The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-15

he could be ready for action within two
weeks after her arrival in San Francisco.
Upon receipt of this intelligence Miss Ell
liot left Washington and sailed on the mail
steamer from New York and arrived in
San Francisco in due course. Here they
awaited the sailing of the vessel which
had been designated to carry a shipment
of gold to the government. Upon this
ship the John L. Stephens, Miss Elliot.
Neville and eight of their confederates took
passage. The schooner Chapman had
been for two weeks ready for her coast
ing voyage, and, as she did not go to sea.
the United States officers became sus-
picious of her and placed a watch where
they could observe everything occurring
on board. They also searched the vessel.
but found everything correct and would
have dismissed the watch had not a well
known southerner, while intoxicated,
Dragged of what they were going to do.
This was reported to the revenue officers
and extra precautions were taken. At
the time Miss Elliot arrived in San Fran
cisco Neville gave orders for the captain
to take the men who had been engaged in
San Francisco weeks before, and who were
then at different sailors boarding houses,
to put to sea and join her consort off the
island of Santa Cruz. These men went on
board in the night and next morning the
ship got under way, showing only the US
ual number of men on deck! But the
United States revenue cutter stopped her
and conveyed her to an anchorage under
the guns of Alcatraz Island. The officers
and crew OF fOrty-SeVen men were arrested.
In order nor to have his plans blocked.
Neville started two men overland on
horseback for Santa Barbara 20 take
boat from there to the island and notify
the captain of the Vesta of the seizure
of the Chapman. The captain of the
Vesta was ordered to intercept the steam.
fo1H tha+
federates would be on board to assist him,
and that they would disable the machin-
cry of the vessel in case the guns of the
schooner did not compel the steamer to
stop while they took the gold from her.
But the best-laid schemes O. mice and
men gang aft a-gley." When the two
messengers crossed to the island from
Santa Barbara. they found the captain
and all hands of the Vesta blind drunk
and before they could be sobered up and
got ready the John L. Stephens went
steaming by with the government gold.
1t seems that United States Marshal
Rand had got wind of the contemplated
raid to-@Npture the gold on the steamer,
and he warned the officers of the steamer
of what might be attempted, and placed
on board twelve of his deputies, dressed
as old Californians. These men took
passage in the Storage and professed to
be returning to their eastern homes. They
nad holsters Win plslolS DSlled AROUND
their waists in the usual California style.
They made the acquaintance of Ne
villes men and two of the agreed to
guard Neville as the steamer was to pass
through the Santa Barbara channel Each
deputy marshal had his man picked. and,
If the attack had been made by the
schooner Vesta, they would have shot
Neville and every one of his gang.
The plot mscarried and the steamer
passed on her way to Panama without
any trouble.
The syndicate of English friends Of the
southern confederacy lost all that Neville
had expended in fitting out the expedition
with the exception of the proceeds of the
sale of the schooner Vesta and her sup
plies at Hong Kong, whittier she went aft
er the failure of Nevilles plans. The con-
federates of Neville who sailed with him
on the steamer, were paid off by him at
Panama and ne and Miss Elliot took the
French steamer at Aspinwall for the West
Indies and Europe The newspapers of
San Francisco gave an account Of the
tempest in a teapot" when the schooner
Chapman was seized for attempted piracy.