Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1900-03-22
'0~N~~~-

When Capt. Owens, recently retired
from the command Of a transatlantic
greyhound. joined the little circle of
men seated around the stove in a
downtown shipping office, where they
had spent the greater part of the after
noon discussing rates for oversee
freight, marine insurance and other
Interests Of the maritime world, the
conversation naturally turned to the
grave responsibility resting upon the
captain of n modern ocean liner. They
talked Of the thousands of human lives
which are annually entrusted to his
care; Of dreary hours on the bridge,
when the white fog hangs and wind
means of the shipwreck and the
drowned, or when the winter gale is
whistling and the icy spoon-drift hur-
ties against the tunnels. They talked
OF the sodden derelict and the iceberg,
which so often defy the skill and
watchfulness of the transatlantic cap
tain. rs it any wonder then" said
one Of the circle, "that a shippers hair
is white before he is fifty and that his
face is as wrinkled as a crumpled bank
note. Look at Capt. Owens. Looks
warrant
swell, gentlemen" replied the cap
tain, with twinkle in his gray eyes
which seemed out Of keeping with the
general trend of the conversation, lit
Is a wearing life; there's no getting
away from that fact Yes, you have
got to think pretty quick at times, and
sometimes you have to act before you
think. Speaking on this strain reminds
me Of how Capt. Blank of the Nereid
once saved his vessel and the lives of
all on board by acting promptly in an
emergency. Capt. Blank is not very
proud Of the whole affair. and | doubt
If he ever told it TO any one. At all
events he never received a vote of
thanks suitably engrossed from the
passengers. but perhaps he was not
much disappointed. After this pre-
liminary the captain told the story,
which in substance is as follows:
Just before the Imperial Line steam
ship Nereid. Capt. Blank, pulled out of
its dock in Liverpool for New York
City, some years ago, thick-set man
with n heavy black mustache ran up
the gang-plank and gaZcd anxiously at
the passengers, who were crowded
along the rail watching the hustle and
confusion on the dock. He evidently
found the person for whom lie was
looking, for he gave a sigh Of satisfac-
ton, rushed down the gang-plank and
sent cabltgram. Then be boarded
the vessel again, secured q stateroom
and did not appear on deck nor at the
seat assigned TO him at the dining
table In the saloon until the vessel
was we'll out TO sea. He registered
under the name of James Sweeney
This is the cablegram he sent:
Collector Of Port at New York
Games Packard, smuggler, on board
steamship Ncreid. Thousand of dol.
lars worth of diamonds concealed in
small trunk. Will arrest him at quar-.
antine. McGRATH, Inspector"
The inspectors cablegram caused
much satisfaction among the revenue
officers in the city; for diamonds had
long been leaking into this country
from England and the dispatch gave
evidence that no mistake had beer
made when McGrath was selected tc
cross the ocean and hunt the Snug
glers down.
Meanwhile the Nereid ploughed hel
way through the waters Of the Noltl
Atlantic and on the third day out sh,
had made such good time that the cap
tain began to look for record break
ing voyage, while the passengers. n,
less eager, made bets regarding tn,
exact time that would elapse befor
the vessel arrived abreast of tn
Sandy Hook Lightship. Packard. VIII
was known aboard the ship as Thoma
Gray, n broker, was the most gentle
manly of smugglers, and his engagin
conversation and polished manner
made him the life OF his taI:e an
established him as a prime favorit
aesvhS 'hC PuSSthStiS III StueTul. Mo
Grath. known to the passengers a
Sweeney. was not so popular. No on
knew anything about him or his bus
ness, and, moreover. he ate with hi
knife. And then, too, his eyes lad
suspiciously rowing cast which set hil
down in the minds of many as a Or,
fessional gambler. But the inspecte
did not care. In fact, he was suprem
ly happy; for he had forced an el
trance into Gray's stateroom with Il
aid of skeleton key during the smu
gier's absence and had located Il
small trunk. Tia. was all he wante
When the time came he would sci,
the trunk, poipt Gray oss to the 4