The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-06-14

their convict suits. In their belts
each carried two six shooters. They
seized rifles from the buggies and
then rushed for the boat.
pull away, boys!" I cried. The
boat was not half mile from the
beach when a squad of eight mount
ed police galloped up bringing with
them a number of native BUSH
open sea the waves were rising. I
told my men to set sail. Tho seas
commenced to tumble and toss the
boat, threatening to swamp her. 1
reaching the vessel that night. Miles
away the Catalpa was barely visible.
Suddenly with a crash our mast
went over the side. The boat nearly
capsized to the windward. but threw
her head up to the wind and the
quick work of the crew kept her
atioat. An hour after sunrise the sea
began TO calm a little and felt sure
we could board the Catalpa in short
order when right behind us was seen
the guard ship headed at full speed
for the vessel.
There's the guard boat. boys;
pass out the rihes!' shouted a sailor
Every man grabbed a rifle and the
crew put new vigor into the oars.
Two miles from the Catalpa the look
out at the masthead made us out and
our ship was seen to suddenly bear
down on us every, sail set. For min
utes 1t was question whether the
guard boat would get us before we
reached our ship. Had this hap
pencd there would have been affatal
conflict.
I'VE won out. AS we got within
hailng distance Of the ship I shout
ed. Run up the ensign' and the
Stars and Stripes were run up to the
peak. The whaleboat was hoisted.
AS stepped over the rail the guard
boat swept across our bow. The Of
ficer in command accepted the result
in good faith and after a Good morn
ing and military salute headed his
craft back to shore We put out to
sea.
cat daylight the British ship was
seen again in chase. AS she came
near we could see that she had sew
eral companies of soldiers aboard. I
ordered the American flag hoisted.
Pretty soon came the order from
'Heave to!'
"'What for?' asked.
"You have escaped prisoners
aboard
"'You're mistaken; they're all free
men,
| "'Pll give you fifteen minutes in
which to heave to, and Ill blow your
masts out unless you do so'
"Then ! sang out: This ship is
sailing under the American flag and
she is on the high seas. If you fire
on me l warn you you are firing on
the American flag.
THE bluff was called and the two
vessels continued to swing out to
sea. Finally the Britisher stopped
The Catalpa sailed serenely on, with
the American flag floating on the
breeze"
Capt. Anthony rounded the Cape
OF Good Hope and landed the reaeped
men at New York. August 49, 1876
! Following this adventure Capt. An
thony retired from active seafaring
for it would have been dangerous Worl,
for him to have ventured in British
waters. He was appointed to the
customs house service and for years
was the boarding officer at New Bed
ford. In 1908 he was presented a
handsomely engraved gold watch by
the Patrick Sarsfleld Club of Water
bury, Conn.,, and a year later the John
Mitchell and Thomas Davis clubs pre-
! sented him $400 in gold on the thirty
third anniversary OF the rescue OF
the Fenian prisoners.
i Judge Goff's Tribute.
Justice John w. Golf, of the Su-
pre1ne Court Of New York, who was
one of the organizers of the Catalpa
expedition, in his tribute to Captain
Anthony's work, says:
All the heroism Of life is not ex.
pressed in the comparatively few acts
or expressions which have the setting
of great historical events affecting mer
and nations. Not infrequently do those
acts and expressions, which may ir
themselves be commonplace, depend
upon the tragic or dramatic surround.
ings which appeal to the Imagination
of men and which receive the acclaim
of generations. In contrast are there
not often brought to our attention
deeds of men in humble walks of lift