The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-18


From the New York Times.
CincinnatL-To look up from a peace
ful cigar and behold a sixteen-inch re-
volver pointed at ones head, to be met
amorphOsed from a tourist into a pris-
oner OF war in the twinkling Of an eye,
to argue vainly with short-spokel men
bTIstling with eloquent firearms, and
finally to be marooned-such incidents
are crowded when brought within the
limits OF a few hours. And when these
things come to pass hundreds Of miles
from the scene of hostilities he who ex-
periences them is likely TO cherish live
ly recollection of his amazing capture
and its consequences.
1t is at least the opinion of Mr.. Fred
erick Hukill, a Cincinnati business man
Of many years standing. that few war
time adventures were more peculiar than
that which befen him on a Lake Erie
steamer and a Lake Erie island in Sep
TENDER, 1864. 1t was his fate to be pas
senger on the Philo Parsons when that
vessel was seized by daring confederates
bound on an expedition to free several
A+ALAle~-AtAo
on Johnson's Island, near Sandusky ana
he still has his passage ticket as me-
mento of the occasion Circumstances
over which the officers of the boat had
| no control prevented the collector from
earning his salary that day, and Mr..
Hukill has never been called upon TO sur
render the little blue card upon which
5. r. Atwood, master. and w. o. Ashley.
clerk, certify to his duly-paid-for right
to transportation upon their craft.
4 was homeward bound from a trip to
Niagara" said Mr. Hukill, travelling with
Alfred Skinner. then a Cincinnatian, but
now a resident of Chicago. We were tax
ing things easily and following a rather
roundabout route. We had crossed to the
Canadian side at the falls. and had met
number of people at the Clifton house.
Had we known how soon we were to en-
counter some of our chance acquaintance
we might have been more deeply impress
ed with them, but, not being prophets, we
almost forgot them as soon as we were
started for Ohio.
Among the places at which we stopped
was kelly's Island. in Lake Erie not far
| from Sandusky. Our plan was to take the
Philo Parsons for that city, and on the day
in question-Sept. 81 think-she touched
at the island about o'clock in the after
noon. As we boarded her we noticed that
she had an unusual number of passengers,
but we were not particularly impressed by
the fact Among them, we observed as we
bought tickets were several Cincinnatians,
a Mr.. Werk, wealthy wine dealer, his
daughter, and a party headed by Mrs. Fa-
ran, wife of the editor of the Enquirer.
There were, besides, a good many men of
soldlerly bearing. 1t surprised me some
what to have one of them ask me If
didn't want to have my valise checked, but
l declined his offer. and. leaving the lug
gage in safe place aft, went with Skin
NJ 20 Hh. i.
chairs little forward of the pilot house.
Mrs. Faran's party was near us.
I'VE lighted cigars and were preparing
TO enjoy the little cruise to the utmost
when something made me look up. For
an instant l couldn't imagine what was
happening, for man was holding a pis-
toll to the pilots head. TSnen another man
came forward with an explanation.
1" Stand back! Stand backv he cried.
Well, we didn't offer to move, for in each
hand he held one of the longest, prettiest
revolvers it was ever my fortune to see;
and he had us covered to a nicely.
Men who are so thoroughly astonished
as we were don't command a fine flow of
language Immediately. Finally, though,
| Skinner broke out:
" What does this mean?' he demanded
" 1t MEANS said the man with the pis-
tolls, who was Capt. John f. Reall the
leader of the raiders, 1T means that we've
captured this boat in the name of the
Southern Confederacy. You are our pris-
oners.'
Before anything more was said some
thing happened to impress us with the
stern reality of our situation. The engi-
neer of the boat, who must have attempted
to resist his captors, tried to reach the
upped deck. There was the report of a
revolver, and we saw him coming up the
stairs. As he reached the top step he fell,
a. nd To- oil, ,f 60,
bullet through his shoulder. Nice, reas-
surfing sight for all of us-the ladies' es-
pecially-wasn't It? In moment or two,
however, the wounded man was picked
up and carried below and out of sight
Meanwhile another of the band had
joined Capt. Beall. The pair asked wheth-
er we had any weapons.
No! we said in a chorus.
"Then they put the question to us one
by one, ladies as well as men. They
took the ladies' word for it, but in the
case of the men they felt our pockets
to make sure that the truth had been told.
This searching made me mad, and when
my turn came temper got away with my
discretion. In fact. just then l was by no
means as frightened as l dare say should
have been, or as l was afterward
" Are you armed?" asked Capt. Beall.
. No sir, I'm not. l snapped back
at him in a mighty ugly tone.
g I asked that in a agentlemanly way
said he sternly, and it deserves a gem
tlemanly answer
Il didn't debate the matter with him.
After finding that l had no firearms he
pushed me back and went on with his
task. This completed, he marched back
to a cabin far aft and let US under guard
to mediate on the general uncertainty of
things in this world.
I'VE were not very cheerful. can assure
you. The steamer. we learned was off
her regular course, heading around Kelly's
Island, and our notions as to what was
to be done with us were extremely hazy
The conduct of one of the guards-a man
named Burley-was of the sort TO add to
our apprehensions. for he was fiourishing
his pistol and talking with a roughness
which was hard to endure. There we
sat in sort of semi-circle near the piano.
which was the biggest piece of furniture
in the cabin, some of the women crying
at the ruffiians oaths. and the rest bare
~ able to control themselves. The fellow
was growing more abusive. Something
had TO be done. and that quickly.
THE officers would protect US from such
insults If we could get word to them.
whispered to a young lady sitting next to
me- i don't believe anybody would harm