The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1901-03-23


on, through column. or more, TO de-
scribe in minute detail the circum-
stances attendant upon the departure
of "Gentleman jim" even 10 the num-
Der and shape of the bundles he had
in his arms. The famous robber was
very boyish in appearance, and one OF
the last persons in the world whom
chance acquaintance would think of
looking up In the rogues' gallery.
Evidently he was "out for the stuff"
in most approved stage-villian style,
with 30,000,000 as the stake. OF
course this theory, which was already
accepted as fact, especially in po-
lice and newspaper circles, was quick
ly cabled across, and created a pro-
found sensation in London.
IL acted like an electric shock upon
the British government, and nearly
threw the foreign Office into a panic,
for was not the British minister pleni-
potentiary himself a passenger on the
Inflated "Oklahomn." and possibly at
that very hour being butchered in
cold blood?
The thought was too horrible for
moments endurance, and forth
with the cablegrams began to flash
thick and fast between the foreign
Office and the British legation at
Washington.
The result was that, within few
hours OF the appearance of the para
graph. one of the fastest and most
n - haw tar t,tse
quickly followed by second and a
third, hastily steamed from Ports
mouth roads, the three spreading out
north, west and south like great
marine fan, as they hurried TO the res
cue of the "0klahoma."
Meanwhile, four of Americas white
war-dogs were getting up steam for
similar errand.
Not for years had there been such
worldwide interest in an ocean ex-
petition.
While the public was feyerishly
awaiting news, certain discoveries
were being made by the New York po-
lice which only went to confirm their
previous suspicious. Four or five
other hardened graduates from prison
were found TO be absent from their
accustomed haunts, although known
TO have been in New York just before
the "Oklahoma" sailed.
These discoveries had their natural
effect upon the public mind, and the
| friends of those on board the steamer
began To despair of hearing that even
human life had been respected by the
| piratical band.
Three days passed by after the de-
parturc of the big searching fleets,
during which time all incoming steam
ers 10 London and Liverpool reported
that they had not found single trace
Of the "Olllahoma" either in the
northern or southern route. Vessels
from the Mediterranean, the West In
dies, and South America, all made the
same ominous report.
When the civilized world opened
its newspapers on the morning Of
the thirty-second day of suspense
they found the answer to the ques-
ton, and the greatest marine mys-
terry OF centuries was solved.
In the small hours of the night there
had flashed across the European CON
tinent, and under the dark waters Of
the Atlantic, this startling message:
Lisbon, Dec. lG.-The missing "Ok-
lahoma" is disabled at Fayal, Azores.
Many OF the half-staryed crew and
passengers are on the verge OF in
| sanity. The officers tell a most as
founding story of the steamers eXcit-
| ing and almost fatal adventures. The
third night out the "Oklahoma" sud-
denly came under some mysterious
but irresistible influence by which
she was carried rapidly out of her
course towards the south. Every cf-
fort was made by the officers TO bring
| the ship back TO her course. but the
big liner seemed drifting helplessly
at the mercy of some powerful cur
rent. The compasscs were useless,
and the wheel no longer exercised the
slightest control over the steamers
movements.
Naturally the anxiety of the Off
GERS was in no way diminished when,
ON the morning of the next day, which
was then the fourth day out, another
vessel, long, low-setting craft of
shining steel, was discovered of the
"Oklahoma" starboard bow, about n
mile ahead, but moving i'm the same
direction. BY careful observation IL
was discovered that the course OF the
two steamers was identical. Both
were apparently under the same mys-
| terious influence. Instead OF sight
ing rescuer, the "Oklahoma" had,
SO IL seemed, only discovered an other
victim of the irresistible current!
Time and again the "Oklahoma" at
] tempted 10 signal the companion
ship, but the latter made no reply.
Close observation revealed that she
was built on the whalebaCk princi-
pie, with nothing above decks save
ventilators and signal-mast, but
failed TO discover any sign OF human
being.
by the afternoon their continued