The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1911-12-23


train, and walked quickly along the
edge of grassy bluff overlooking
the government cut that now con-
meets the Harlem and Hudson rivers
by a more direct route than the DIG
Spuyten Duyvu creek. A few nun
dred yards beyond the low fence that
separates the meadow from the street
they came upon man standing close
behind large tree. He was screened
from the little street and from the
bridge that spans 1t by thick under
brush. When he sighted Britz ne
lifted his hand warningly and beck
oned. The three men went within
the shelter Of the bush.
Anything new, Gordon?" inquired
Britz.
YES" said the other detective.
"rhey have gone aboard"
Where's Hicks?"
Down there near the water. piping
them off"
Are they on deck?'
mo, in the cabin; they seem pref.
ty busy, too
Gordon looked at the sky. 1t was
growing brighter every minute.
Stepping with most solicitous ten
derness on the grass, and avoiding
every leaf and twig that might give
forth slight crackle, the four men
made their way slowly among the
bushes to the spot where Hicks, lying
at full length with his head only a
little way above the ground, was
waiting and, at the same time, watch
ing naphtha yacht Of more than
ordinary size. Not sound broke the
silence of the early morning. The
ground was bare Of snow, the grass
almost as green as in late summer,
and only the chill III the air and the
nakedness of the trees indicated che
winter season. The san was just
trimming the far shore Of the sound.
A pioneer ray gflded the spuyten
Duyvil headland, caroming thither
from the crest Of Marble Hill.
After a whispered conference with
Hicks, Britt slipped his hand into
side pocket of his coat, and took out
something that g1ittered In the sun
shine. At single word from Britt,
Gordon and Hicks Wormed their way
along the bank until they were at the
bow OF the yacht. Britz, Fitch and
Manning stayed near the stern. Sud-
denly the lieutenant fred shot over
the yacht tnat echoed metallically
from the cliffs, and at the signal. all
I'VE of the attacking party leaped
aboard the yacht, their feet striking
the polished deck with a concerted
thud that must have made those with
In the cabin think they were feeling
the first shock Of q landslide.
The five men on the deck gave
those below little time for analysis of
their sensations. Gordon and Hicks
raced around the wheelhouse to the
starboard side of the craft, and
dashed down the companionWay from
that direction, while Britt, Manning
and Fitch hurled themselves into the
port entrance to the cabin, alighting
on richly carpeted floor dozen feet
below the deck. Two shots followed
before the police party could seize
Prince Kananda and Ali, who, facing
In opposite directions, stood at bay In
the center of the cabin. Britz and
| Gordon struck upward the revolvers
| Of the Indians as the triggers were
pulled. The bullets few high, harm
| Ing no one Behind Kananda and Ali.
using table as a breastwork, stood
two more Hindoos, both Of them
strangers to Britz They were UNI
armed save for wicked-looking Malay
krises they gripped nervously as they
crouched in waiting for an attack.
Britt and Manning damned their pis-
tolls into the faces of the men with
the krises; but the Indians, undis-
mayed, made savage slashes at them
with their raZor-edged long knives.
Gordon and Fitch sprang upon the
kris-bearers, Hicks with a pistol in
each hand standing off Kananda and
ALI. Again and again the Hindoos
slashed at their ASSISTANTS, and that
they did not split at least one head
/ was due to the wary agility of the
| four who attacked them. Shots from
| the detectives reyolvers would have
brought them down at such short
range, Of course; but the policemen
~seemed bent on capturing them alive,
and Fitch was not a man to have re.
course to bloodshed until he could be
certain 1t was Inevitable Britt and
Manning waited their chance. After
futile swings at the Indians, they
closed with thean, clubbing their re
volvers and bringing them down with
crashing force on the gaudy turbans
Of the Orientals A few seconds OF
that vicious pounding stunned the
Hindoos, and 1t was then but the
work of q moment to slip handouts
on them. Kananda and All, in the
meanwhile, had made no further at
tempts to use their pistols. They
read death in Hicks eyes as he con
fronted them with his long. blue
cleaning barrels aimed straight a
them Their hesitation was fatal t.
their hope of escape. For even a.
ALI, doubtless at whisper or sigma