The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1903-11-07

4 L eral years ago, when the
8OR steamboat Ben Lewis ex.
ploded in sight of Cairo.
She was. II / remember rightly, a st.
Louis and Memphis packet was on her
down trip, and was rounding or cross
ing the bar ut the mouth of the Ohio.
when her boiler burst, and she was n
wreck. Many people were killed out
right by the explosion, others were
drowned, others fingered in terrible
torture until death put an end to their
sufferings. and others received severe
scalds and various injuries.
was In Cairo ut the time. and shall
never forget the heartrending scenes
at the st. Charles Hotel, to which most
OF the wounded were brought. and
where they lay on pallets in the rooms
and halls, many Of them black as ne.
groes. many with the skin falling from
the flesh.
But 1t is with none of these have to
DO. This narrative follows the for
tunes OF man who jumped overheard.
entirely uninjured. preferring to trust
himself to the river rather than to the
flames. i choose, for reasons that are
personal to him, to call him John II.
Seymour. simply beci Ise this name is
as different as can be from that which
rightfully belonged to him. He was
originally from Kingston. Canada his
parents being of English birth. but had
resided during several years in Alton,
ILL.,, where h had accumulated consid-
erabio monor IN the grocery business:
was bacbc'nr. near forty years of
age, and kept house i'm n cottage of his
own, with "a rather pretty German girl
to do the houscwork. The mysterious
disappearance OF the German girl for
which Seymour did not account salts
factorily, occasloned unpleasant COM
ment, and some very serious facts
were about to be brought to light,
when he suddenly left Alton, having
privately disposed Of his cottage and
his business. 1t was because of this
train Of circumstances that he hap
pened to be passenger on the Ben
Lewis at the time Of the explosion.
Seymour jumped overheard, as I
have stated. and was fortunate enough.
when he got clear of those who We're
struggling in the water, to find float
ing door, which he seized, and which
boz, him up well, and thus he drifted
do n the river.
He had not fioated far when he dis.
covered that he had n companion. This
companion was holding to the door,
and might have put in an appearance
Just then. or might not hitherto have
been visible to Seymour As his face
was upraised, Seymour perceived that
1t had been fearfully scalded. He was
unable to speak and appeared to be
nearly exhausted. Yet, although he
was so hideous, so horribly marred and
SCARED, Seymour could not help OBJ
serving in his courtcnance certain
tee amblance to himself. 1t was then
tn, strange and sudden thought
came into his mind. am not record
ing his impressions by means of the
1ma gination, but derive them from
made.
He recalled the fact that he had been
obliged to leave Alton because Of dis
coveries that were about to be made,
and because Of a crime with which he
was about to be charged. 1t was high
~ probable that he might vet be pur-
sued and prosecuted. Suppose he
should cause himself TO disappear?
= Suppose that he should so use the eX-
ploslon that it would prove provi-
Dental interposltion to save him from
punishment and annoyance? His COM
panion in the water, disfigured as he
was, might easily be mistaken for him
in death. and it was evident that he
could not live long.
Seymour reflected that he wore upon
a finger of his left hand peculiar and
valuable diamond ring, which was well
known in Alton. and which had been
noticed and admired by many on the
boat If that ring should be found
upon dlsfigured body, 1t would settle
the question Of identity and he could
well afford to give 1t for the purpose
OF persuading the public that he was
dead.
His resolution taken. he watched his
hideous but valuable companion mar
rowly, waiting for his death' out they
drifted for nearly half an hour, and
still the other chung to the door. But
his strength was falling all the while
and at last Seymour saw his grasp re-
lax, and then he was gone.
He was not permitted to sink; he
was too valuable to be lost. Seymour
caught him, took handkerchief from
his pocket. and made the body fast
to a latch that remained on the door.
Then his desire was to reach the land,
and he tried, by swimming, to push
h float in the direction Of the Mis-
souri, shore. but made little progress
in that endeavor. Columbus was
passed in the course Of time, and the
low shore of Wolf Island became Wis
Al u.s. In which Sav-