, 1900-06-25
HORRIBLE REVENGE.
HOW A PORTUGUESE COOK oor
EVEN
With Two Petty Onicep Who Had Per
secuted Him-Cut ON Their Heads
and Served Them for Dinner-In an
Australian Prison. c


The following story of most terrible
revenge for a series OF petty insults
and injuries Is told by a writer in the
Chicago Times-Hsrald:
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
q chief cook, Carlos Ebrantes-the
only foreigner aboard. He was a Por-
tuguese, 80 years old, a giant in sta
ture, with a 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 a gen.
eral favorite with all on board save
two men. These two, Ed Hedges, a
boatswain's mate, and David Allen,
another petty officer, did their utmost
by a series OF petty prosecutions tS
make life miserable for the 'Portu-
gee." 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 a 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 b 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 a formal dinner the
dishes be brought on and placed be-
fore the captain, who himself ncov
cred the contents Of each platter to his
guests.
After he had superintended 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 a frenzy Of rage, he picked
up a meat Ratchet, and before they
could attempt to struggle had felled
both of them like oxen with the blunt
side Of it.
Over what must have followed in the
ext 10 minutes 1t 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
tain and his guests. A young lad,
proud of the honor, carried 1t in
through the covered way astern, and
walking round the long mess table
placed 1t at the head before the skip
per and waited at attention for the re-
moval of the cover. Lifting his hand
briskly with q smile Of anticipation at
his guests Capt. Boothby drew off the
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.
A guard was summoned to search for
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 a 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 ~substantiated
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 court-martial that
tried him to send him to Australia in
penal servitude of a life convict, in
stead of condemning him to death.
The words dangerous in anger were
placed against his name in the prison
records; he became a mere number
ticketed and put away from the rest
Of the world.
One day in 1885 l walked through
the corridors Of the big convict prison
in F%remantle, Western Australia.
Basking in the bright morning sun
shine and talking soothingly to a bat
tered yellow-topped cockatoo was an
old. mild-mannered man with snow
white hair and beard. He was carving |
a model OF a ship out of a section Of
malice root with a big jack knife.
Good morning; you never tire Of
coming here to see us. senor."
What ship is 1t you are modeling?'
why, a British vessel. When l fin
ish 1t every spar will be thus and thus
perfect model. l know every stick
and bolt. 1t is sold beforehand to the
collector OF customs down in the port.
A beautiful day 1t is. See. my old
cuckatoo? Yesterday he cut his foot
on glass. I bind 1t up last night, and
to-day he hops about like a new boy