Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1897-01-21

company with tie doctor mad to over
see the gangs while they were being
hathed or washed down on deck. The
government required daily reports from
the ships officers as we'll as the doctor
on several matters Then, you will re-
member was part owner OF the bark
and financially interested in the voyage,
and you may guess the fact OF Mary
Williams being aboard did not serve to
lessen my anxieties
We had run south until off the Hotten.
tot coast carrying favorable winds and
fine weather and having no more trouble
with our convicts, when something like
a tragedy happened one afternoon. The
breeze died away soon after noon, leav'
ing the ship lazily heaving on the
ground swell. We had among the prls'
oners young man named Edgar Davis
In one way and another by that time l
had come to know what particular
crime most every one was guilty OF.
Davis offense was passing forged
check, He belonged to No. 2 gang, and
had picked him out from the fret as
being of the better class at home. When
called upon to give his trade, he replied
that he had none, being a salesman III
a silk store for several years previous to
his conviction. He stated that he was
good penman, however, and asked to be
allowed some light work Of that sort
owing to his poor state OF health. Alter
a couple of weeks the doctor detailed
him to fill out the various blanks re-
uuired by the government and later on
l turned over part Of my work to him.
He was a quiet spoken young man, and
the three or four mo.tths he had been
imprisoned had broken down his health.
There was no doubt in his own mind
that consumption had fast hold on
him.
Davis told me his story one day. dc
had presented tho check and got the
money for another, having no idea that
ANYTHING was wrong. 1cannot recall all
the particulars at this late day, but l am
free to say that his story impressed me
as being truthful. He had been SEN
fenced for ten years. He did not as
sumo the role of II martyr, as most con-
victs do, nor did he revile judge and
jury, as is the usual course. In fact, he
made no complaint. not even Of his
sickness, and though he was granted
special favors ID was not because he had
first asked for them. Well, on this aft
ernoon Of the calm, while everything
was very quiet aboard, the attention OF
several Of the sailors was attracted to
monster shark alongside, and after a
bit we all crowded to the port rail for
look. The nsh was fully 10 feet long
and on the lookout for his dinner. Had
we been merchant vessel Jack would
have been allowed to drop over hook
and have frolc with his old enemy,
but the nature of our "cargo" prohibit
ed any such excitement. We had been
watching the shark for ten minutes, and
its presence was known to all on deck,
though the convicts were not allowed to
leave their work to look at him, when
there was a sudden rush along the deck,
shout, a splash, and we were Mortified
to see Davis, the convict, struggling IN
the water No, he was not struggling.
As he came to tho surface he whirled
over OH his back, folded his arms and
waited for the shark to take him. A
dozen men cried out. and dozen men
ran about, but the fact was that moth
ing could be done. Two ropes which
were thrown fell right across Davis
breast, but he threw them off The Or
der was given to lower boat. but be-
fore the falls had been cleared the shark
made rush and drew the poor fellow
down to be seen no more. ltwould have
seemed sorrowful enough had he plan
ned to commit suicide by drowning, but
to throw himself to shark as he know.
ingly did was an act to make ones flesh
creep bit as he remembered the cruel
eyes staring up at us from the green
waters and the mouth filled with sharp
teeth which opened now and then as If
the monster intended to make an up
ward spring and snap at one OF the
heads overlooking the rail.