Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-01-08

watching intently that dear, sweet face
Of his daughter, upon which the full
sunlight shOne.
Thirty seven years ago conv1ct
ship was sailing from England for
Botany Bay, under the command OF
brave captain and crew. There were
no fewer than forty cOnvicts on board
desperate fellows Of every descrip-
ton; thieves, highwaymen, manslay-
ers, all kinds Of villains. Among
them was one whose case had excited
much interest at home, since many peo-
ple believed him innocent-moraily, at
any rate-of crime he was said to
have committed. Among a gang OK
poachers one night he, their superior In
rank, had had the misfortune to shoot
one Of the keepers who watched FOR
then and attacked them. The shot
h6i killed the keeper, but there was
some doubt as to whose gun 1t had
come from, and, when the convict In
question was arrested and charged,
| the keepers swore that he had fired the
shot. For himself, he knew not wheth-
er this was 80; several Of his fellow
poachers said he was innocent, and that
the real culprit had escaped. His SEN
| tence. however, was that Of penal servi.
tude at Botany Bay for life-probably
! the doubt alone saved him from be-
| ing hanged.
Naturally. his spirit was CALLED; he
! became morose, wild, severe In aspect
as in temper, and his reputation on the
convict ship was that Of the worst
criminal on board. He rebelled at his
tailers, at his food, at his confinement
and felt ready for any dark deed. The
chance soon came. The vessel was of
the Cape of Good Hope, some miles
away, when he first got knowledge Of
q projected mutiny, in which the cap
murdered; and the successful mutneer.
Ing convicts were then to steer for
some unknown point in Africa and land
there.
! "It was q desperate scheme and with
the mutiny he was thoroughly In UNI.
son, but not with the murder. He waa
not yet as black as that, and tried hard
to dissuade his fierce companions from
1t, but in vain. AS they persisted In
their plans, he felt that all he could do
, was to keep quiet till the time for
action came; but the captain and his
wife had been really kind to him, and
he determined that they should not
die. Yet he would not betray his com
panions like a coward
ION Sept S the attack was made. He
stood near the captains cabin to pro
tect its unsuspecting inmates. When
the mutineers. having seized the watch
on deck and killed them, came rushing
down, he ordered them back from that
cabin; they refused to go, and fight
ensued The captain became reused,
the alarm was given, and, after des-
perate resistance. the rebels were over
powered and put in irons. The cap
tain begged of the guards to set the
convict who had saved his life at lib
erty, but they declined, pretending that.
in reality, he was as bad as the rest.
So he was closely guarded.
"It was touching at Perth that the
captains opportunity came. Having
secured the cooperation of his mates,
he entertained the whole OF the guards
to dinner one evening, and made them
helplessly drunk. In the meantime one
of his party cOntrived to secure posses
sion of the keys. and in a few moments
the conyict's irons had been unloos
ened, and lie was free. The captain
himself came and shook hands with
him ere he sent him off In the boat
which was waiting for him.
~ know said he. that what | have
done for you is risky and may cost me
something if my part is discovered;
but you saved my life, SO l will take
this risk To save you from the crushin =
penal seryitude. All l have to say TO
You is, get away from the coast, after
you have landed, as soon as possible.
change your name and appearance as
much as you can: go into some honest
business, and. though it is not likely.
If ever l do hear of you again let it be
In such way that will do you credit,
and repay me for giving you freedom
tonight
THE tears stood In the convict's eyes
as he thanked his benefactOr and grasp
ed his hand.
''Sir. l shall take your advice. My
little bit of good was almost gone by
the brutal treatment l have suffered
for l don't think l killed that game
keeper, but even If did, it was purely
accidental. You have proved to me
that all the kindness and gratitude ars
| not yet gone out of the world, and
| hope some day to be able to show you
how l appreciate 1t
"Within a few minutes more the boat
had landed him on the mainland. He
watched 1t return to the ship and then
departed.
| at was six years after this that, with
money made in sheep farming. Joseph
Turnell, the former convict, turned up
at Ballarat just as the first rush of the
/ gold fever occurred. 1t was Turnell
who bought the great tract Of land
which was afterward discovered to be
almost wholly gold under the surface,
and who sold it. after getting some
thousands out Of 1t, for a very large
! sum. But nobody in England or Aus
tralia, when Joseph Turnelrs name was
mentioned, ever thought for a moment
that he was the escaped convict about
whom such a stir had been made at
home, both on his escape and later,
! when a dying tramp confessed that 1t
was his gunshOt that memorable night
which killed the keeper.
Joseph Turnell was wealthy, and
had married a dear girl in Victoria
who had borne him a daughter ere she
died. Need go on, Emily? You have
guessed it all! He came to England,
and TOOK the name of Henry Vane, Ow-
ing to having had some estates left him,
as he told his friends; in reality, to
throw any chance old acquaintance off
the scent There Is no fear now Of any
discovery or disagreeable thing hap