Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-07-08

ing for the command to fire. A tele-
gram arrived in the nick Of time coun-
tcrmanding the execution, In conse-
uuence Of threats made by the British
minister at Caracas.
Before letting him go the Venezue-
Ian commandante tried bluff.
IF we show mercy and release you,
senor," he said, will you take an oath
never to enter Venezuela again, new
er to seek to annex our territory, and
never to demand any indemnity for
this AFFAIR.""
The men with the guns looked
threatening, but MacTurk did not turn
hair.
IF you let me CO." he replied, Il
shall do exactly as I have done before
and certainly I shall do my best to
make you pay sweetly for this busi-
ness. I'm not going to lie in one OF
your dirty jails for nothing"
They let him 60, and sure enough
he managed to secure an indemnity
from the republic by the aid Of the
British foreign office. Then he went
to England, worked up the British
case In the boundary dispute, and was
made companion Of the order Of st.
Michael and st. George by Queen Vic
toria, who took keen interest In his
exploits.
Despite the international complica-
tions that he raises, MacTurk's way Of
doing things appeals irresistibly to the
British temperament.
HE Is unique" said a high official
of the British Guiana government.
There's only one MacTurk, thank
goodness! Life would be too strenu-
GUS If there were many like him. But
such as he is, we would not be without
him for worlds
Office work is not congenial to this
enterprising man. He does not care
to stay at home at the head station OF
his district writing dispatches, col
lecting taxes, and tying all the odds
and ends of red tape that fall to the
lot Of district commissioner.
After a week or two Of that business
he takes his rifle and knapsack and
walks off into the jungle, leaving the
district to be run by an assistant. No
body knows for weeks, perhaps,
where he has gone; but he always
comes back with something interest
ing to report. He has found new
rubber forest or a new diamond field,
climbed a hitherto unexplored noun
tain or enjoyed another brush with
the Brazilians.
Any other official who left his work
in that casual manner would find his
services dispensed with, but every
body recognizes that It Is absurd 10
try to tie MacTurk down to an office
chair.
He does not wait for the Indians un-
der his rule to bring their quarrels to
him to judge in the manner prescribed
by law. He goes into the forest or the
native village, sees things for himself,
and decides them on the spot. His Is
rough -and-ready justice like that OF
an Eastern Cadi.
Sometimes he travels among the In
dians disguised as one Of them or as
a Venezuelan peon. AS he speaks their
language perfectly and Is good actor,
he Is never detected. And when, later
on, some Of the Indians come before
him in his capacity Of magistrate he
SUI prises them by showing an intimate
knowledge Of their affairs ami letect-
ing their cleverly constructed per-
juries.
"Why did you acquit that man."
MacTurk was once asked, at the con-
clusion Of a trial for stealing gun.
"A dozen witnesses swore that they saw
him take the gun. Your judgment was
in direct contradiction to the evil
dence."
$50 it was" said MacTurk, "but
then you see, was sitting around a
camp fire with those dozen witnesses
when they concocted that evidence and
rehearsed one another in 1t until
they were all word-perfect. They did
not know me again, but knew them"
MacTurk's last big exploit in the
annexation business happened about
two years ago. The authorities ar Rio
de Janeiro were alarmed by a report
from the frontier Of IAN armed inva-
sion from British Guiana"
On inquiry it appeared that the in
vading force consisted of Mr.. Mac
Turk, with a shotgun and a servant.
He claimed large stretch Of Brazilian
territory, adorned it with British flags,
and sat down quietly to await devel-
opments.
The Brazilian government despatch
ed soldiers to arrest him and the gov
ernment Of British Guiana sent a per-
emptory command to him to recross
the border MacTurk did not hurry
to obey the command. He waited
two or three weeks for the soldiers, in
tending to submit his claims formally
to their commandante for transmission
to Rio, and hoping to enjoy a little
physical argument on the subject.
But those soldiers knew MacTurk.
They took care to make the slowest
journey on record, and when they
reached the district he had grown tired
of waiting for them and had gone back
to British Guiana He sent an Indian
runner to tell them where he was and
invite them to come and take him, but
the commandante replied with dignity
that he could not dream of violating
the British border.
MacTurk's physical strength Is as
remarkable as his political strenuous.