Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1899-10-13

New York. With the national col
ors union down" and the Union JacE
at halfmast, the iron steamship George
anna, hailing from Philadelphia, Sat
urday afternoon sailed slowly up to the
Battery from the Narrows with story
of piratical robbery, riot and violence.
The boat was practically in the hands
OF gang of ruf1ians and card sharps
when it sailed away from the Battery,
otensibly for the yacht races, at II 80
O'Clock Saturday morning The sharp
ers used violence and intimidation aud
ran against an improvised vigilance
committee, which nearly lynched the
captain of the craft, threw the gam
blers' faro and roulette tables over
board and chased the gamblers into the
barron. Then it was that the vigil
ance committee hung out the boats
flags as distress signals, hailed pass
ing tug, got word to the police and
finally secured the arrest Of a dozen or
more men, who will be charged with
completely in the outrage.
There were 800 passengers on the
Georgeanna when she left the Battery
to see the third sailing match between
the Columbia and Shamrock. No
sooner were the buccaneers out Of reach
of possible police interference than they
began to show what they were there
for.
From down below came mysterious
men with even more mysterious tables.
There were faro layouts, two or three
roulette wheels, several fred and
black" plants and number of Skin"
games of all descriptions. In fact, the
boat carried as precious lot of black
legs, grafters and confidence men as
ever went down the Narrows. They
came staggering onto the lower deck
from the barroom and began to whoop
It up for their associates in charge of
the gambling layouts. Soon the lower
1eck had in operation dozen of these
tables, wheels and games, and before
very long mora tables were brought up
rom down below and more short hair.
I'd men appeared.
=. The Georgeanna was in sight of the
arge excursion fleet which had follow
I'd the racers down the Jersey coast,
Ind those on Doard were hoping that
n another hour at the longest they
would be with the others in full view
If the Shamrock and Columbia Sud
ienly the Georgeanna slowed down and
1er PROV turned sharply around to-
ward Sandy Hook and in five minutes
sime she was gently circling about, los
ng time and filing her passengers with
amazement.
Capt. G. A Norton, one armed
5eteran of Hartford, Conn went to the
captain of the ship and demanded that
le take the people to the races.
a 81 cannot do it, - the captain is re-
ported to have said. "The coal has
given out and the pipes have burst
This boat is in charge of gamblers. who
chartered her, and l can do nothing I'M
Less they say so -
Capt. Sterks left the deck then and
went down into the hold, hiding him
self until the boat reached the Battery.
Cap. Norton then called for assistance
from the passengers, and a guard of
fifty passengers was organized and took
stand fore and aft and holsted Il
Union Jack halfmast and flew the
United States with Union down.
A fight between the vigilantes and
the gamblers then ensued. The gam
blers demanded that the signals of dis.
tress and assistance be hauled down.
and tried to fight their way to the flag
poles. All the passengers on board
took a hand in the fight and forced the
gamblers pack, handling some of them
very roughly. Women tainted ON all
parts of the ship. Men shouted them
selves hoarse ii the effort to attract a
passing craft.
Capt Norton, with a brigade, then
threw all the .paraphernalia overheard
after hard scuffle with the owners of
the games. Then the pilot was orderd
to head for the Battery The police
had been advised of the stirring times
aboard the Georgeanna, and a large
force met the steamer. Thousands of
persons gathered about the pier The
police arrested twelve men, including
the captain, mate and pilot, and they