The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1911-07-20
HE ESCAPED
THE GALLOWS
b. r. C. MARTIN
Copyright BY American Press Assoc
citation. 1871

his FIRST supper be sat on a bench out
side. oiled a pipe with q 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 10 him:
Mate. we uns have made a rule
here that every newcomer introduces
hisself by spinnin' a yarn. That way
we can Judge him. A man general
y gives hlsself away when he's tellin'
bis sperenees."
About meselfT'
IN course. How can We Judge O
you II your yarns about some ono
elsef" ~
well. here goes said the newcom-
er after a few thoughtful whiffs az his
pipe Ny yarn happened when was
aboard the bark Sarah Blake. J was
young then and full o. life. and. though
say Il myself. no man could get aioft
quicker and hang on tighter. furlin' at
the same time. than ! could. But
had the misfortune to get the enmity
q the nrst odlcer. McWhailey. ana
after that my life wasn't wo'th
Twin. He did everything be could 70
get me overheard. sendin' me ont %
the end Of q yandarm when the ship
was rollin' and dippin' me 10 the erests
Of the seas. Another time be sent me
On 20 the bowsprit when Il was COW
cred with Ice and pokin' Itself into
every wave that came along. Well
one dag be knocked me down with q
marllnspike. and I picked up capstnn
bar and hit him on the head
The old fellow took bis pipe out Of
bis mouth. cooked biz eye AZ his hear
ers and asked II the snug Harbor was
q locker for secrets. Being assured
that Il was. be proceeded.
Il was desperate and didn't know
bow hard ! struck. 1 cracked MS skull.
and be died the same afternoon. 10
course was put IN irons 70 Be tooken
into port sud tried for both mutiny
and murder either one o which. as
you know. mates. h enough 70 hang q
man.
There wasn't a seaman aboard that
didn't like Il because "a downed the
mate aud got rid q MIN The cap.
tain and the other oflicer didn't think
that way. They didn't believe In mu-
tiny nohow. and they was bound 70
bring me 70 trial They didn't know
who 10 trust 10 guard me 10 the BRIG
but II didn't make much difference.
FOR 20 long az We were az sea there
was 20 way O gittin' ashore. even II
1 bad my liberty. But the afternoon
after ! killed the mate my guard as
soon a. be was put on watch. put bis
bigger aside bis nose. and be said IN .
whisper.
Mate. We eeamen has been con-
suitin' . way % 81 you out o hangin
We're nearin' the coast. and the mate
you killed h 70 b buried az two bells
tomorrer moruln'. Hes sewed up In
hIs hammock now. with q ten pound
shot tied % bis ankles Say the word
ana we'll take him out and put you
IN. We kin give you a sharp knife TO
rut yerseif out With. some cork from
The nfeboats. a bottle o water an
some herrings.
= told him I'd rufber die that way
than be swingin' az . ropes end. and
! might cit picked up So that night
when the men that was my friends
was on watch they tuk % the irons.
give me the things. tyin' the corks
around my body under the arms. the
behring's In q bag the sailmaker had
rot up FOR the purpose around my
waist. a bottle o water hung from the
waist between my legs. and the knife
! put In my pocket. Then they zach
a their chance to glt rid o tbs mates
BODY and after dumpin' Il overheard
put me IN the hammock and sewed me
~.
in the mornln'. soon AFTER two bells
struck. | heard footsteps on the deck,
lobody sayin' nothin' and then quiet
or awhile. when the captains voice
founded sollum readln' the burial serv.
&c. This was more'n I'd counted on.
know I'd probably die. but I objected
o the burial service beln' read over
be before ! was dead
-1owsomever. ! lay still. and when
be skipper got through ! felt myself
fitted up. laid on an inclined plank and
kldded % into the water.
"D'ye know. mates. that was q
Mighty mean fcelin'. a weight hangin'
D my ankles. draggln' me down. But |
didn't have no time to be thinkin'.
Z didn't cut the shot loose quick
nough ia 90 down where the water
ressure would keep me down. Be
ldcs. I couldn't hold my breath more
han 6fty seconds. though I'd been
racticin' doin' O Il. | whipped out
~ knife. ripped open the hammock.
OF my arms out and cut the cord 10
bout twenty seconds.
The bag fell Oh while was risln'.
here was a danger that I'd be seen
rom the ship So was. but this had
cen porwlded for. As soon as ! was
ia on some Of my friends TUX up the
itention O. one o the onzcers, and
obody saw me except men Who was
} the plot
Il coated on the water eli that day
nd the next. I'd had a good break.
lsl before bein h'isted overheard and