Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1896-11-28
IDENTIFIED IN TINE.

Judge the jury found verdict of guilty
without leaving the box. Then the clerk
put the formal questions
prisoner at the bar, you have heard
the verdict Of the jury. Have you any
thing to say why sentence of death should
not I've passed upon you?'
"Well, cap'n, it's hard to bo hung for
nothin, but can see this ycre is Il yard
arm business. l knows no more ~ this
ere burglary nor n habby, but these Wit
nesses ha'n't told no lies, s'poso. And
what can l say agin 'em? When this thing
came off, was fighting the slaves Of tho
gold coast But you've got no call to be.
lievo that, so there's an end OF -
There was something bluff and manly
about the prisoners manner which i'm.
pressed the judge, who said, not unkindly.
but, surely prisoner, If your story Is
true, you must have friends and comrades
with whom you could have communi-
Catedp If you had thought they could do
you good, you would have done this. 1t
is too late now"
you're right, cap'n; it is too late. But
It's all very well TO say Let 'Cm know
when II man is locked up in Jail and can't
read or write and don't know where
they arc. They may ho in AmCriky, and
they may be ut the Cape, and how could |
lot EN- know? Lcastways, not in time.
No, it's no USE Cap'n, and you'd better
order ne to 10 run up to the yardarm at
once"
Every ono in court stared in amazcment
at the man who thus c0rlly urged tho
judge to hasten his execution while ut tho
same time protesting his innocence Tho
judge was evidently tuurhrd.
But, prisoner, tho court has no wish to
hang II man who may bo innocent. Is
there no one who could speak for your"
mot likely he Legan. But suddenly
he stopped short, II look of astonishmcnt
came over his face, no leaned eagerly for
ward, his eyes seemed starting from their
sockets. Slowly Thomas Wilson raised his
arm, and, pointing solcInnly to the
stranger from the Lion hotel, who sat on
the Eonch said, in II voice half chokcd by
emotions:
"No-cs; there's u gentleman thorc who
might speak for me, II ho owoud."
The judge turned sharply round. do
you know the prisoner" ne asked
"No, my lord" was the reply. ~ never
saw him before in my lie"
A deep grOan burst from tho prisoner,
and it was echoed hy something very like
sigh Of GisappUintmcnt from tho people
In court
"Well, Cap'n sharpe, IL you put tho
rope round my neck, give in. Go on, my
lord, I'm ready for the yarllurm." "
stay" said the judge, turning again
to the stranger, care you Captain Sharpog"
Eyes, my lord, )" wac the reply.
"Well, the prisoner seems to recognize
you, and under the peculiar circumstances
l will ask you to step into tho witness
box and be sworn in or,lcr that the prs-
oner may ask YOU questions"
Captain Sharpe stepped into the witness
box Thomas Wilson began TO question
him.
Beg pardon, sir, but are you Cap'n !
Sharpe of his mnjcsty's ship Wultur?"
YES, l am Captain Sharpe, and did /
command tho Vulture before she was paid |
off,"
"Was you, sir, in command of her last
spring on the gold coast"
II was"
"And wasn't one of your crew."
"CGrtGinly not l mover saw your faco
before in my lifo."
"But, CGp'n, don't you remember that !
big Arab dhow that gave yer so much !
trouble? Don't yer remember boardin of |
herr"
"ICs, but all this has been in the news !
papers, where you have probably read it, I
for l am certain you were not ono Of my |
crew"
"What Cap'n Sharper' cried the pris- /
oncr, almost in roar, ~ wasn't b one Of
your crew! Don't yer remember who came
between you and tho big niggCr that was
. ust a-gOiu to cut yer down, and don't yer |
remember what lie got for it? Don't yer
remember this, Cap'n SharpcE"
And as no almost shrokod out these
words the prisoner pulled aside his full
shock Of hair and showed white scar ex-
tending along the whole Of the scalp.
Captain Sharpe stared hard at tho in
torrogator; u strange puzzled expression
came over his face; then he slowly NUT
tered:
"Hcavensl Is it possible? Why, you
must bo Tom Wilson, my old boutswain!"
Captain Sharpe, leaving the witness box,
made his way across the court to the dock
Then he seized the prisoner by tho hand,
and, turning To tho judge, with tears IN his
eyes, he said
MY lord, there is some terrible mistake
here. This is certainly Tom Wilson, my
old bos'n, but he's so changed-I suppose
by the anxiety and imprisonment ho has
undergonc-that did not recognize him
at first. You can't hang the old bos II OF
the Nulture my lord, unless you hang his
captain with him.
The scene which followed has probably
never had parallel in any court Of JUS
uce. Tho spectators gave vent to their
pent up emotions in ringing cheers, which
the Judge mado no attempt to CHECK. In
deed, no was himself 50 affected that the
tears were running down his cl.ccl:s
when silence was restored, Lis lurusnip
Lurned to tho jury ana said
Gentlemen, 1 think this is u case in
which you may well reconsider your yvr-
dict. "
We have" my lord, promptly replied
the foreman, "and we find the prisoner
not guilty"
About 10 O'Clock that night Captain
Sharpe, accompanied by his faithful boat
'wain, lett Chester for London Had the
nd IN n INN, n,rnnLnnu.I l., - - 1.