Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-06-01

KNOW the &iiliN person, but decline, rs
have always declined to tell"
Turner stood on the gunwale and
as the stern rose was quickly lowered
with Wire rope and, perchlng him
self ON the ruddcr eudeavored TO mss
1t through the ring. Before he could
do SO tho stern descended. bearing him
. with it. Nccks were craned over the
I rail TO see. when the ruddcr rose again.
I II he would still be there Few be.
/ hcvcd that me would But aS the Ster
/ came mp there he was. his knees press
+ ing the vessels sides. his hands clutch
/ ing The ring
a wave swung the rudder TO star
/ board. and the man ON il would have
/ been dashed against the side of Tn.
7 ship had he not saved himself b,
| throwing himself on the other side
/ Before ii was swung i'm the reverse
/ direction down be went again toward
/ the bottom of the ocean. When -,
! came up. holding the ring by one hand
/ he tried 10 pass the rope through il
/ but the ruddcr was not stin Ions
| enough for him TO do so He was no;
/ only becoming benumbed with the cold
/ bath, but must be ever watchful to
avoid being banged against the side
/ or the vessel, which would. TO say
/ the least, have dislodged him.
/ And so he continued to fight for the
| lives of the fifty or more people slow
/ ly drifting toward the breakers. whose
/ distant roar could now be family heard
/ above that of the wind Every time
| he was carried down he came up with
/ shorter breath and more exhausted
| But every time he renewed his mt.
/ tempt TO put the rope through the
| ring of the swaying rudder. Then.
/ when he had failed and gone down
/ again, on rising he let go the ring 10
/ rest, swinging, soaked with ice water
and pierced by the cold wind
/ At last, watching his opportunity
| when the ship plunged and the stern
! rose, swinging with the ring, he grasp
/ ed mt it, caught it and this time passed
the rope through IT,
Half his work had been done.
Another wire rope was given him.
but how could he hope, having lost so
much Of his strength and bcnumbed
by the cold, TO succeed when it had
taken so long to attach the first rope?
1t was period Of terrible suspense for
those drawing near those dreadful
breakers whose roar was now every
moment growing louder. Again he
made his dives; again he chung to the
rudder, watching TO avoid being dash.
ed against the ship, trying to put the
second rope in place.
And so, sometimes swinging mt the
end of his rope and sometimes taking
his cold baths, he kept on trying The
knowledge that lives depended upon
his success gave him strength, but
whenever he felt that he could not EN-.
durc another swing in the blast or an.
other dive in the ocean he would think
of that life behind bars which was de
throning his reason and he would per
severe
At last Il feeble call from below an.
nOunCcd 20 those above that the sec
ond wire rope had been passed through
the ring. To the ends of these ropes
those on deck passed heavy chains,
which the convict shackled in place,
and whom this was done lie was drawn
up.
As he appeared above the tafIrai
shout was raised But he did not hear
it. The moment his work was done
he tainted. Liquor was poured down
his throat. and lie was hurried below
There ne was stripped Of his soaked
clothing and put into hot blankets
While he had been at his work men
on deck had dashed a boom across the
poop. projecting on each side The
ruddcr chains were passed through
pulley blocks mt each end Of the beam
and around a drum made by boarding
over the stCariug gear. The moment
the ends Of the chains were attached
To- the ring the rudder was made scry.
iccabic, ana the ship was turned from
the white line whore now. but n mile
away. the mad waves were tossing
their heads as if disappointed at los.
ing their prey
When Turner came on decl, again he
was dressed I'm a suit of the first mates
clothes, and every one pushed forward
to grasp his hand and shower bless
iugs upon bin. Each and every per
son vowed not to bctray him. and
some suggested means Of obtaining
pardon. Itut Turner told them that he
preferred tp remain aboard the ship.
which, after touching at Ncw York.
was to sail for foreign land So
great was lis dread of % return 10
prison that he determined 90 lose him
self iH country where Doc would not
ue Hu.wu
Iul.r Che impr0ri-ol steering gear
'ha u vaatlor.d fhc gale and made
H0r way t1 Philadelphia where She