The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1911-08-17
HE ESCAPED
THEGALLOWS
BY r. G. MARTIN
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.
BY r. G. MARTIN

An old sailor was run into his last
port-the Sailors Snug Harbor. After
his first supper he sat on bench out
side. filled pipe with a short stem
and smoked lugubriously. Several of
the inmates of the institution approach
ed him. pulling on their own pipes. and
sat down near him. and one Of them
said to him:
Mate we uns have made a rule
here that every newcomer introduces
hisSelf by spinnin yarn. That way
we can judge him. A man general
~ gives hisself away when he's tellin
his sperences.'
About meself?"
"In course. How can we Judge O.
you if your yarns about some one
else?"
well, here goes" said the newcom-
err after few thoughtful whiffs at his
pipe. My yarn happened when l was
aboard the bark Sarah Blake. / was
young then and full O. life, and, though
l say it myself. no man could get aIoft
quicker and hang on tighter, furlin' at
the same time. than l could. But l
had the misfortune to get the enmity
o the first officer. McWhalley, and
after that my life wasn't wo'th
Twin. He did everything he could to
get me overheard. sendin' me out to
the end of yardarm when the ship
was rolin' and dippin me in the crests
of the seas. Another time he sent me
on to the bowsprit when it was COW
cred with ice and pokin' itself into
every wave that came along. Well,
one day he knocked me down with
marlinspike. and | picked up a capstan
bar and hit him ON the head"
The old fellow took his pipe out Of
his mouth. cooked his eye at his hear
ers and asked if the Snug Harbor was
locker for secrets. Being assured
that it was, be proceeded.
Il was desperate and didn't know
how hard | struck. | cracked his skull.
and he died the same afternoon In
course | was put in irons to be token
into port aud tried for both mutiny
and murder-either one which, as
you know, mates, Is enough to hang
man
There wasn't seaman aboard that
didn't like it because Id downed the
mate and got rid o. him. The cap
tain and the other officer didn't think
that way. They didn't believe in mu-
tiny nohow, and they was bound to
bring me to trial. They didn't know
who to trust to guard me In the brig.
but 1t didn't make much difference.
for so long as we were at sea there
was no way O. gittin' ashore. even if
l had my liberty. But the afternoon
after | killed the mate my guard. as
soon as he was put on watch. put his
finger aside his nose. and he said in
whisper:
Mate. we seamen has been con-
sultin' way to git you out O. hangin'.
We're nearin' the coast. and the mate
you killed is to be buried at two bells
tomorrer mornin' He's sewed I'D In
his hammock now. with a ten pound
shot tied to his ankles. Say the word
and Well take him out and put you
in. We kin give you sharp knife to
cut yerseif out with. some cork from
the iifeboats. bottle O water an
some behring's.
Il told him I'd ruther die that way
than be swingin' at ropes end, and
l might git picked up. So that night
when the men that was my friends
was on watch they TUX off the irons.
give me the things. tyin the corks
around my body under the arms, the
herrings in bag the sailmaker had
got up for the purpose around my
waist, a bottle o. water hung from the
waist between my legs, and the knife