Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1896-12-04
THE HAUNTED SLOOP.

AT tfma. NOT rQntOtA hnt That
tba ,na,norv 10 n st,, uvos In tho ,,,i,d,
90 so,,,o 30 .ho o,dor r,vor ,,a,, 90 No,
". g. 80.
A' s,o.0 "o,o sio"' ,"""' Sio'p'
ehBaRea III traulhR on the HUDSON river
between New York and various pointf
ON the river, and among these was one
that will probably be remembered long
after the others are forgotten.
Tho Martin Wynkoop was designed
to be ono OF the swiftest OF the river
fleet, and her builder put into her con-
struotion only the very best material that
could be procured, while her designer,
Captain Peter Van Corlear. had model
cd her with suoh care that when SHE
was finished she was indeed thing OF
beauty, but the zeal of her commander
was responsible for the tragedy which
bliRhted the marriage of the Wynkoor
to the Hudson and seemed to put an evil
spell upon her which followed her
throughout her brief career
On the day set for tho launching of
the sloop the captain was here, there,
everywhere, issuing orders and guard
ing against anything thnt might occur
to mar the beauty Of his beloved craft.
He had kept her name a profound secret.
intending to proclaim 1t as he left the
stocks, and had provided "a magnum of
champagne with which to bnptizo her
as she few to the embrace Of her bride
groom, but unfortunately for the captain
fate had decided that he was not to car.
ry out his plans, for by some mischance
the sloop started from her resting place
and slid into the water before tho prep
arations were completed, seeming to
choose moment, too, whom her noble
commander was directly In tho way,
and to the horror Of tho bystanders he
was caught between the vessel and the
stocks and crushed to death. He was
not instantly killed. but lived only long
enough to whisper to his mate, 1.-THE
sloop-Martin Wynkoop," thereby sig.
nifying his desire to have that name ap-
piled to her. and 80 she was duly chris
tened.
Captain Morris Blocker succeeded the
Ill fated Van Corlear and fitted the
Rloop out for her first voyage. When she
was ready to SAIL she waa craft that
would have caught the eye Of any sea
muii, lH snt WINS hS DuOyuib uS u cOTh
and graceful as swan upon the water.
Her quarter deck, like the poop Of IA man
of-war. stood high above the main deck
and her immense main boom extended
far and clear beyond her stern.
AT last she was finished, and Captain
Blocker took In cargo for Poughkeep-
sic. leaving New York In the afternoon
and continuing under way till night,
when he anchored behind Clermont
point, not caring to cross the TappaD
Zee hat night.
Aboutiniduight the captain was arous-
ed by the steady clank, clink, clank
Of the windlaas, aa IL some one were get
ting tho anchor. Angry and amazed nj
this apparent breach Of discipline, he
gprang from his bunk and ran on deck.
to find the crew coming aft in body.
"What il the meaning Of this-mu-
tiny?" he roared. And ho backed up
against the poop bulkhead, determined
to fight to tho last.
"No, SIR, answered one Of the men,
his teeth ohuttering as he spoke, while
his companions crowded about him, pale
and silent. Its Rhoatsp'
NHDhJbG ItDthbtu tIlb captain ull-
grily. What do you meanH'
"Why, sir, we heerd tho windlass
poin like some un was gettin the anchor,
aud " hen we runs on deck to aoo what
the matter was there was nobody there,
and tho windlass hadn't been touched. -
The captain had recovered his wits by
this time and saw that he must do some
thing 10 quiet the frightened men.
'Is that alp he said lightly. "Why,
that was some vessel around the point
heaving short and the sound came ncross
the water. 1t was not aboard Of us. Go
below and turn in and I'll look out for
the vessel. The men, seeing that the
captain was not frightened, went below
together, leaving him on deck alone.
Scarcely had they got into the forecas-
tie when there broke on their ears the
sound Of the chain rattling and swapping
an IL paid out through tho hawse pipe,
AZ IL the whole cable were coming out
Of the chain locker.
Up started all hands again, and the
. ,nthi,'a Ia 49," hao, Sia "r ~ " a To-
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