The Forrest City times., 1896-07-10

The porter saw him descend with soap
and towels, and heard him splashing
about for time. Half an hour passed
away, and as Littlefield did not return
the porter went down to look for him
and failed to find him. 1t was high tide
and his clothing was hanging on
hook out of reach of the water, but as
for the man himself he had disappeared
as mysteriously as the other two. The
alarm Was given and the drags brought
out, but nothing was grappled.
diver was found to go down in his
armor, and he made an exhaustive
search of the slip and the deep hole.
He made just one find and nothing
could be proved by that From the
bottom of the hole he brought out a
human skull which was as clean as a
billiard ball and had evidently been In
the water for long time 1t was
finally identified by the teeth as the
skull of the first victim of this strange
mystery, but the Identification did not
prove by what means the clerk came to
his death. Watchmen were employed
night and day, boats were stationed
here and there, but Littlefield's body
did not rise to the surface. A reward
of $4,000 was offered for the recovery of
the body, and later reward of 81 900
was offered to anyone who could solve
the mystery. After two or three months
the fate of the last victim passed from
the public mind, and by order of
Schmidt & Co. no one was permitted to
make further use of the platform under
the office.
In the year 1874 l was mate of a
sandalwood trader visiting the islands
in the Java sea, and when fully loaded
we sailed for Batavia to offer our cargo
to Schmidt & Co. We had no difficulty
in making sale, and our craft, draw
ing less than seven feet of water, was
hauled into the shallow slip to dis
charge cargo. We entered the slip of
Saturday afternoon and were not to
begin discharging cargo until Monday
morning. Our crew consisted of six
men. The three seamen and cook were
Lascars. Sunday morning about ten
o'clock the captain and left the craft
to take stroll through the city.
Scarcely had we left the wharf when
the cook and seamen disrobed and
plunged into the waters of the slip for
a swim.
After awhile they started on a race
out into the harbor, but as they passed
over the deep hole at the mouth of the
slip the cook suddenly disappeared.
The two seamen on the vessel and three
or four loungers on the wharf all
agreed that something suddenly
| flashed out of the water, curled around
the cooks neck, and drew his head
under waller just as he was crying
out in terror. That something black"
was about the size of an inch rope, very
| flexible, and 1t was moved with great
swiftness. The man was pulled down
SO quickly that no one could be sure
that he saw what he saw. We spent the
entire afternoon dragging the slip and
rowing about the harbor. but as in the
three other cases no trace of the body
| was found.
One day while we were waiting for
the excitement to calm down, and
while strolling about the wharf, puff
of wind blew my hat into the slip. The
tide was coming in just then and near
ly at high water, and the hat was car
ried under the wharf and lodged
against the platform. To recover it
went down the long disused stairway
There was at least ten inches of water
over the platform, and the hat had
caught on splinter at the corner near
est the deep hole. / splashed through
the water and bent over to grab for
my headgear. Just as my fingers
seized 1t something darted out of the
water and whipped around my shoul-
ders. Close at hand was a spile, with
two braces from the platform secured
to 1t,
As / instinctively started up L was
| drawn into the crotch made by these
braces and threw out my hands and
got firm hold. ] cried out in alarm as
] was drawn forward, but had no idea
of what was happening. My first
thought was that the platform had
given way under my feet. 1t was
matter of IS seconds before second
something darted from the water and
fell across my shoulders. l saw it as it
came, and instantly realized that it was
one of the tentacles of large octopus.
now screamed for help, and as called
out third tentacle shot forward and
struck me at the bend of the knees.
My cries raised an instant alarm on the
wharf. Inside of five minutes dozen
men, mostly sailors, were down on the
stairs and platform and ready to rem
der assistance.
The clothing / had on consisted of a
wooden shirt and pair of trousers of
rather heavy cloth. Owing to this the
air cups of the tentacles did not strike