me- with their revolvers and shaved me