The St. Louis Republic., 1903-09-20

visions of barbaric wealth, sailed in their
top-heavy galleons toward Americas
promise OF riches.
And yet for painting such another ef-
fulgent picture to the greed of dozen
men of this city and New York, Captain
James Brown of this city, and many
others, is now under lock and key, with
no one to fascinate with his yellow de-
coys, save an unsusceptible and unproft-
able climate. Other arrests may follow.
Other men. well known in San Fran
cisco and New York, bought stock in the
company, but, according to the terms OF
the contract, their names were not to be
divulged.
1t all arose out of the hot imagination
of Brown. Brown had yearnings for regal
sp.enGor. In this he was peculiar. He also
had a desire to collect money without
working for IT. In this he was ordinary.
But he had extraordinary methods of pro-
cedure. At Kingston, Jamaica, he had
met n certain, or uncertain, Captain
James Smith.
MEETING WAS ACCIDENTAL.
The meeting was accidental. What more
natural than that James Brown should
meet James Smith? Captain Smith
knew the hiding place OF 500 600 worth
OF pirate gold on Cocos Island, about 90
miles southwest OF Panama; in fact,
Smiths own. tather had put 1t there IN
IS22 after iooting the rich churches OF
Peru Smith ard Brown then transported
the golden coin, iewelry and church or
naments 10 a. pa!my Isle In Ines the SoIth ta pa pat
meet their approval as q safe deposit Is
not clear, ana Why they selected place
Of concealment thousands OF miles away
is still more dubious. However, with this
singular story as an asset, Brown gath
cred his hostg about him through the aid
of Donzei Stoney. and. like Huckleberry
Finn. the astutc business men pushed
their bark toward the pirates hoard.
Nothing could be mentioned In Browns
presence but that he had greater ad-
venture to OUTAGE it. One day as they
of the marvellous feats of Sherlock
Holmes. the pride of modern detective fic-
tion. Brown said; Holmes? YES Yes let
He used to do work for me. Good detect
i've, too. A friend of mine came near be-
ing shanghaied once, only Holmes ran the
out of port" Brown also claimed an ac-
quaintance of many years with Captain
Kettle, the most versatile hero of any
book of adventure ever written.
Led on by this picturesque figure, whose
thoughts were as fantastic and unac-
countable as a flight of will o the wisps.
New York pursued their way. across the
Pacific Ocean and into the improvident
latitudes of Polynesia.
WEIRD SENSE OF HUMOR.
Whatever Brown believed in his own
wild statements, he must have enjoyed
with weird sense of humor the anxiety
of the other explorers. enslaved in the
golden chains of his promises.
Il cannot understand it," said Doctor
George L,upe. one of the victims. yester-
day, at his home. L cannot understand
hot Afs a Io,l
thousands of miles from home, unless his
only purpose was to obtain good time
at our expense. We paid him 10 wages;
Brown had the handling OF this money.
But he did not sequester any of it. He
fooled IL away. He bought the best of
procured champagne for US. although we
told him we did not desire 1t. In Sydney
he took 10 the the2ter and entertained
with dinners In Ts eyery E,s ehambermaid at the
away was the. sum of $120 to his wife
and family in Providence, r. I.
READY TO GAMBLE.
Did 1 believe In him first? Well, not
entirely. thought it was gamble There
was one chance in hundred, and I was
willing to take 1t. Brown told a straight
story, though. Besides these were facts
WHICH We know we're authentic. 1t is
well known that large amount OF treas
ure taken from Peru has for many years
been thought to exist buried somewhere
on Cocos Island. The British Government
of late years there has been no attempt TO
reach this valuable deposit.
What do | think Brown. now? Am
disguised? Oh, so ~isgusted, We think
that Brown is the most disreputable
scoundrel in or out of Jail. He does not
tell the truth even where 1t would be to
his advantage to do so.
Our first trouble with Brown was at
Honolulu, when he became angry because
Mr. sutton CT the party would not get
the launch ready for him and two women
whom he wished to take for boat ride.
Sutton claimed that the sailors needed
the launch. Brown then ordered US all of
Eranciseo. We then discovered that
Brown had negotiated the day before to
sci the vessel, SO We got out an Injunction
with the ship. taking with him woman
and her daughter and maid. We stopped
that in time, however. and secured pos
captain.
WILLING TO DISAGREE.
'At every disagreement he told us the
expedition was at an end and he would not
show us the island. At sydney he said he
was s4e0 in debt and that IL We would nav
these obligations he would go to the
sought-,or o,1a h is and as straight as the vessel
island of Tahiti he again refused TO 70
further: this without any assignable rea- /
SON. Nhen ne Old not wish to talk we
could get nothing from him. We spent
two weeks visiting the neighboriny Islands
on pleasure trip, thinking 10 bring hin,
around to his original agreement. D,Ir,ns
this period he declared that II we should
make a landing. get a new crew and re-
instate him as captain he would without
ian Indicate the exact hiding place of the
booty. We were at Penrhyne ten days
without getting any information from
nm. when we threatened TO put him wifi,
the crew; that Is, not to let him remain
as a first-ciass passenger. He then said:
Very Welt bring ne the chart The