Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-03-02

and was transformed into a man with
two revolvers In his pockets, Captain
Thomas, who had been thus cleverly
disguised. had no sooner appeared on
deck than there was another transfer
nation scene" The twenty-five me-
| chanics Invested themselves OF their
soiled garments and appeared as a
body OF well-armed men, who imnedi7
ately surrounded their leader Thd
later told Captain Kirwan that thA
boat was now the property OF the
Southern COnfederacy. but that Is he
and his passengers peaceably submitted
they would be put ashore without
molestation. Before all this force there
was nothing 10 do but submit Cap
tain Thomas took possession OF the
steamboat. an engineer and fireman
were furnished from his party, aud
the Saint Nicholas was run TO the Vir-
ginia shore. A landing was made at
a place called The Cove" where the
boat captain aud his passengers were
put off, and allowed 10 make their way
10 Baltimore. Washington or Annapolis
detachment OF Confederate troops came
aboard and took possession OF the
steamboat; which proved that the plan
for It's capture had been carefully and
Systematically laid
The Incident caused great excitement
about Chesapeake Bay. and a sharp
lookout was kept for the daring
French lady" II shows the desperate
character OF the man. that after such
an exploit as this he should attempt to
return 10 Baltimore by "A public con
vcyance, To plot and execute more mis-
chief He was one of those restless
natures that the war brought 10 the
surface, who love the atmosphere OF
danger for its own sake. Ii was but II
few weeks later that Captain Kirwan
and two of his officers were passengers
on the steamboat Mary Washington.
from Fair Haven. on the shore to
Baltimore. There were also aboard
two police officers who had been down
the bay trying TO catch criminal, and
several Union officers and soldiers,
some OF whom were armed. Some of
the faces OF the passengers looked very
familiar TO Captain kirwan, and he
was not long In satisfying himself that
at least eight of the party who had
taken the Saint Nicholas from him
were aboard. A closer scrutiny dlscov-
cred that Thomas himself was one OF
the number.
A plan was quietly agreed upon be
tween the two boat captains and the
police officers for the capture OF these
desperadoes They took possession OF
all the exits from the boat, with the
aid Of the few soldiers aboard, and
stopped the boat at Fort McFlenry.
Thomas at once saw that he was de
tected. He drew l. s pistol, called on
his men TO draw theirs, and demanded
OF the captain of the Mary Washing.
ton that he go on TO Baltimore. But
| the positions were firmly held, and the
commanding officer OF MciIenry having
been informed of the situation, a strong
| guard now appeared on the boat.
| Thomas men were taken: but he had
disappeared. 1t was known that he
must be somewhere on the boat, and Il
| thorough search was made. 1t took an
| hour to find him He had actually shut
| himself up In a bureau drawer In the
ladies' cabin. his small size enabling
| him To do II.
He was long confined at Fort Lafay
| cite whence he continually tried to
escape The Confederacy was deprived
OF a willing dare deyl'' by his I'm
prlsonmcnt