The Savannah morning news., 1902-04-13

| "By the way" exclaimed the chief
starting from his reverie. ''if not Fran
els Wilson, who do you claim to be?"
IF you will write to the manager of
! the asphalt company in Bermudez,
where l have been for the past three
months, you will find that l am Reg
| inald Brownson of New York. 1t is q
case of mistaken ident-why, what is
the matter?'
The chief had risen to stood staring
at him blankly. "WhyAwhy," he gasped
sis it possible?" Then almost fiercely
he cried ''Prove it-prove it-prove
it at once. Your father was"
Thomas Brownson-merchant- tn
| erin the Swamp-Brownson & Cary
is the firm name" And without stop
ping to take breath he ratified off a
long list of identifications. The chief,
who had recovered himself. regarded
him steadily.
There evidently has been a mis-
take" he said. II see now that you
are a Brownson. l was a friend of the
family-of your father, before / felt
New York. But this must be rectified,
he went on. Il am my own power of
release in this country. You must stay
with me until this political trouble
blows over. Then we will see about
your return to New York. Come with
me-"
AS the chief intimated, his power in
the Jail was absolute. No one ques-
toned the irregularity of the release,
not even the prisoners, who were roar
ing themselves hoarse in the cells
Young Brownson, who was much iIn-
pressed by the general high-handedness
of the affair, followed his new-found
friend. wondering.
On the way to the palace they met .
file of soldiers, and the chief requi-
sitioned them as a personal guard. The
affair was undoubtedly becoming more
| and more serious with the minutes.
The volleys sounded louder and nearer
| and the confidence of the people was
becoming firmer. The guard was neces-
sary, for the crowd had very nearly be-
come a mob. There was needed only a
leader for the instruction to become
general, and any one of a score in the
Black Hole would have done. The
Nchief, however saw it in a different
light IF they let those fellows out or
the iail," he remarked to Brownson,
they will have more leaders than they
can conveniently follow, and you know
the folly of employing too many
cooks"
1t came presently. The slow-moving
mob began to run in response TO
cry.
ITO the Black Hole! To the Black
Hole! Down with the Black Hole!'
once started they ran like mad,
sweeping the place bare of all but the
guard about the palace. And into the
cleared space from the opposite dlrec-
ton galloped the Dictator at the head
of his troops. Some of the soldiers kept
right on after the mob. shedding their
uniforms as they ran and lodging Inc
few flying shots that were sent AFTER
them but for the most part the army
held firm. for it had been drummed INTO
them that the success of the revolution
would mean the loss of all their pre-
negatives. Following the orders O
their commander they deployed abou
the SQUARE and around the inclosec
grounds at the back of the palace BE-
yond these grounds lay the harbor, II
which fioated a small armed steamer
belonging to the government. Tnt
Dictator mistook the cause OF the
mob's sudden flight. He thought u
l was due to the appearance OF ms
troops and it gave him heart.
"Hah," he said: 1--WE were beater
in the suburbs, but in the city they
: run from us" ,,,
"Bahr' replied the Chief. "They
have gone to the menagerie. They VIII
be back in a few minutes, and mucr
believe they will bring the animals
with them"
e The Dictator had always referred t.
. but this time the joke did not set well
Indeed, he paled perceptibly and tool
| on a flow of words that aStoniSheC
, | his staff He ordered barricades erect
ed at the intersection of the surround
ing streets and when the work dld no
go forward quickly enough to suit hin
; he rushed out after his orderlies t
superintend it in person. When ne re
turned the place was ready for tn
mob.
They marched down the principa
street singing the same patriotic ali
4 | which had been sung in the Blacl
Hole and they had the air of people
n who expect that the way will clear it
q self before them. They paused almos
\ in bewilderment at the Instructions II
\ the street. With some commander
this would have proved the opportunity
, for their repulse But the Dictato
v was too willy a politician to precipitatt
i d crisis 1t would be well enough i
h he returned their onslaught blow fol
blow. He ordered them to dispense
e They answered with a shower of stones
. and clubs. There were also a few
shots although no one fell. 1t wal
0 enough. however, for his purpose. I'm
d mediately the order was given for al
S enfilading fire and the tumult that EN-
e sued could be heard on the vessels il
the harbor.
The revolutionists coming in from th'
suburbs turned it into a real battle-f
battle the more horrible in that the wo
: men of the place could not resist th'
: fascination of it and hurled themselve:
into the forefront, under the mistaken
idea that somehow on other their sea
would be respected. AS long as they
fought merely across the barricade the
contest was without decision. Blu
q when the people got upon the house
tops and behind the shutters and pour
+ ed it in over the top of the breast
a works the soldiers began to give way
a The order was given to come in singll
to the palace and to pass through Il
a the rear to keep UP communicated
a with the harbor. Those in the rea,
!, were ordered forward into the house
II One, by one, they left the barricade anC
passed through, and the revolutionist
did not discover the general characte
: of the movement until they haC
wasted many rounds or ammunition OF
the dead and wounded of the barri
cade When they charged will
screams of exultation, screams which
in many cases were changed from tri
unnph to agony as they met the fir
from the windows of the palace. Tit
siege of the house of steel had begun
at last.
The chief was kneeling beside win
dow, taking note of some revolutionist
in a nearby treetop, who were tryini