Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-07-05

piracy which followed With
such astonishing promptness
the general adoption Of aerial
navigation in the fourth decade of the
twentieth century will no doubt be re-
garded by future historians as n Of
the greatest curiosities Of human an
pals, 1t has already been the subject
of much iaboritaas research and Of
many learned dispositions, vhftle the
public has eagerly devoured the lives"
of q dozen of those astounding ma
RAIDERS Of the atmosphere, who de-
seconded from the sky with the speed
and ferocity Of famished eagles. Whole
towns were sometimes laid under con
tribution, the terror inspired by drop
ping bombs banishing all thought of
| effective resistance.
OF all the desperate adventures OF
that period none was so fascinating In
personality or had the romantic charm
that characterized Captain Alfonso
| Payton, a Spanish American, whose
real Christian name was probably that
which he gave, but who had dropped
the name Of his family, which was said
to be one Of the oldest and proude5t
in Spain, dating back to the days Of
the conqutstadores. Payton's exploits
In his famous aero Chameleon COM
manded q great deal Of attention at
times in the newspapers, but his story
has never been fully told, and the clos
| Ing details, the most amazing Of all,
were withheld from public knowledge
for reasons which will be apparent In
| what I am about to relate.
Payton, or "Captain Alfonso" as his
reckless crew always called him, was
one Of the handsomest men that I have
ever seen. He had a Spaniard's eyes
and complexion. with the stature and
vigor Of a modern American, while his
manners were those Of an ideal prince.
The charm of his personality was felt
by everybody who came In contact
with him. He was exceedingly well
educated, especially In everything
which makes a man attractive to wo-
men, and If he had chosen to lead an
honest life he could unquestionably
have married almost any heiress or
any beautiful girl that he might have
fancied, and he would have been an
ornament to society.
But he was a born pirate. Brave
| and fearless, he was absolutely reck-
less of the opinions of mankind, re-
1oiced in his wickedness, sought only
the qualification Of his whlms and
| pleasures, and yet he could commit an
| outrage on the liberty and personal
rights of others with such winning
gentleness, such delicate consideration
for their feelings, that often the sting
was not at the moment perceived.
Payton's methods were peculiar. He
had chosen his line, and he stuck to 1t
until the end. He never attacked
treasure laden f1ers, such as the early
transatlantic liners Of the Information.
| al Aero express, which constituted the
! fayorite prey Of Morton, the other
great pirate Of the period. but he made
an exclusive speciality Of kidnapping,
and almost invariably he kidnapped wo-
men, whom he treated with the utmost
deltcacy and consideration consistent
with sure capture and safe keeping,
There were many instances familiar
to newspaper readers of his magic per-
sonaIlty so working upon his victims
that he won their respect and even
friendship.
Nevertheless he was without mercy
IN bis exactions. The object Of all his
abducttons was ransom. No tears, no
entreaties, no consideration whatever,
had the slightest effect upon him.
Pay or stay was his word.
The exploit which finally brought
Payton's career to an end was the
most extraordinary and romantic in
all the long list of his adventures and
one which would never have been
dreamed of by n man less rseklessly
daring. At that time the most talked
about and the wealthiest Of Now
York's biliionajres was the late VII
liam Graymap. He had accumulated
q stupendous fortune by means OF a
corner In banks"
| was O young lieutenant IN charge
of q government aero engaged In the
revenue service, and the one thine
eutside my Regular occupation that
especially interested me was the pros
ress Of invention growing out of the
old wireless telegraph.
Mr.. Grayran, who had long been a
widower, had an only child, Miss Hell
- 0sha xRaR ana Af ina