The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1910-02-24

and we went with iiiln as he hurried
away to do what he cculd in the name
OF the United States government to
save Jacks life. He at first eXpostu.
lated against the barbarity' of execut-
ing man for resisting wanton at
tack of policeman. but as the au-
thorities turned deaf ear to his ex-
postulation he made formal protest
No more attention was paid to the pro-
test than to the expostulation.
That night was distressing one for
all our crew, and, as for Jack. it only
remained for him to prepare for death.
Our captain could do nothing. If the
Chilean authorities would not respect
a representative Of the United States
they would not pay any attention to
the captain Of the crew to which the
offender belonged. The harbor was
not only bare of a United States fight
ing ship. but did not contain one Of
any other nation.
Not wink did l sleep that night.
and when it was light enough for me
to see was securing the harbOr in the
hope that some sort Of a fighting ma
chine had come in during the night
But was disappointed. The waters
were entirely bare Of guns.
The condition Of our crew was har-
rowing. We wanted to fight and had
nothing to fight with. To permit one
of our number to be shot to death by
lot Of Spanish American undersized.
bloodthirsty rascals well nigh threw
every man of us into spasms We got
together in knots, and many We're the
foolhardy plans that were proposed to
save our comrades life. But as time
wore on and the hour appointed for
the execution approached an awful
sense of our powerless position settled
down upon us and stunned us.
Early in the morning | was made
the bearer of a note from our captain
leave the ship for fear of some move
on the part of the men which would
not only be hopeless, but get us into
more trouble. was the only man OF
the crew to 60 ashore. While l was
at the consulate crowd was gather
ing in field in rear of the house to
witness the execution. What the note
contained l don't know, but on reading
it the consul shook his head.
At that moment l saw the British
consul. whose house was opposite.
come out to raise the British flag. He
stood looking at the crowd in the field
and saw the British bulldog indig-
nation rising in him at the murder
about to be committed. With the flag
still in his hand he came across the
street and, approaching the American
consul, said to him:
You're not going to let them shoot
that man, are you?"
What can dO?" replied the consul
despairingly. II have protested against
the act. lam powerless to do more"
Meanwhile Jack had been marched
out, and firing squad was taking posi-
ton before him.
Give me your 1ag!' shouted the
English consul. And in another mo-
ment the stars and stripes were clutch
ed in his hand with the union jack
Then hurrying across the field, and
our own consul following him. we sa
him elbow his way through the crowd
and run up to the prisoner. The nex'
instant the United States hag was
folded around Jacks broad shoulders
and immediately after the blood red
banner of Great Britain was placed
over it. Then the consul who hau
done this, standing few PAGES back
faced the firing squad and cried de
family:
Now shoot if you dare through the
heart of England and American
This was too much for the dagos. Il
the moral power of the United States
did not scare them that of the two
most powerful nations on the eartt
and, what was more to them. on ths
sea was more than they dared defy
Then. too, this combined moral power
was displayed in way to give 1t ful
force. To deliberately shoot a mar
through the two flags representing th'
two wings Of the great Anglo-Saxol
race required nerve that even thu
valiant Chileans did not possess.
After hurried consultation tn
Chilean authorities, suddenly strickel