The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1905-06-01
A GUNCOTTON PLOT
Conserving an Ifishman and Some
Filibssters.

Kansas City Star: There was once a
considerable merchant OF New York
who freighted many vessels every year
and sent them on ventures to distant
lands. IL CHANGED that, to rescue one
OF these ventures from the hands or his
enemies. the merchant. who desired
that his name might not appear In con-
nectioY with the matter. had recourse
20 an honest and capable fellow whose
calling was that Of a middieman or the
sea, or ship broker. an they named ".
He was much esteemed for his skill I'm
these matters. and. indeed. he came by
such skill honestly, for he was native
OF the Isle OF Emerald, whose people
are famed even TO the land where the
pepper grows for their shrewdness,
boidness and address.
The considerable merchant In a con-
sidera BILE merchant still. his name In IN
well known In all the United states an
N II were Jones. and I'm most OF the
south Americas IL In known even bet
ter.
In the simple aud yirtuous pursuit of
trade I'm those fervid lands has
CHANGED. and stiii chances, that bar
gain in rubber. guano. coffee or hides
may depend as much OF politics as on
the more usual commercial factors OF
barter used I'm the less tempersmental
United States.
Therefore this merchant has been
constrained at times tn go so far as To
purchase vessels To be used as ships OF
war.
This was a matter demanding merely
n little diplomacy. Nd long as the mer-
chants interests were on the side OF
the officially recognized government of
any Of these one-night stands OF re-
publics: hut one day "a very worthy
speculation In the years produce OF "A
few thousand square miles OF coffee
plantations began To depend for Its sue
cess on the survival OF the insurrec-
tons side OF a civil war.
Then n wasn't so easy.
The statutes OF the United States
have unpleasant references tn the high
crime OF fitting out armed vessels ca
prey on the peace OF mind OF friendly
governments: and though the term
''niibuster'' sounds romantic TO the
young and irresponsible. Il spells
JAIL" This In not allurink to con-
siderable and middle aged merchants.
who care more for the solid comforts of
money honestly earned than for the
Ing do"
SIN. the success OF that venture In
cofYee-and some rubber concessions
and a river steamboattng monopoly
depended entirely on getting or n ship
to be used as privateer. with n
choice crew OF brave spirits and. most
important OF all. three tons OF guncot-
ton To be use In a most interesting
military experiment In the way OF be-
ing fired NJ a government Meet from
an ingenious and delightful dynamite
throwing cannon.
The ship was ready. innocentiy
cleared In ballast" for ~. Thomas.
This was a piece OF simple truthfulness
on the part OF the merchant, for she
really was bound for that place. The
fact that she was merely TO enter the
harbor far enough to take on board q
swarthy gentleman who was then and
there To invest himself with the pan
opiy OF AN admiral OF the insurrection-
airy fleet was not. OF course, a matter
concerning Uncle Sam.
She lay at anchor OF quarantine.
Staten Island. with three lazy. bare
footed sailor men making n lazy job
OF painting the rusty red iron sides OF
her Every line and riyet OF her said I:
"Tradel Trade. Trade" In her hold
was tn, pretty slender. graceful. in
gcnious dynamite gun.
But the grave and reckless spirits
who were TO make the crew OF that
good ship and To WELD that cunning
gun-where were they? Unknown
unsolicited. losfing ON the Bowery. Wa
ter street and West street. unconscious
OF the glory that called them?
And the guncotton. IL lay In a
| storehouse In n New Jersey town be-
hind Liberty island. with two sad OBJ
stacles between Il and the waiting
ship.
one was that the conscientious con-
Germ which owned the explosive could
b- depended on To increase It's bill II
A were To learn that the Transaction
was not one that called too urgently
for publicity. This was TO theory. The
concern had done such upings before