The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1904-05-05
THE TRUE VERSION OF
4 NEWSPAPER ITE1
fOr1rinal.1


he clipper osceola vas within {
few days sail az New-york when. a
head wind struck her. There was
nothing for 1T but to ''lay te" under q
dying jib. With the wind came rain,
which froze as it struck the vessel.
The first mate. John Hutchins.i was
vn 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 harnh II
a simply unsailorlike, To fix 1t .
man must go out on the bowsprit. and
considering the ice ard the iurching,
this was equivalent to going overheard
"Connor," sang the mate to a watci
holding on to the port ratiines, Ego ouu
and ciew up the jib."
The man addressed looked up with
I'm ashen face. There had been bad
blood between him and the first mate
curing the voyage and he knew that
uutchins intended to put him over
hoard. Or. rather. lie kii-w that %liuirLi-
:ns expected him 10 refuse 10 obey the
rider. Match would he mutiny. possibly
| l.uLis:,ablc with death.
No one can 40 out there and live.'
said Coniior. II cant even let go to
get across tile deck without i,aiu.
SHOT against the DuIwarks and mashed
to il jelly"
oh. yes. Son can. Work your way
along the gunwale."
There WAS ali onliiIous silence. at the
end Of whio. Conner said: Mr. Hutch
ms. I'm going 10 obey the order. ana
it's probably the last order III eveI
obey from any II If ! succeed. when
we get to New York and / ont OF the
merchant service-for I'm expecting TO
be married aud settle on shore-youl II
have just one more chance TO kill ne.
but you'll have to take the chance of
being killed AZ tie same time. Ii l
lose my life and there's any chance fol
the dead to torture the liv .ig. I'll make
it hot for YOU
rs this mutiny! 2" said the male.
glar..lG III his victim.
There was no "oply. Conner began
TO work his way along the bulwarks.
watching the seas and taking advan,
tage of any hull. He succeeded in
reaching the bowsprit and began to
era wi out on it. There were no men
forward except Hntchins and Conner.
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 a great wave struck
the vessels bow and sent him into the
brine. HntchinS from the bridge saw
him swept by and the look that was Oh
his face. Nevertheless he was relieved
that the man had gone. There was ths
usual Shouts; Of Man overheard" and
IL few life buoyS We're thrown over. but
nothing of moment could be done tC
save ConnOr. who soon drifted out OF
sight.
A week later the Osceola approached
New York bay. The cold had contin-
ned. and her icy coat was even thicker
el.an il had been The vessel anchored
OF 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
ma 10 and a single watch.
At two bells in the evening Hutchins,
after seeing that the signal lights were
In position. vent down into the cabin
to look over Il bundle of newspapers
that had been brought aboard. Sand,
Hook is exposed TO the waves Of the
cean. and the ship was rolling heavily
Presently the mate heard d step OIL
the comps nionway. Looking up. there
IN the stairs stood-the ghost of Con
nor! He was pale as u corpse. and his
eyes We're faring.
Get up!' commanded a voice.
Hutchins. who did not doubt that he
was facing the %avenging spirit Of the
man he had murdered. .Obeyed. trem
bling. Common or his ghost had mean
while come down into the cabin and
passed beyond Hutchins.
go on deck"
Hutchins backed of the cabin on
10 the deck. fascinated by the glitter
ing eye of the man or g~host-he did not
know which.
The main jib needs Glowing. Go
out n clew it,"
Whether the prospect Of certain |
death-for the conditions differed only |
In degree from what they were when
vas ordered to make this at |
tempt Or something human there was
about Conner affected him. by this
time Hutchins VAS ready for defense |
Even a ghost can't corner a maj with
being turned on. and the mate.
seeing that onnor was unarmed. |
suddenly thrust his hand to his hip.
u revolver and fired. His hand
was unsteady. Besides. at the moment
= wave rolled under the ship. His shot
went Wild The ghost drew a revolver :
from under bis shirt and before Hutch
could fire again shot him dead.
Scarcely a minute had elapsed from
the time the two reached the deck be-
Hutciiins' body was rolling In. the
lee scuppers. Two Of the crew saw
the 6ght and. coming up. drew. back at