The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-08-21
A SLEEK,
SLICK MAN
B, N. QUAD
B. NJ. QUAD
Copyright by Frank A. Munsey Co.

On the passenger list Of the Ocean
Queen AZ she sailed from Melbourne
for l.ondon on the 18th OF August.
1881. was the name Of James MelwilI,
An ~Englishman. and II there ever was
a sIeeker. slicker man got into port I
have not read Of him.
No one seemed to know Jimmy, 40
he asked US to call him. beyond know
ing that be lived up the country on q
big nurse farm and was worth half 4
million dollars.
When We came to shake ourselves
down aboard l noticed that there wa
a lot Of rather tough looking men
among the steerage passenger. 1t
was explained that they were going to
the Cape to work on a new railroad.
As neal as I could size them up they
were all colonials and men more used
to horses than picks and shovels. |
think the sleek Jimmy must have
caught me watching the steerage pas
sengers. for he took occasion one day
to observe:
There seems to be 4 fine lot Of men
going out to the Cape with U.S."
"As far 40 bone and muscle 60" |
replied.
Then he extended his cigar case, pro-
posed q game Of eucher and the sub
ject was dropped. l don't claim that
l was suspicious of Jimmy or that l
was disturbed by the gong in'the steer
age. On the contrary, l was perfectly
easy in my mind in all respects. l..
had In tho Australian papers read that
the Ocean Queen was carrying home
more than a million dollars In gold. In
fact. I had seen most of the boxes
brought and taken down to the strong
room. All other passengers must have
been aware Of the treasure. but there
was little or no talk about it.
1t is q wide expanse Of Ocean BE-
tween the Cape and Australia, and at
the end Of q week We had all settled
down into grooves and fallen into a
monotOnous routine. Early one morn
ing a sail was sighted dead ahead. and
almost as soon as she had been made
out it was seen that she had a distress
flag flying. We ran down to within a
half mile of her before our engines
were stopped. Only three men were
visible on her deck. and she hadn't n
boat in sight. The trio beckoned and
motioned that we should send a boat.
and the captain gave orders that
should be lowered.
The boat had pulled half the distance
to the brig when we had something
nearer home to attract attention. The
sleek, slick little Jimmy suddenly held
b cooked revolver to the captains ear
and marched him into his stateroom.
Fourteen Of the men from the steer
age. each armed with a pistol and
knife. suddenly appeared among us.
and 1t wasn't three minutes before the
whole crowd Of us were in the cabin
and q guard yer us. The engine DOT
was taken possession Of at the sauae
time! and the Ocean Queen had been
taken without a shot being fred. The
brig was lying broadside to us. She
had two boats down OF the far side.
with fifteen men in each boat. and ~
o as they had pulled around and
captured our yawl m boat load Of the
rascals came aboard the Queen and
the stea mer was worked down along
side the brig. The sea vas smooth.
and the fellows could lash the craft
together without fear Of disaster.
We had been taken completely by
surprise and had no show. They had
the gold out and transferred within an
hour. 1t 10 Il the credit Ut the ras.
cally gang to say that they we're under
good control and insuited no one. Aft
er tho gold was disposed of they rob-
bed the ship Of q lot Of bedding and
provisions. and at the last the sleek.
slick mar anne down into the cabin
to say 4 few words. ..x -
my dear friends" he said. Il do
not wish to search you one BY one.
like Z footpad or a bushranger. but
will trust to your honesty to hand over
your money and jewels. have 6E-
ured on about the amount l should get.
II I get it NO one will he further din
turbed. Ii ! don't get 1t there will be
room aboard the brig for most Of the
ladies'"
! gave half my possessions. and !
presume the other passengers retained
q share a. we'll. but the money. watch
es. rings. brooches. etc.. laid ON the Ia.
BILE before the pirate had 4 good round
value and seemed to satisfy him. He
swept everything into a sack. babe VA
fond adieu and within ten minutes
sailing away in the brig. The en-
zines were disabled before they left
and the rev Of the mates boat vas
sent back to us. and a. no one had
been killed. we were fain to think we
had rome Oh fairly we'll. We lay roll
ing In midocean for four days before
the engineer had made repairs. and by
that time the brig was several hundred
miles away. Even had we known her
course and position It would have
availed nothing. We made q slow run
for the remainder Of the voyage. and
It was three weeks before a manor
war started out to look for the pirate
III