Daily camera. [volume] (Boulder, Colo.) 1891-1928, 1900-06-20


Australian Prison.
The following story Of most terrible
revenge for series of petty insults
and injuries is told by a writer in the
Chicago Times-Herald:
In 1856 her Britannia majesty's fri
gate Vernon, SO guns, Capt Travers
Boothby, was cruising on detached
duty in the Mediterranean. She car
ried an average crew of healthy, hearty
jackies, and in the ships company was
a chief cook, Carlos Ebrantes-the
only foreigner aboard. He was Por-
tuguese, 80 years old, giant in sta
ture, with magnificent beard and in
the prime of manhood. They had
picked him up two years before when
the Vernon was commissioned for her
cruise and he had made himself gen.
eral favorite with all on board save
two men, These two, Ed Hedges,
boatswain's mate, and David Allen,
another petty officer, did their utmost
| by series of petty prosecutions to
make life miserable for the "Portu-
geo." They spoiled his dishes when
ever they could, insulted his national
| ity and made him the subject of every
| ribald jest their foul minds could sug-
gest, seemingly finding the greatest
| amusement in the terrible fits of tenn
per they aroused. One evening the Yer
non was beating her way toward the
English Channel, and later in the day
she dropped anchor off the coast OF
Jersey. On the same day Ebrantes en-
| countered his prosecutors on the deck.
| One of them tripped him up against
his galley door, the other kicked him
| as he fell. The cook said nothing.
That evening the party gave dinner
party to the governor Of Jersey and
his staff, and the captain of the sloop
Of war Petrol. Orders had been issued
| that caused Ebrantes and his assist
ants to surpass themselves in the prep
aration of the menu. 1t was the day
of the old-fashioned dish-cover. Those
in use on the Vernon were ponderous
silver affairs, with carved handles,
and the ships name and royal arms
| engraved on the top, and etiquette de-
manded that at formal dinner the
| dishes be brought on and placed be-
fore the captain, who himself uncov-
cred the contents of each platter to his
| guests.
After he had superintendent the prep
aratiOn of the principal meat dishes
and only waited for the formal order
to serve" Ebrantes sent his assistants
| out of the galley. Bound and gagged
in two great -four bins where he had
| previously secreted them were Allen
| and Hedges. When the kitchen was
closed he opened up the two bins and
glared steadily at his two enemies.
Both thought that, after taking this
light revenge, he was about to let them
go. But they were mistaken. Working
himself into frenzy Of rage, he picked
up a meat Ratchet, and before they
could attempt to struggle had telled
both Of them like oxen with the blunt
side of it.
Over what must have followed in the
next 10 minutes it is not pleasant to
dwell, but at the end of that time,
| when the assistants were admitted
back into the galley, Ebrantes stood
there smiling and as calm as ever. He
told them he had been preparing the
piece de resistance in secret, and gave
orders for the immediate delivery of
the first platter to the impatient cap
foi n nd
proud Of the honor, carried 1t in
through the covered way astern, and
walking round the long mess table
placed it at the head before the skip
per and waited at attention for the re-
moval of the cover. Lifting his hand
his guests Capt. Boothby drew off the
cover-and started back in horror. On
the dish, staring at him with terrified
and wide-open eyes, were the CHASTITY
heads of his two petty officers.
The dinner party broke up hastily.
the murderer, but the marines had no
need to hunt very far. Seated on one
of the -four bins, above the headless
bodies of his victims was Ebrantes,
singing Portuguese song. Taken be-
fore the captain and accused of the
crime, however, his demeanor changed.
With Quivering lips and pent-up agony
and hatred in his voice he poured out
a tale of bitter persecution, Sights and
insults. His story was substausiated
willingly enough by dozens aboard the
ship, including both officers and men.
1t was this testimony that saved him
from a yard arm shift and subse-
quently caused the ccurt-martial that
tried him 10 send him 10 Australia in
penal seryltude of life convict, Ill
stead of condemning him to death.
The words dangerous in anger were
placed against his name in the prison
records; he became mere number
tcketed and put away from the rest
of the world
One day in 1885 l walked through
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