The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-11-21
By
Mayn CleW Garnett
BY

weather had been nne since the gale
Of q week before. Craft OF all kinda
were hurrying ny and down the coast
near New York. and the pilot boats
were making an offing to pick up the
arriving steamers and sailing packets
coming In from Europe. The pilot
boat No. 10. of the New Jersey Pilots
Association. stood on from Cane
May. and under n light air made her
way seward As she headed away
from the land she had hardly sunk
the Jersey coast when the English
ship Congo King from Cape Town.
via the Azores. approached and made
signals. asking for a doctor.
The Congo King was q tramp
steamer from African ports. and as
the pilot boat came up. her master
asked for medical attendance for a
castaway who had gone violently IN
sane after being rescued from n dere-
liet hull few miles farther on shore.
The captain OF the King Congo az
planned that he had sighted the up-
turned hull OF three-masted
schooner early that morning. and had
seen that she was a water-logged
hulk. worthless. not a dangerous OBJ
struction to navigation. He had
rammed her. hoping to sink her.
when TO his establishment she had
rolled up on an even keel and
remained intact, his prov having
glanced along her slippery side.
tearing away the starboard side of
her Quarterback. As she was appar.
emily full OF water and simply fioat.
Ing. he was amazed to see the form
OF a man flung from the gaping cash
IN the quarterback. followed by an
outrush OF the air which had been
confined under her bilge. The man
was literally blown out of her as
from gun, and he amazed the skin.
per OF the King Congo still further
by showing signs OF life. clinging to
the taffrail and waving his hand
feebly as II for assistance.
The tramp ship had a passenger
aboard. named Pursell. who asked
leave TO go in the small boat which
was being lowered to rescue the sur.
viVor OF the wreck. Pursell was a
man OF means who had taken pas
sage for the States under peculiar
conditions. not liking the ordinary
lanes OF traffic. or the usual means
OF conveyance. The small boat had
gone in and taken of the man. Pur.
sell aiding materially in the rescue.
In fact the gentleman was the real
cause OF the seaman's rescue, for he
was in the bow OF the small boat
and Just before the schooner was
reached she settled and went slowly
under. carrying the unfortunate fell
low down along with her. Pursen
promptly dived heedlong over the
bow and managed to grasp the now
nearly dead sailor and bring him TO
the surface. where they were both
pulled aboard the small boat.
The man quickly responded TO
stimulants. and was soon apparently
as well as ever. save for the ex-
haustion from exposure and hardship.
when he asked TO see the man who
they told him had rescued him from
the ocean. Pursell came into his
room few hours later and showed
no signs OF recognition, the man. OF
course. being a total stranger-a sea
man in an entirely different walk of
life. The fellow stared at him with
eyes wide in terror. He started to
rise from his bunk. but Pursell held
him down. Then he broke forth into
the widest screams for mercy. for
someone to save him from the horror
OF II all He begged Pursell to for.
give him for something. begged and
prayed, and the gentleman tried IN
soothe him. devoting his time and
attention to the poor fellow until the
pilot boat had been sighted. The
man had grown so violent that his
commissions we're certain to kin him
II medical help was not forthcoming.
He was a raving lunatio. As the
King would not get in before the
following day. her master requested
the pilot 20 run into Cape May with
the castaway. and get him medical
help at once. Flanagan was lowered
quickly over the side into a small
boat waiting. and the schooner stood
In for the shore a few miles distant
while the king rang up her engines
and steamed slowly up the coast
Mr.. Purseli stood looking after the
pilot schooner for some time. lie
seemed 20 be In profound though,
Then he smiled slightly as II some
dim vision Of the past had suddenly
hitted before him. Just enough 10
allow him to Get a hoeung grasp. a
hay conception % a.
Great Cod" he muttered ~CouIs
That have been the ran7-grIat
God"
FLANAGAN was taken In and treated
Tor insanity. lie had the Impression
That he was being buried alive. being
drowned. being horribly used. II vas
six mnnfhn nffnraa.-H. -