The Owosso times., 1916-01-28

Englishman, who was known TO be q
pirate, had bought a vessel at Canton,
and 1t was supposed that he had fitted
her up for piratical purposes. 1t looked
as If he had captured the missing ves-
sells and sunk them with all on board.
This information did not relieve
Wickersham's perplexity. If the ves-
sci he was chasing was the one Dixon
had purchased, how had he been able to
capture ships. plunder them and sink
them without any armament? Never
theless that this had been done was
evident from the valuables found on
the deserted unarmed ship which was
now fleeing before the Taylor.
Toward the close Of the second day
OF the chase the island OF Formosa was
sighted. and Wickersham began to fear
that his prey would escape him by put.
ting into some indentation or inlet
along the FOrmosan coast. The COM
mander of the fugitive vessel ran to
within a few miles of shore, but did
not put in, evidently waiting for dark
In order that his pursuer might not be
able to see him when he left the open
water. However, reaching a conven-
lent point for hiding, he ran into 1t
while there was still sufficient light for
Wickersham to see him.
The fact of his doing so set the lieu.
tenant thinking. Might she not have
paused in her fight, when she could
have kept on, for a purpose? The fact
that so many vessels had disappeared
suggested that the pirate had some
newfangled device for wrecking them.
Might she not come out during the
night and practice it on the Taylor?
AS soon as it was dark, taking a po-
sition off where the pirate had put in.
Wickersham dropped his anchor and
ordered every light on the ship put
out. He would not even permit lamp
to be left burning, though covered. He
resolved to remain awake during the
night, ready for any emergency.
However, about midnight, becoming
drowsy, he went to sleep in a ham
mock, having given orders to be called
should anything unusual occur. About
2 o'clock he was awakened and told
that voices had been heard near the
gunboat. Springing up, he went on
deck and listened. His hearing was
very acute. and he was sure that he
heard sound of oars which had
been imperfectly muffled. He ordered
a gun to be loaded on each Of the four
quarters, ready to be fred. Some of
his subordinates wondered what he
expected to shoot at, while the more
superstitious of the crew began to fear
that there was something supernatural
about.
But the lieutenant ordered every
man to keep perfectly silent and re-
mained on watch himself. When the
first ray Of light came he deserted a
boat pulling directly toward the Tay-
lor. 1t was mile away, and a cables
length behind it the water seemed
disturbed, as though some obstacle
was moving through it Then sudden
that pointed toward the coming boat
and stood with the lanyard in his
hand, peering into the breaking dark
ness. Others on the deck were able to
descry the moving boat. but not the
object disturbing the water behind it.
Nevertheless in few minutes all
could see something that caused cold
chill to run down their spines. 1t was
the periscope Of a submarine. From
II every eye was turned to their COM
mander. who was carefully sighting
the piece near which he. stood. Call
ing to his next in command to come
to him, without taking his eye off the
periscope, he resigned the lanyard to
him. with orders to pull it when he
gave the order. When the periscope
came within hundred yards Of the
Taylor 1t slowed down and began to
settle in the water.
"Firev'
There was an explosion, and the peri.
scope careened, showing evidence of
being wrecked. then disappeared. In
a few minutes the surface Of the water
was covered by oil. Wickersham gave
a sigh Of relief, which was re-echoed by
every man on the Taylor.
The men in the boat turned and were
pulling away Justify when a well aimed
shot from another gun sent her to the
bottom. leaving her crew, some dead,
some wounded and some unhurt, float
ing on the water.
MAN q boatw cried Wickersham.
A boat was soon pulling to the men
struggling in the water. They were
picked up and brought on to the Taylor.
One Of them was Dixon. This was his
story:
He had been using the vessel he had
bought to carry plunder which was sc.
cured by means of submarine he
kept with him. He would put tor
pedo into vessel, then while she was
sinking board her and secure what val
uables he could find. His boarding
party was well armed, but seldom
needed to use their weapons. After
gathering the plunder he would leave
the vessel and her crew to go down to-
gether, taking pains that no person
lived to tell the tale. Believing that
the Taylor would eventually get him.
Dixon had resolved to torpedo her.
Unfortunately for him. the night was
dark, and he was unable to find her
till daylight revealed him TO his intend.