The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-01-25
A DEGENERATE SON.
Though Well Born, His Life and Death
We're Disgraceful.

Abused the Many Opportunities Open to
Him-After an Awful Career of Crime
He Escaped From the Law to Be Killed
by Tiger In an Indian Jungle.
An eminent Philadelphia physician who
died recently had, among his large collec-
ton OF ourios, two wooden rings connected
by cord, and there was much conjecture
among his friends as to their use and
origin. The wood was very hard and
heavy and gave out that faint, subtle per-
fume that is noticed on ship built of
teak. The ligature connecting the rings
was of twisted hide, strong as steel and
hard enough to turn the edge of a cutlass.
The doctor was rather reticent about their
use and history, but one day relative
who had been sailor was looking at the
collection and remarked, 'sYou have a
| pair of Chinese darbies, seeP''
Yes; they are handouts but did not
come from China.''
This is their history, as the doctor
| told it,:
In the palmy days Of progress and
commerce in this city, when the United
States bank was in its glory, gentleman
lived here who was agent for one of the
great foreign banking houses. He was
| from Rhode Island and came from one of
the Oldest New England families. He was
an upright gentleman, and he eventually
connected himself with one of our finan-
cial corporations, becoming manager, and
prospered exceedingly.
81 His family wac ond foY7r l..
dren, two boys and two girls. The eldest
boy and girl took after the father in dis
position and looks while the youngest two
were totally different-very dark in eyes
and complexion. They had none of the
physical attributes of their family, while
in mind and disposition they were still
| more divergent.
From childhood they were vicious and
sought evil as pleasure. The boy was dis
| missed from school after school and shun.
ned by all respectable associates. The fam
lily had influence at the navy department.,
and an appointment to West Point was Sc
cured for him.
In two months he was kicked out, and
the letter from the commandment that told
of his wickedness turned the heart of the
father to stone. He gave his wretohed son
sum of money and told him sternly that
If he ever attempted to enter the house
again the law would be put in force against
him, and SO, with growl and curse, the
boy disappeared, never to be seen again by
his parents.
The girl was equally vicious and de-
PRAYED. At 16 she ran away from home
but was reclaimed Every good and kindly
influence was used to correct her evil
ways, but in vain. She again left home
and at the early age of "a ended her sinful
career by being killed in night brawl in
resort in Portland lane, then the Alsatia
of the Quaker City.
The wretched girl was laid to rest, her
Identity known only to those whose lives
she had made a shame and sorrow
Meanwhile the elder children had
grown to be an honor and a blessing to
their parents, inheriting none of the poi
sonous blood of the younger children. The
outlaw brother Tom enlisted on the Race
Independence of the United States navy.
Among her passed midshipmen was a
cousin, and, to his horror, almost the first
man brought to the gratings to be logged
was his disreputable relative Both kept
their own counsel, and it was a measure
of relief when Tom deserted the ship at
Rio and was seen no more
After becoming lieutenant the cousin
left the navy and connected himself with
large shipping firm in Canton. At
this time, in the early forties, a native
pirate known as the Yellow Boy terrorized
the coast. He was hunchback, but bold
bloody and resolute and had with him a
number of foreigners, the worst being de-
serters from English and American war
ships. These were much wanted, and in
all the ports descriptions of them were dis
tributed by the authorities. The lieuten-
ant had no trouble in Identifying one of
the most murderous as his cousin Tom
Finally three English and one Danish
gunboat trapped Yellow Boys fleet of
Junks in bay on the coast, and, with
their heavy guns, made short work of it,
No prisoners were taken, save six Eu-
ropeans, and in 4S hours they were dan
Cling from jewel blocks at the lee yard
| arms, but Tom escaped
IA year after this the ex lieutenant was
in Singapore, and in conversation with
the American consul was told of the arrest
OF one of his countrymen by the Malay po-
| lice for murder committed on riceship
and stated that he was no doubt wanted
by the English authorities for piracy. A
boat was procured, and the two gentlemen
| sailed down the coast some 25 miles and
| landed.
The prison was on the territory of a
native rajah, few miles from the sea. 1t
was built of stone surrounded by dense
thicket, gloomy place strongly guarded
They We're admitted, and, following the
Jaller from one dark passage to another
came to dungeon, lighted by one small
grated window, and here, chained to the
| floor, was white man.
In his youth Tom had been hand
some dark eyed boy, but his cousin looked
in vain for any comeliness in the face of
this ruffian. 1t was SCARED and scared as
| II by the fire Of evil passions, and his black
eyes cleaned with sinister light. He
spoke IN a low growl but evidently recog
nized his visitor. He asked nothing about
his family, but spoke of his luck with
curses and asked what were his chances Of
escape, and when told broke out in vol
10y OF oaths that fairly drove his visitors
| away. After the door closed they heard
him yelling imprecations on himself and
| them.
They passed the night with the Eng
lish superintendent and heard early next
morning that the prisoner had got rid Of
his footirons and escaped in the night