Gilpin observer., 1909-03-04

u
t323AI boat that once belonged to
the government service
and which was employed
with other boats of the govern
ment feet on the Mississippi river in
looking after the levees, keeping the
channel clear and the government
lights burning, and the numerous 9th
er matters that the government has
assumed in connection with the navi-
CATION on that stream"
Capt. Dickson was a retired secret
service officer and l had known him
for many years. He had no thought
of publishing his "reminiscences, but
when l could get him under the infiu-
ence of warm fire in his cozy par
lor. pipe. and a glass-never more
than two in an evening-of his favo-
rite sherry. l always got something
that was worth publishing and l used
to tell him so. And as the principals
to the affairs were so hidden in the
telling and the locale of the events
was usually SO far away he did not
object prefer to tell it in his own
words.
The boat had been operated by the
government until 1t had been consid-
cred unsuited for its needs, and then
II was sold to q curious old river man
named Hank Parlow, who employed II
as trading boat, towing a large fiat
boat with It, and picking up such odd
Jobs Of towing and freighting as
chance threw in his way.
was in the office OF the surveyor of
customs at a certain Mississippi river
city one day when Parlow came in to
have his license renewed and the sur
veyor introduced him to me. He was a
peculiar character, and when it came
to paying the fee for the license, Par
some indeterminate place of conceal
ment about his person, and paid the
amount from $40 gold piece. He
asked for his change in gold. but as
there happened to be none in the
Office Just then he accepted the silver
and bills with some showing of reluc-
tance and bowed himself out of the
,ofiice.
After he had left, the surveyor told
me that Parlow was a miser and was
reputed to be worth many thousands
OF dollars. His fortune, so the river
men said, was concealed somewhere
about the boat Davy Jones, and 1t
was thought to be all In gold, as Par
low invariably had every bit of silver
and every bill that fell into his hands
converted into gold coins at his first
opportunity.
/ didn't see Parlow again until some
weeks later, when he came into my
office and told me that his boat had
been stolen from the wharf the night
before and he wanted me to find It,
He was frenzied with grief and cha
grin and swore, with many black and
long-winded oaths, that he would kill
the thieves on sight II he could find
them. I doubted II the case was one
in my Jurisdiction. but wired the par
ticulars to the department at Washing
ton and received instructions to go on
search for the vessel and endeavor to
capture the rogues. 1t seems that
there had been considerable complaint
from the port where / was then sta
toned. of thefts Of goods and other
articles from steamboats,, and as the
work was attributed to gang Of river
pirates, the chief thought 1t would be
. good Job to round up the gang and
nut them where they would do no
harm.
Parlow offered to pay all expenses,
and he told mo that friend OF his,
Q sallow, slouching fisherman named
Wastrow. owned q fast cabin gasoline
boat that would be put at my disposal.
wired notice Of the theft Of the Davy
Jones to points along the river and its
tributaries, az felt sure that the boat
could not remain long undetected II 1t
showed itself at any port Of the Mis-.
sissippi.
The next morning when opened my
once. found dirty slip Of paper
among tho letters in my mail box. Ex-
amlniag It. l discovered pencil writing