The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1898-06-01
CAPTAIN JOHN o'BG;EH.


not been strife of any magnitude since
he grew IA beard In which he has not
had hand. He appears reappears
and pops up in unexpected places. lie
has been shot at with arms of every
size. has been condem1ed to death, has
had price set upon his head on nn-
merous occasions, and to-day, at sixty
years, is without a shattered bone or
nerve and more eager than ever to
undergo any risk which promises good
financial remuneration Captain John
ny's" friends say he fears neither man
nor the devil.
In appearance he Il short and mus
cular with broaZed and somewhat
wrinltled face and sharp blue eyes. His
hair is thick and healthy, but the col
or of chalk. 1t was Lack few years
ago when he vanished from Staten Is.
land. where he had rented cottage.
He returned in few months with
skin a triile palcr ard hair as white
as snow No one knows the horror OF
suffering which clus ID the transfer.
nation.
He gained the sob ipuet of "Dyna.
mite Johnny" when lie navigated the
old schooner yacht Rambler, laden to
her deck beams with the explosive to
Laguayra. off the Ienezulan coast
This is the only yoytge he was ever
known to talk about.
1t WAS hardly month after the
present Cuban revolution began Before
Captain OBren was heard from Nc
one expected him to gestrain himself
How many expeditions the strange
white haired man has guided 10 a
snug haven on the islands coast IS a
matter OF conjecture He Is seldom at
home nowadays ia is loved by all
rebel sympathiZers. Those foremost
In the councils OF the reyolutionists
deny all knowledge OF the adventurer
The most exciting episode in which
he has figured during the instruction
SO far as known, WAS during the win
ter OF 1896, when he attempted TO pilot
the Three Friends TO The Cuban shore
He did not take command of the boat
until the coast of Florida had become
a blur. Then the silent man whom
the mixed crew had regarded as an
unwelcome intruder dotted his sty.
fish derby hat slipped on dark blue
seaman's cap and assumed entire
charge OF the pilot house. His knowl.
edge of southern waters is thorough
but he was unable to quickly avoid D
Spanish cruiser which bore down upon
the little flibuster. Then began a
chase which finally ended in Spanish
humiliation. but not before it had
seemed certain that the Three Friends
would be blown out OF existence by
shot and shell
The unframed creS of the steamer
were panic stricken. There was hard.
ly an American among them. Prayer
and exhortation rose to heaven
O'Brien was the only thoroughly un.
alarmed man in the little band. Houl
after hour he held the vessel to the
course. calmly estimating the compar.
alive speed of pursued and pursuer
and never uttering word that was
not wisely planned command. This
weather was boistertus, and O'Brieu
was wet to the skin. but never for q
moment did his tired muscles relax
their grip on the great spoked wheel,
Governments have tried in vain Il
catch or kill the stout hearted marin
er. Probably no m&n is more cor
daily hated or more closely watched
than he, How much money his lif'
OF adventure has brought to him is
secret that has never been divulged
He has competency. without doubt
but neither that nor the entreaties o
his family will deter him from con
tinuing in his career Of mystery an,
peril.