Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-06-16


of waiting until a shift in the wind
brought the Yarship over the boiler
and of selecting someone to throw the
switch that would set 1t of at the
proper time. =
Who Threw the switch7
The Spaniards conceived the idea of
having the mine fred by an American.
which eonformed to their conception
of justice: The American named in
the information that was given to the
secret service was Captain Boynton,
who, 1t was said, had been captured
shortly before while conducting fili-.
clustering expedition for the Cubans,
whom he had aided during the Ten
Years War, and was then imprisoned
in Cabanas fortress. According to the
story he was at once tried ard sem
fenced to death, but was offered his
life and liberty II he would press the
button that was to destroy the Maine
and swear never to reveal the secret
He accepted these terms, and on the
night of February Is. 1898, when a
change in the wind swung the Maine
around until her bow was directly over
the mine, with her keel only three OF
four feet above II. He was taken to
the Machina wharf and threw the
switch that produced the explosion, af-
ter which he was released.
Tho oaorot oarx,ina x.,orLad op tbIo
story for long time, but was unable
to establish Captain Boynton's alleged
connection with the conspiracy, though
there has been no official hint as to
what else was learned The account
of Captain Boynton's life, as told In
The War Maker, shows that at the
time. the Maine was blown up he was
In Venezuela as chief of the secret SER
vice for President Crespo, whose life
he saved on more than one occasion.
Except for the mistake of connecting
Captain Boynton with the plot there
are many government officials, includ-
ing several naval officers OF high rank.
who believe that this is the true story
OF the Names 0esIructlOn.
Boynton and HE Family.
It has been established that Captain
Boynton's real name was George Boyn.
ton Stone. He was son of DIR. Joel
Stone, who practiced in New York for
a short time, but, for family reasons,
soon after George was born, returned
to Charlotte, VT, where he was for
many years the only physician in the
town. Georges mother. Alma Boyn-
ton, was a member Of an old New
England family, some of whom moved
from Massachusetts, to Vermont more
than 100 years ago. There were FIVE
other children-Edward, Ellen, Ovette,
Henry and Ada. On account Of his
adventurous disposition George was
early separated from his family, and
up to the time of his death he did not
know what had become of his brothers
and sisters. Ovetta, who resides In
Maine, is the only one still living. Ed
ward died on April 6, 1908, In Chicago,
where he had practiced law for many
years. Henry also lived in Chicago.
where he died twelve years ago. The
captains cousin, G. d. Boynton, Is
postmaster at Hinesburg, VT, and
there are several other of his old
schoolmates living there who remem-
ber his wild disposition as boy and
his fight with Jim Fish, who in later
years was his partner for time.
The following Is from a history OF
the Boynton family:
There were two original Boyntons-
John and William-who came from
England in 1888 and settled in Row.
ley, Mass. There have been distin-
guished Boyntons in all Of the profess
sions and Boyntons have fought in
every war that ever occurred in this
country. Thomas Boynton fought at
Lexington and Bunker Hill, and his
diary Is In the Boston Historical
rooms. David and his five sons fought
in the Revolution; one Boynton invent
ed a trombocelicon and another a
steam wagon, and old Uncle Jonathan
Boynton of Woodstock, Vt.-he that
married the Widow More-could bend
his left knee both ways.
In the family record opposite the
name of George Boynton Stone Is en-
tered: disappeared about 1878; sup
posed to have gone to some foreign
country"
Keeping Track of Him.
John G. Meehan, who has an inter-
national detective agency at AZ Broad
way, and who has for many years been
employed by Venezuela, Hayti, Colom-
bia, Nicaragua and other South and
Central American governments, has
sheaf of confidential reports showing
the revolutionary activities OF Cap
tain Boynton. Beginning with 1890,
he received numerous requests from
practically all Of the atin-American
presidents to locate the captain, who
they feared or suspected was stirring
up some trouble for them. They did
not want him arrested, chiefly for the
reason that he was so clever In his
operations that 1t was seldom possible
to secure conclusive evidence against
him before he was ready to strike, but
they were anxious to be advised as to
where he was and what he was doing.
In running down these inquiries Mr..
Meehan kept more or less closely In
>ouch with the famous filibusterer and
revolutionist for more than twenty
wears and had a general knowledge Of
many of his exploits.
S.ans's Contribution.
That I'm noliah innrnaliSt who. Wrlt-