Bisbee daily review., 1903-03-26
THE TRUE VERSION OF
 A NEWSPAPER ITEM
[Original.1

nothing for 1t but to Hay to under a flying jib. With the wind came rain. which froze as it struck the vessel.
 The first mate, John Hutchins. was on the bridge. holding on for his life, for to walk on the slippery floor was impossible and with the lurching of the vessel he was liable to be slid over board. The main jib had become loos- ened and a corner of it was Tapping in the wind. It was doing no harm. It was simply unsailorlike. To fix it a man must go out on the bowsprit. and. considering the ice and the lurching. this was equivalent to going overheard.
 "Connor." sang the mate to watch holding on to the port ratlines. "go out and clew up the jib."
 The man addressed looked up with an ashen face. There had been bad blood between him and the first mate during the voyage and he knew that Hutchins intended to put him over board. or. rather. he knew that Hutch ins expected him to refuse to obey the order, which would be mutiny, possibly punishable with death.
 No one can go out there and live" said Conner. Il can't even let go to get across the deck without being shot against the bulwarks and mashed to a jelly"
 "Oh, yes. you can. Work your way along the gunwale."
 There was an ominous silence, at the end of which Connor said: "Mr. Hutch tO oINn hn nd it's probably the last order I'll ever obey from any one. If succeed, when we get to New York and I out of the merchant service-for I'm expecting to be married and settle on shore-you'll have just one more chance to kill me, but you'll have to take the chance of being killed at the same time. If l lose my life and there's any chance for the dead to torture the living. I'll make it hot for you"
 ''Is this mutiny:' said the mate. glaring at his victim.
 There was no reply. Connor began to work his way along the bulwarks. watching the seas and taking adyan- tage of any lull. He succeeded in reaching the bowsprit and began to crawl out on it. There were no men forward except Hutchins and Connor. but those farther aft. seeing the latter's attempt, were frozen with horror. Con- nor had not covered half the distance to the sail when great wave struck the vessels bow and sent him into the brine Hutchins from the bridge saw him swept by and the look that was on his face. Nevertheless he was relieved that the man had gone. There was the usual shout of Man overboardr' and a few life buoys were thrown over. but nothing of moment could be done to save Connor. who soon drifted out of sight
 A week later the Osceola approached New York bay. The cold had contin- ued. and her icy coat was even thicker than it had been. The vessel anchored off Sandy Hook, waiting orders from owners. All on board were worn out so the captain and most of the crew went ashore for rest and recreation, leaving the vessel in charge of the first mate and a single watch
 At two bells in the evening Hutchins, after seeing that the signal lights were in position. went down into tine cabin to look over a bundle of newspapers that had been brought aboard. Sandy Hook is exposed to the waves of the ocean, and the ship was rolling heavily.
 Presently the mate heard a step on the eompanionway. Looking up. there On the stairs stood-the ghost of Con nori He was pale as a corpse, and his eyes were fiari"g.
 Get up!" commanded a voice. Hutehins, who did not doubt that he was facing the averaging spirit of the man be had murdered, obeyed. trem- ! bling. Connor or his ghost had mean while come down into the cabin and passed beyond Hutchins.
 Go on deck"
 Hutchins backed ont of the cabin on to the deck. fascinated by the glitter | Ing eye of the man or ghost-he did not know which.
 "The main jib needs ciewing. Go | put and cIew it."
 Whether the prospect of certain ieath-for the conditions differed only in degree from what they were wben | Connor was ordered to make this at | tempt-or something human there was | about Connor affected him, by this time Hutchins was ready for defense. | Even ghost can't corner a man with | out being turned on. and the mate. seeing that ConnOr was unarmed. suddenly thrust his hand to his hip, | drew a revolver and fired. His hand was unsteady. Besides. at the moment \ wave rolled under the ship. His shot went wild. The ghost drew revolver I from under his shirt and before Hutch. ' ins could fire again shot him dead Scarcely a minute had elapsed from the time the two reached the deck be fore Hutehins' body was rolling iB the lee scuppers. Two of the crew saw ! the fight and. coming up. drew back at sight of the man they believed to be dead
 "Bsys," saId Cc2nor. cont be afra,a of me I'm no ghost. A life buoy doat- cd by ne, and clung to 1t A stea nef making a few knots only against the storm passed SO close to me that l was ' e.