Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-28

| the voyage, both the captain and the
fret mate died of fever, and the youth
full John Paul, being called to the COM
mand, took the vessel safely home. This
pleased the owners, who promptly made
| him master of the John. His first voy-
age was successful, and the precociouS
| young skipper now looked forward to
rising career as master and trader.
On his next arriving at Kirkcudbright
he sought and obtained admission to
the Masonic lodge there. To this day
American Masonry is proud to call
John Paul Jones member, and the
a flag that was said to have been one
of his when he drove the bow of the
Bonhomme Richard over the cracking
| side of the Scraps.
In the early Summer Of ITO John
! PauPS ship was lying in Rockley Bay,
| at the West Indian island of Tobago,
which is the southernmost of the Wind
ward Isles. y Full of the pride Of life
in his capacity as a 23-year-old skip
! per, he looked from the deck now down
upon his sweating crew, now upward to
| the islands N,Sh crest streaked with
tropical greenneSs.
There was one man on the vessel who
was not working according to John
Paul's notion of fitness. He was the
ships carpenter, a mulatto named
Mungo Maxwell. The young skipper
strobe forward and bawled at him
sharply. Maxwell replied mumblingly,
| rolled his Sultry eyes, and showed no
Disposition to look alive. On ship
such conduct toward captain is out
rage it Is treason, it is mutiny..
John Paul acted hastily, but accord
ing to law and tradition. He seized a
whip and dashed it many times across
the carpenters shoulders, raising long,
bruised weltS. Maxwell, not daring to
| retaliate, went to the judge of the
island vice admiralty court and lodged
| a charge. Capt. Paul was summoned.
His defense was that Maxwell had de-
served the beating, at the same time,
according to the judges subsequent
statement, declaring his sorrow for
having corrected the complainant"
he was often given to rash action,
which he afterward repented in
misery. The case was dismissed as
frivolous.
The beaten carpenter then left his
job and shipped on another vessel trad
ing between Tobago and Antigua. A
few weeks later he died, according to
the captain of the ship, of "a fever and
loWneSS Of spirits" But when John
Paul returned to Scotland he learned
that rumorS had accused him of Max
wells death.
John Paul's family were doubtful and
worried, the neighbors whispered, and
Robert Craik announced that he would
have nothing more to do with the young
brute. AT the same time Paul learned
that the owners of the ship were dis
solving partnership. His discharge was
honorable but 1t left him jobleSs, de-
pressed and uncertain where to turn.
For time he tried trading with the
Isle Of Man, his cargoes being COM
posed chiefly of rum. But the image of
the dead carpenter gave him, in turn,
fever and lowness Of spirits; and he at
last went to Tobago again, where the
Judge In the case and the lieutenant
governor, after siX-month wait, gave
him signed documents exculpating him
Of crime. On returning to the British
Isles he went to London, where he wrote
60 his mother and sisters letter heavy
with depression. He mentioned his
poor health, which had added very
tunes" and referred to his conscious
ness Of innocence before Heaven"
From this time John Paul closed a
certain compartment within himself.
He never wrote to Craik never returned
to Abigland, and never visited his
mother again. His father was then
dead His gravestone bears this in
Scription "In memory of John Paul,
Senior, who died at Arbigland the oath |
of October, 1857. Universally Esteemed"
Erected by John Paul, Junior"
X X X
A FTER long delay, things took a |
sudden upward turn. Young Paul |
obtained hackers and enough money to
buy the Betsey, a trading ship. He |
sailed for Ireland, took on cargo at |
Cork, and IN April, 1773, after IA |
months Of trading among the West In |
dies, was again at the Hateful island Of |
Tobago.
He knew he had evil-wishers there,
but, conscious of his Innocence; he |
meant to show them that he was. not |
afraid. His self confidence, always /
ready to gush upward, had returned; |
he was captain of his own ship, he had |
as partner Archibald Stuart, a Tobago |
planter; and was making valuable |
friends. This at the age Of 26. While |
discharging cargo at Tobago he added |
several new men to his crew. They |
were rough lot, nearly all of them |
stained and calloused by the rum and |
slave traffic, In which, though detesting |
1t In their hearts, they remained be- |
cause of its high pay.
Almost at once trouble began. The |
older members Of the crew were already |
surly because OF unpaid wages. The |
newcomers, to show their sympathy, |
broke into the captains cabin and stole |
his liquors. on which they all started