Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-12-29

Neville's plans Now trouble COM
menced. The schooner Chapman had
been for two weeks ready for her
coasting voyage, and, as she did not go
to sea, the United States officers be-
came suspicious of her and placed a
watch where they could observe ev-
erything occurring on board. They
also searched the vessel, but found ev-
erything correct, and would have dis
missed the watch had not WELL
known Southerner, while intoxicated,
Dragged of what they were going to
do. This was reported to the revenue
officers, and extra precautions We're
taken. At the time Miss Elliot arrived
in San Francisco, Neville gave orders
for the captain to take the men who
had been engaged i'll San Francisco
weeks before, and who were then at
different sailors boarding-hou to
put to sea and join her cOnsort off the
Island of Santa Cruz. These men went
on board in the night, and next morn
ing the ship got under way, showing
only the usual 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 for
ty-seven men were arrested.
In order not to have his plans block
ed, Nevelle started two men overland
on horseback for Santa Barbara, to
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 steamer, and was told that Neville
and his confederates would be on
board to assist him, and that they
would disable the machinery 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
'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 capture the gold ON the steam
en- and he warned the officers of the
steamer of what might be attempted,
and placed on board twelve of his dep
uties, dressed as old Californians.
These men took passage in the steer
age, and professed to be returning to
their Eastern homes. They had hoI-
sters with pistols belted around their
waists, in the usual California style.
They made the acquaintance of
Neville's men, and two of them agreed
to guard Neville as the steamer was to
pass through the Santa Barbara Chan
nell 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 miscarried, and the steam
err passed on her way to Panama with
out 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 supplies at Hong Hong,
whittier she went after the failure Of
Neyille's plans. The confederates Of
Neville who sailed with him on the
steamer were paid off by him at Pan
anna, and he and Miss Elliot took the
French steamer for the West Indies
and Europe. The newspapers of San
Francisco gave an account of the
tempest in teapot" when the schoon-
err Chapman was seized for attempted
piracy.
The vigilance of Marshal Rand on
this occasion saved the government
four millions of dollars.-San Francis
co Argonaut.