The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-11-07
THE FIELD OF ADVENTURE
THRILLING INCIDENTS AND OAR
ING DEEDS ON LAND AND SEA.
Az the Mercy OF a Crazy Man-Four
Fishermen Adrift Five Days
freed By a Boar.

Fienermen Aufht rNe D11
freed By a Boar.
'HE story brought in by Cap
tain Fritz, OF the ship Granite
State, some time ago, is re-
mnrkable instance of the mis-
chief one man may be responsible for
on board ship at sea. The ship was
at the mercy of crazy Spaniard for
two days and nights, and, to add to
the terror of the situation, she was
loaded with kerosene oil in cases, an
the man was intrenched in the hold
behind barricade Of the cases, and
was fully prepared to set fire to the
ship before being captured. In the
efforts to capture HIM Captain Fritz
was severely wounded by o knife fas-
tened to the end of shovel handle,
and while the crew was wasting am.
munition in vain attempt to reach |
the man with shot he waited behind |
his barrlcade and when the firing |
ceased began his work of slashing |
those of his shipmates who were with
in reach of his terrible weapon. On |
| the third attempt to dislodge him
there WAS no resistance, and it was
found that he had cut his own throat
with his knife. lie had provided n
supply of biscuit and water, aud had
a pipe and tobacco aud plenty OF
matches, and 1t was not until his
body had been dropped over the side
and the cargo restored that the cap
tain and the crew of the Granite State
felt easy.
Insanity was the cause of another
case of death at sea, which vas
brought before Judge Lacombe seven
wears ago, when Captain Justus A.
Bailey and Mate Donald A. Nicholson.
of the ship Southern Cross, were held
in bail for having caused the death OF
All Low, the Chinese cook oil the ship.
In the testimony it came ont that the
Chinaman, in a fit of insanity, had
barricaded himself in the galley, cut
a hole through the deck at a place
here he could reach @ lot of ammuni-
ton which was in the cargo, AMI then,
being fully equipped, began fusil-
Jade OF shuts through the after win
dow OF his little fort. Attempts were
made to force the door, but the cook
threatened to blow up the ship, and
as the hole he had made in the deck
opened dileetly over lot of nitro
eIycerine, guurowder, gasoline and
cartridges, it was no Idle threat. The
captain ordered his men to protect
) themselves with boards from the shots
OF the cook and break in the door,
but their attempts were unavalilng,
and as last resort the captain took
a heavy rife and began firing shots ct
random through the door Of the gal
/ lev. For some time the ehots were
answered by the opium -crazed China
man, bat finally tue answers ceased,
: and when the place was entered the
cook was found to be dead. The
! Southern Cross brought into port the
! galley untouched after the fight, and
4 the doors and walls were unmistakable
7 evidence that there had been O hot
war on small scale on board. New
York Tribune.
t Two Fishermen Adrift Five Days
John Powers and James Ring, two
7 |
g Norma, of Gloucester, Mass, arrived
a there recently after being astray five
days and six nights In dory without
l food or water. When they strayet
from the schooner they had nothing
u with them but half a jug OF water ant
little bait in the bottom OF thei
o dory, which had been shaken from
e the travis in hauling the day befor'
and which was in decomposed state
a They pulled until midnight and thel
rugged drag which was thrown on
d to keep the boat headed to the wind
II The men laid down in their craft an
# went to sleep, while the boat drIfte'
, before the wind at sea.
J. AS the morning dawned, fog set i
: again. Toward evening they hear
the fog horn of steamer close by
They rowed toward the sound, but tn
N vessel passed without discoverin
% them. They then again headed TO
a land. Their stock of water had b
a this time become exhausted. an
thirsty and hungry, they ate the bl'
b. of bait in the bottom of the dory.
10 The next day their boat was almo'
re crushed by an iceberg that drifte
down on them, bat relief was afforde
by piece of ice which they manage
to take from the berg, therewlt
auenching their thirst. The sea col
tinued rough, with wet, foggy weathe
On the fifth day they were nearly e
hausted, and with their cramped co
ditien and blistered hands they we
NJ hardly able to row through the nigh
II but did SO the best they could in ord
to keep warm.
On the sixth night their fra1l cra
drlfted while the occupants lay In I
bottom with the intention OF RENAL
ing there until death relieved the
! of their suffering. The wealth
cleared, however, and they we
sighted by the British brig Dion
ID Captain Bowden, from Cadiz for
his John, n. F.. which picked them
wn and landed them at st. Johns. :.
IN. the time OF their rescue they were l
sn' miles from land. The United Stat
nd Consul sent them to Halifax, when
! I they we're forwarded to their hon
led in Gloucester.