The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-02-08

LAySCAA NAbhCooC0 w. oAN oAAOAeAy oASS- - |
bells (half past 10 at night) CappermOle
died, being buried at sea the next day,
Tuesday.
l had been melancholy and depressed
without hope before, but now began my
anxious time.
Cappermole's statement was OF no use
unless l could get the knowledge OF 1t to
the authorities in England in time to stop
my friend Rupert execution on Thursday
morning, and it was race against time.
We were in ordinary course due at New
York on Wednesday afternoon about
o clock, which would be about 9 o clock at
night in England We had had favorable
weather and had made good way, and If
we kept on we should be in on time, If not
before, but on Tuesday morning we ran
into dense fog, and our course was i'm
peded, and the engines slowed down.
| sought the captain and told him exactly
what was depending on our not losing time.
He was fine fellow, was Captain Mariner,
and he fully sympathized with me. We
debated the matter and considered it all
round for few minutes. To go full steam
ahead was terribly dangerous, as the look
out men could see no distance to speak Of
owing to the fog, but the captain at last
determined to do it.
''Fn do it, Sparton," he cried. 81
feel that this man was sent on board my
ship, and injured so that he felt himself
dying and bound to confess by Providence,
and if don't try to save Rupert Rowing
L shall consider l have been the cause OF
his being hanged If 1 do try and any
thing happens to our ship, then may God
preserve us. -
"To which answered solemnly,
"Amen.'
Rushing off to the chief engineer |
briefly explained matters to him and gave
him the captains orders. The engineer
was a big, hard headed Scotchman, and
gripping my hand in a grasp like wise he
cried:
"Tll max the ship go, Robert. But
it'll be bad thing for onything we run
into I'm thinking. 1t will that. .
Well, we tore along through the fog all
day Tuesday. was in dreadful state
of mind. On the one hand | was all
anxiety to reach port in time to cable to
England, and stop the execution of Rupert,
while on the other we were risking the lives
of the crew and some $50 passengers, to
say nothing of the ship and the cargo
I didn't leave the deck for moment all
day. 1 promised the captain l would not
leave stone unturned to insure the safety
of the vessel. We put three times the or
binary number of men on the lookout and
kept fog horning and whistling all day
long, but by merciful providence we had
clear course. We only sighted one vessel
about midday, but 1 could not discern
what she was. Toward night the fog
lifted. and the stars shone. MeGreig, the
engineer, now had the coal piled on at
fearful rate, and we shot through the
water like an arrow, but early the next
morning the wretched fog came on agal"-
We were of course nearing the land, and
the risk of collision was every minute more
serious. We kept on in our mad career.
The passengers knew there was something
queer about steaming so fast through a
fog, but | answered them all "Oh,
we're all right. We're on our usual track,
and nothing gets in our way.
This was true to some extent, but the
risk was enormous, and every mile that we
got nearer land got more and more ner-
vous
However, to cut long story short, we
| gained New York harbor at 3. 30 on We'd
nesday afternoon after nearly running down
an outgoing steamer some 20 miles out and
which we avoided by the skin of our teeth.
As soon as we arrived I hurried ashore,
by the captains permission, and hunted
up the British consul, whom / dragged of
to the cable company's Office, and we sent
| a joint telegram from him and the captain
to the home secretary in London. L also
wired to the governor Of the jail where
Rupert was waiting execution, to Rupert
himself and to my sister. The message to
the home secretary was long one. re-
member it cost me about 95.
waited at the cable Office for reply.
Il came within four hours, which was
pretty Quick work, rs my message would
not reach London till about9 o'clock at
night, English time being five hours ahead
of New York.
Rupert was respited till our evidence
co uld be brought home an q inquired into
an in less than another mo nth | had the
pie asure of shaking him by the hand as an
acknowledged innocent man, her majesty
having, in the peculiar fashion OF English
law been pleased to grant him ''free
pardon for an offense he had never COM
mitted.
However, all was right at last. Rupert
succeeded to his uncle's property and mar
ried my sister Patty in due course.
But the two days following Cappemole' s
confession were the most anxious time In
| my life. 1 was thoroughly upset and al
| most PROSTATE for week afterward, which
| is saving great deal for strong nerved