New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-15
BOYNTON'S LIFE STORY.
Soldier of Fortune Tells of His
Vaied Career.

Before Judge Holt. IN the United States Circuit
Court where Joseph and Sidney Keller are on
trial, charged with having made dies and hubs
wherewith the silver dollar coin OF Venezuela
could be duplicated and thus finance a revolution
Captain George Boynton went on the stand yes
terday and told story that would rival many
tales Of fiction. He was called on Wednesday by
United States Attorney Houghton and yesterday
he was cross-examined by ex-Justice William l..
Cohen. counsel for the Kellers
Captain Boynton confessed to sixty-four years
His whole life, he said. had been devoted to con-
hict, not for gain in money power. but as he
expressed It. for the pure deviltry OF adventure
Never had he earned dollar, he admitted. as men
generally earn money, although he acknowledged
having made money" His memory regarding
names and dates faulty
The captain was born in this city. He had never
had TO work, he said. his father having bequeathed
him the income OF comfortable fortune. safely
invested. When only nineteen, reading OF the in
the South. just then beginning the waHderIus took
possession and having home ties to bind him.
Captain Boynton told how he wandered South and
soon became engaged in the dangerous occupation
OF a blockade runner. That this work and life ap-
pealed strongly 10 him shown from the fact
that time and again. under half a dozen flags and
in half a dozen he blOckaded ports
vocation. After a time Captain Boynton said he
went to Illinois where he enlisted in a Northern
cavalry regiment, with which he saw heavy
fighting I'm "a score OF big battles. Once more he
took up blockade running the lower rivers Of
the Southland Starting 4 private, he was mus
tered out 1860 a major
After the close of the war the captain just
"rouShed'' it until about 1870. when he read OF
the Franco-Prussiun war. He soon I'm the
thick Of the fray. and remained there until the
war was ended For time he wandered through
the Orient, visiting China, Japan. and even taking
q trip TO the gold mines OF Australia, waiting for
trouble 10 break out I'm some place. Later he
dropped into Chill and Joined the forces that were
seeking the overthrow OF the dominant government
He found time. he said, few blockades past
the government guns. That ended the captain
Joined d body OF revolutionists in Brazil.
Again ne ran bloCkades at Rio JaneiTo and other
ports along that coast Captain Euynton just
fooled around with half dozen little penny
revolutions I'm the South American states for sew
eral years. and finally allied himself with the pa
ttiotic citizens of CUba 10 throw off thu Spanish
yoke He a major I'm Chilli, general in ItraZil
and he soon became q colonel In Cuba.
lie fought with the Cubans. even through the
time when the United States Joined forces viii
tueu Then he went 70 Central America auC
mixed i'm with n few little difficulties there Sui
II an the coun tries Venezuela appealed most strong
Is Ia him. and he returned there. he was sent u
This city as the financial commissioner Of the revo-
luticuary party seeking the downfall OF President
Castro He especially bitter against Castro.
The case viii DE continued to-day