The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-10-30
PHILIP DRAKE, SLAYER.

Many Vessels Bearing "BlRcIS
Ivory" Between Africa and Brazil.
How the slaves Were Captured I'm
Their Countrywide Destruction of
Slave ship.
j. r. Spears in New York Post.
OF all the men who have sailed the
salt-blue SEAS whether as gentlemen
adventures or pirate slavers. few
have boosted of a more remarkable ca
reer than that of one formerly we'll
known at Havana and Rio Janeiro as
Felipe Drax or Felipe Marine. whose
true name, however, was Philip Drake.
brakes father was n sailor, and had
reached the berth of mate on an Eng
lish coaster when he was drowned.
Then his mother died, and the lad,
years old, was put in the workhouse in
Stockford, England. Two years later
he was at work feeding "a machine
that made excelsior out of moss for
the use of a cushionmaker Drake used
to say he was chosen for this task be-
cause he was a weakly lad. The dust
from the machine soon killed every
one put at it, and the authorities did
not like to waste healthy children in
such work.
But Philip mutilated his hand before
he had time to die, and then he was
shipped to America, the workhouse au-
thorities being confident he would new
er be able to support himself. His
outfit for the oversee voyage consisted
of a new catechism, bound in a bright
blue cover; a shilling and some advice.
Drake always remembered the advice.
Study your catechism and don't for
get old England" said Crump. the
workhouse master, as he left the lad
| shivering on the wet deck of a ship.
and so / left my native shore, expa-
triated for the crime of poverty" said
| Drake when relating the story of his
| life.
| However, he reached Boston, where
| he was picked up by druggist who
taught him to mix medicines, and then,
while delivering a package of drugs
| at a hotel one day, he saw and recog-
nized an uncle who had once visited
| him at the workhouse The uncle'S
name was Maurice Halter, but he was
now called Capt Ricardo Villeno.
The uncle did not think well of the
| lad at first glance, but on learning
that he had been working among drugs
| he changed his countenance and re-
ceived him kindly. The uncle said he
was captain of a brig. He offered the
boy berth on board as an assistant
to the surgeon, and Philip gladly ac-
cepted.
The two accordingly took the New
York stage but they left it at New
| Rochelle and boarded a smart brig
named the Coraline, that was lying at
anchor in the sound-a brig that car
| red a dozen big carronades, with a
| crew that showed a well-maintained
discipline. Though the boy observed
these facts, he saw nothing in them
significant of the character of the ves-
sci, nor did he comprehend 1t any bet
ter when she went to Rio Janeiro and
lay there several weeks fitting for a
voyage to Africa.
Eventually the Coraline sailed on this
African voyage, but within twenty
four hours a hurricane caught her,
carried her away to the north, and left
her one night, with an exhausted crew,
among some islands off the north coast
of South America. Here she anchored
to recuperate her men, and then came
the lads first adventure in what was
to be his life career. With the first
mornings light some negroes were seen
on the nearest island. They were at
first mistaken for pirates, but their
lack of arms convinced the captain that
they were runaway slaves. and he i'm
mediately ordered out his boats, man.
ned with well-armed crews. Philip
was taken along in the boat that car
ried the ships surgeon, with suitable
supplies for the care of wounded men.
1t was all very puzzling as we'll as in
teresting to the lad. for he had, even
then, no idea what was to be done. But
after the boats reached shore he saw
two negroes, a man-and woman, cap
tured as they fished in a quiet stream
The woman was gagged. bound neck
and heels. and thrown into boat like
an animal for slaughter A little later,
led by the negro man, who served as a
guide under compulsion, the sailors
surrounded a tiny settlement, in pref
ty glen some distance inland, and at
the sound of a pistol shot raided il,
killing two negro men who resisted, and
capturing forty men. women and chill
dren, who were carried, bound secure
ly, to the boats, and sent to the swift
sailing brig.
The Coralline. with her easily gain
ed cargo of negroes, ran north until
she fell in with a Florida trader. who
bought them with the intent of run
ming them from Florida into the Unit
ed States. and paid a price that yield
ed Philips uncle a neat profit Of Sl5,-
600 1t is 10 be observed that the
! captain made that, not the owners Of