The Cairo bulletin., 1906-10-20


"Hooray for the little one! yelled her
majesty's bluejackets. Stand by the
little one'" And for the next few
minutes the British had the honors
All that night the marines worked
hard arresting the riotous bluejackets,
and the briggs and hospitals on the two
American ships and on the Amphibian
were filled to overlooking. Midship-
man Leigh had managed TO get on
board the Amphibian without being
obliged to exhibit his wounds, but he
knew they could not be concealed in
the morning.
What's that?" cried Capt Knapp
OF the American ship Winnisook,
when he heard of the melee Lied by
a British officer? This is outrageous,
and | won't stand III! Call away the
cutter, sir"
Capt Knapp proceeded straight to
the American legation and, accom-
panied by the minister, called on the
British commissioner. The three then
went to the Amphiblan, where formal
complaint was made to Capt, Clean
that one OF his officers had led the
british tars in dfsgraceful attack on
American seamen.
Midshipman Leigh's black eye and
swollen cheek were all that were neres-
sary to point him out as the culprit
but he frankly acknowledged that he
had been participant in the melee,
and made a poor fist of explaining the
Iextenuating circumstances Midship-
man Leigh was ordered in arrest, and
the next steamer carried to San Fran
cisco brief telegram to the admiralty
and a long official report to go for
ward by mail
Three miserable weeks were spent
by Midshipman Leigh on board the
Amphibian.Y Then came another mail
steamer with telegraphic instructions
from the admiralty to send Midship-
man Leigh home. The admiralty was
willing to hear any statement he had
to make, said the instructions. in or
der to determine whether he should
be dismissed or given the opportunity
70 resign, II was pretty evident that
was over, and that the disgrace of dis
missal stared him in the face.
J Thompson. seaman T. S. N. went
aloft the very day that the Instructions
from the admiralty were received, to
FIX some spars of the Winnisook, and
missed his footing Mdshipman Ger
aid Leigh. sitting disconsoate on the
deck of the Amphibian, a hundred |
yards away. saw the man fall
In an instant Leigh was overheard, |
and when the cutter from the Winni |
SOCK reached the spot where Thompson |
had disappeared, Leigh rose to the sur
face with the dead body of the sea
man in his arms. When he handed II |
over TO the boats crew, Leigh swan
back to his own ship.
The cry of Man overheard" brought |
Capt, Knapp 10 the deck. lie was just |
IN time to see Leigh appear with the
seamafls body, "Who was that MANI"
he asked, when the boat returned to
the WinnisoOk,
LITTLE chap-ber pardon. sir--mid !
shipman who fought our men, sir, . !
answered The coxswain
Capt Knapp was nothing If not |
man of action. Stay in your places. !
was his order to the boats crew. AMI |
when Thompson's body had been
hoisted aboard. the commanding Of |
flcer nimbly went down the side ladder
and took hia place in the stern. THE
Amphihian." said he.
capt knapp appeared to be excited |
when he reached the deck of the Am
phibian
Capt. Clean. he burst forth. !
you've got an officer on your shin /
who has Just performed a gallant act |
SIR. which my government will not |
pass unnoticed! understand, sir. that
he + about to be sent to England to
suffer for some slight infraction OF the
regulations. To punish that young
man, sir, wonld be an outrage. sir"
Il may remark. Capt Knapp. tho
British commander said, that IT was
your complaint that caused the all
miralty TO take the action IL did with
reference to Midshipman Leigh"
thtH HAAtidfhN tlg NpAipldlul. SIT. ]
and desire that the admiralty be mott
fed to that eject, sir"
When the mail steamer Alcatraz left
her wharf two hours later she car
ried some official communications in
which the name Of Midshipman Leigh
appeared more than once
Nearly a month later the Alcstraz
vas again at her wharf in Honolulu
she had Just arrived from San Fran
cisco. Her commander personally De.
ivered the official mail addressed To-
APT Clean.
When Capt Clean had finished
reading his nail. he sent for Nidshir.
nan Leigh Mr.. Leigh" be said. Won
ire restored TO duty. The admiralty (
will send an admoniiory letter: but in
lew Of your act of her0ism and the
equest of Capt Knapp, YOU are to
uffer no other punishment"
AS the WirnisOok steamed out past
he Amphibian next day. the Amerl.
an blue-jackets manned the rigging
nd cheered. The officers aad the
rev Of the Englishmen we're too sur
rised 20 respond A lot Of bunting
rokc ont from tho sigaalmast Of the
Tiuniscos u took \ minute for fho-e