The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1906-10-02
"a COM
Gentleman


I whom came on dug * 10 clock the
I captain and his fanny had turned In.
i There was nothing for I.sS watch 10 do
except In the case or the man on the
lookout, and all except him and the
man who stood By the wheel in per
| functory way were soon sprawled out
and asleep. Within the hour ! believe
that we all slept II / slept nt an. Of
I which l nm not sure, it WAS less than
/ ten minutes by the cabin clock. / wns
suddenly aroused by some one touching
my arm. and at once responded:
We'll what Is it?g
1 spoke before turned 10 the man
at my side When wheeled on him
| saw stranger. He stood there with
his cap in hand. aud drawn up across
/ the decE were fourteen other men. all
| dressed us French convicts. Every
man removed his cap and bowed to
me, and rs 1 stood staring the one
who had touched me quietly said:
.sSir, we have come aboard
'sBut what Is it-wno are youZ"
asked as our voices aroused the man
at the wheel.
Our boat is alongside, sir. We are
escaped convicts from Cayenne. We
did not hail you. and we came aboard
without noise. We have been a night
and two days at sea. May hope that
our advent Will disturb no one2"
Good God, but we are captured by
convictsr'' Sroaned as finally real
lied the situation.
..And a worse thing might have hap
pened." he replied, with a laugh. I'VE
haven't the slightest Intention OF cap
turing your craft. Our only desire IS
to work our passage to the north We
have quite a quantity of provisions
aboard our boat, and you will find US
obeyiuc orders and maintaining the
best of discipline"
descended to the cabin and aroused
the captain and in whispers informed
him of what had happened. He was
OF an excitabIe nature. and If had not
clapped my hand over his mouth he
would have aroused the women with
his EXPLANATIONS. l had to tell him
over and over again that the convicts
offered no violence and that their lead
er seemed 10 have them under perfect
control before l could quiet him. he
was sinking like a leaf when we gain
ed the deck. and he afterward told me
that he expected nothing less than to
he murdered out of hand.
$50 this IS the captain :" softly asked
the convict leader. Let me reassure
you, sir There shall be no violence
here. You are as safe as il in your
own home ashore"
But you-you are convicts!" ex-
claimed the captain as he looked
around upon the gang.
Unfortunately, yes, but 1t does not
follow that we are beasts and brutes-
Some of US may not have been guilty
of the crimes charged 1 alone can
speak your language. | am the leader
Every man win obey my slightest
word All we ask Is that you give US
a passage to the north"
How far to the nOrth?''
ITO any of the English islands in
the West Indies"
The man was speaking fairly, and
when one looked at him there could
be no mistake that he had been gentle
born. He had the face and speech of
an aristocrat. His followers were more
common looking men, but their faces
were not evil. The captains excite
ment quoted down after little and
he reasoned 1t out that 1t was best to
give way. Indeed, there was no other
conclusion for sensible man to come
to. He looked ut me and gave him
a nod, and then he said;
ST will take you along and trust In
what you say
land pledge you my word you shall
have no cause to regret it." replied the
leader as he extended his hand. AS
the weather is fine my men can occupy
the decks. I have a few words to say
to them"
With q gesture he called them around
him, and then for five minutes he spoke
In low but earnest tones. As he used
the French language we could not I'M
derstand n word, and yet it was plain
that he was giving them orders aud adj
vice. While he was speaking l sug-
gested to the captain that he be invited
to occupy n spare berth in the cabin,
and this was acceded to. When the in
vItation was extended he accepted 1t
as his due, but with many thanks, and
introduced himself as Alr. Lafoy. Our
sleeping watch was reused up, the con-
vIcts' boat unloaded and sent adrIft,
explanations made and all done so
Quietly that the sleeping women were
not aroused The first they knew OF
the affair was ut breakfast time. Mean
while the calm was broken.
In the morning watch carried one
OF my suits of clothes to Lafoy's state
room, along with razor and other
things. When he came out to break
fast and was introduced he was all
gentleman and no convict. He was a
good taIker and n natural entertainer
and the women, who had expected to
meet a villain, were on friendly footing
within n quarter OF an hour.
AS for the other conylcts, our men
fraternized with them ut once. Some
of them were sailors and they promptly
turned to. Between our crew and the
eaptnin's slop chest all were fitted out
In other dress and their uniforms
...a..I...nr. NNLA Ind Tho crowd