West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1897-02-04
eOrs"c~I 1870 sr ret Aurnoa.

may happen TO US with GO desperate vii.
lains aboard. l understand that all our
prisoners are long termers and over
half Of them are going for life. / am
going to arrange the main cabin SO that
we can turn II into a fort If necessary. -
Presuniing that you have never been
aboard Of "a sailing craft. ! make bold
TO tell you that oar quarters COMPRISED
a man G..Dln, "a uiAlas room and three
staterooms. Forward of it and reached
by the same entrance or companionway
were the quarters fitted up for the pas
sengers. The roof of the cabin was ele-
waited about two feet above the deck and
was lighted jn part by n skyliqht in the
center. Each stateroom had small
window looking out ON deck, and tho
dining room had three or four. The en-
trance to the cabin was in front.
Well, what we did was TO secure iron
shutters for all the windows looking out
forward, each shutter having portfolio
for musketry firing and likewise iron
plates which could be clamped on be-
meath the skylight if the emergency
arose. Then the bulkhead between cage
No. and the passengers quarters was
provided with portfolios and made bull
let proof as well. For the cabin defense
we bought four double barreled shot.
guns and two rifles. This would give
us, III case of row, six good arms, TO
say nothing OF the officers pistols and
what firearms the passengers might
bring You will observe that have left
the seven guards entirely out in my
figuring.
When the Hindu was ready to receive
the convicts, a government inspector
came aboard to see that everything re-
lating to the prisoners was shipshapa.
There was nothing TO find fault with,
and he named the date when the gang
would he sent aboard. Our passengers
came first-exactly 20 of them. Whom
do you suppose the first three were?
When / first clapped eyes on them,
was so taken aback that stood open
mouthed and could not utter word.
They were Mr.. and Mrs. Williams and
the daughter, Mary. 1t had been six
weeks since left Dudley. and / had re-
ceived no news Of them whatever,
though was every day trying to pluck
up the courage TO write direct 20 Mary
herself.
"Well, Ralph, it's this way, said
the father as 1 expressed my astonish-
ment. Everybody knows the gal is I'M
noceDt as babe, but she can't abide
notoriety. Wen go ont TO Australia
and have look around, and if things
don't suit we can return after couple
of years. I'd FORGOTTEN the name Of your
craft, and it's pleased am to find that
we are to sail with you.
II can't cav that Mary coprna1 ouoF-
pleased to find me there Indeed, she
acted as if considerably put out about
it. While may not have been distaste-
full TO her personally, yet the sight of
me kept all the past in mind. and she
had taken her troubles very much TO
heart. She shook hands and made an
effort to be friendly, however, and that
was all could expect. OF the other II
passengers there were four married cou-
ples, two young women servants, one
single man and six children. They were
all middle class people, tidy and re-
spectacle, and we could not have asked
for better lot
The passengers came aboard in the
morning. At 2 o'clock in the after
noon our prisoners came alongside un-
der heavy guard, and / received an
other shock, and far more disagTeeable
one. The first convict 10 step aboard
was Ben johnson, the villain who was
to blame for what had gone through.
We were face to face before we recog-
nized each other. He was bandcuffed
and also bad ON leg chains, for he had
become so desperate that everybody
feared him. His face was full Of curl
osity as he stepped on deck, but the in
stant his eyes lighted on me he raised
his manacled hands TO strike and shout
ed at the top Of his voice:
"You here, Ralph Tompkinsl An,
you cowardly cur, but I could ask for
no better lucki When we take the ship,
IL will be my pleasure TO fay you alive. "
/ knew, Of course, that he had been
sentenced to transportation for life, bat
it had never occurred to me that he
might be among the gang Of co. Tho
guards seized him aud were husilinR
him along when hc caught sight Of
Mary and her parents. Ilc realized iu
am instant that they were passengers,
and there was n look Of dcvilish ferOcity
ON his face e. De cried out:
what And Mary tool Why, satan
himself seems bound TO play into my
hands ON thjs trip. Three cheers for Ben
Johnson 5 luckpf
The girl and her PEOPLE were as badly