The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1912-08-16

master at arms and placed me in his charge,
ordered his launch and dashed off to the
Charleston. He returned in half an hour and
without another word to me ordered a lieuten-
ant to take me aboard the Charleston.
will not deny that l was bit easier In my
mind when l saw my own flag flying over me,
yet had known the treatment l was to re-
ceive under it l would have felt quite differ
emily.
1t easy to see, from the reception
Captain Picking gave me, that he had been
influenced by the attitude of Captain Lang.
/ told him that l American citizen,
temporarily in the employment of the Bra
lillian government; that l had violated no
law of the United States or of Brazil, and
1 demanded that l be set ashore. He coldly
informed me that l would be confined to the
ship. at least until he had consulted with the
American minister and communicated with
Washington, and after 1 arrived the
Charleston | was confined to my room, as
dangerous character who threatened the
peace Of nations With this decidedly un-
pleasant recollection, however it is a pleas
ure to know that the other American naval
officers, who arrived later took exactly my
view of the whole situation and became
champions of my cause. They told Picking
that Mello a pirate and should be
treated as such, and that l was being de-
prived of my liberty without the slightest
warrant of law, but they were powerless to
accomplish my release.
Looking forward little, the matter in
which that old fighter, Rear Admiral Benham.
put an end to the revolution in the follow
ing January, soon after his arrival at
Rio, should be we'll remembered for 1t was
a noble deed and an example OF the good
Judgment generally displayed by American
naval officers when they are not hampered
by foolish orders from Washington. In the
vain hope of arousing enthusiasm for his lost
cause Mello had gone down the coast,
where he fguratively and literally took to
the woods when he saw the folly Of his mis-
sion. leaving Da Cana in command of the
blockading fleet. The captains Of several
American merchant ships, who had been
prevented for weeks from landing their car
goes for Rio, appealed to Admiral Benham,
who took prompt action.
To show his contempt for the rebels
whom he properly regarded pirates
Admiral Benham assigned the smallest ship
of his squadron the little Detroit, com
manded by that great little man. Com
mander (now Rear Admiral, retired) w. H
Brownson to escort the merchantmen up e
the dock
The revolution" ended right there but un
fortunately l was not present witness it,
collapse.
It was in vexed Venezuela that was destin
ed to end my DAYS of deviltry but not until aft
er protracted warfare, none the less bitter be
cause 1t was conducted at long range, with Cas-
tro the Contemplate, who came into powe
two years after had finally settled down a
Santa Catalina as manager for the Orinoc
company. Cipriano Castro had been in con
gress as diputado, member of the house
from one OF the Andean districts while was Il
Caracas with President Crespo, and. though h
was regarded as good fighter and a disturbin
element he was never considered a pres
Dental possibility.
After getting the development work We
started | returned TO Caracas and early /
1879 resumed my old confidential position wit
President Crespo, His term expired the 70
lowing February and / found that he had a
ready decided on General Ignacio Andrade a
his successor. He had planned to continue 9
d,ctator NJ the country a la Guzman. and spen
much of his idle time and money abroad, an
no wanted a man who could be relied on
keen his organization intact and turn the @
Acc hack to him at the end o. his term. II
- the Venezuelan constitution prohibits pres
dent from succeeding himself.
The peons idolized Crespo. and he had sue
, q strong grip on the country that ne was ao
N carry out his plan. but with disastrous result
For a popular election iuexas the wsirdest THU
that could be imagined.
7, was Immediately followed by uetterings
} a,scontent from the better class OF citizens Al
-,... =, andrade's inauguratiop Qepey