Year: 1873

|


ened death to the first man who
should break silence. This had
the desired effect, and in the lull
all boats were called away. Two
only out of eleven Of the cutters
crew were rescued, the others hav-
ing gone down where she struck.
| One of those who were saved, the
coxswain, was a dark, s%arthy
fellow, plainly enough a Spaniard,
yet he claimed to be an English
man. He held the position Of cap
tain of the top and coxswain of
the cutter. AS he was being hand
ed over the side, 1 noticed deep
cash in his hand, near the thumb,
and that it bled profusely. When
asked about it, he said it was from
q fragment of the boat, and was
readily believed. We now had
time to inquire who the unfortu-
nate was that had fallen over
; board, and to my astonlshment
and horror I learned that it was
Willie Dean, an ordinary seaman
in the top watch. Sauchich, the
coxswain, told how the gasket had
got loose and be directed Willie to
"!ay out" and make it up; that
he missed his foothold, lost his BAL
ance and fell, some ten feet clear
Of the ships side.


After the watch had been sent
below and the excitement some
what allayed, I bethought me Of
a quarrel between Sanchich and
Willie, when hard language passed
between them, and but for the in
reference of the sentry would
have come to blows. They were
both brought to the mast and eau.
toned against fighting, on pain Of
confinement in irons. Sanchich
went away muttering threats
against Willie, and looking the
very demon Of passion. AS is fire.
quently the case, I jumped to the
conclusion that ali was not right,
and walked forward to hail the
top and examine others Of tho
watch. When close under the
sings of the yard and against the


fife wall, my foot slipped from un-
der me with the roll Of the ship,
and 7 fell. In getting on my feet
| put my hand into something
which I knew could not be water,
and which, on examination, proved
to be blood. AS Sanchich had
gone down the after hatch to the
doctors room, and as he claimed
to have received his cut while
overheard, I could account for the
blood in no other way than that
Willie had been stabbed and
thrown from the yard in an en-
counter with Sanchich, and that
be had made one cut in return.


The more l thought the matter
over, the deeper became my con-
viction that Sanchich had murder
ed poor Willie Dean and thrown
him overheard to hide the crime.
T bethought me of Willie's mother
and sisters, whom | knew we'll,
and Of their great bereavement,
for he was their mainstay and had
been forced into the service by
the drafting process; and I men
tally vowed that | would ferret
out the murderer, and had no
doubt but that Sanchich was the
man.


Ny watch was now up, and
when relieved, I went aloft to the
yard-arm from which Willie fell
or was pushed, and found the yard,
jack-stay, foot-rope, and, in fact,
the entire head of the sail covered
with blood. In feeling in the dark
for the extent Of the fight, my
hand struck something sticking
between tho head Of the sail and
the yard. II was sheath knife,
and on inspection it proved to be
Willie Deans, as his name was
carved on the handle. I made in
quiries from the men who were in
the tops, and all but one knew no.
thing Of the matter. He had
heard some words between the
men, but could not say what, and
did not see the fall. I could not
sleep, and while waiting for day
light and the executive officer to
appear, I resolved the whole mat.
ter over in my mind, and became
firmly convinced that l was on the
| right track. l went forward to
| the berth-deck, and calling the
ships corporal told him to take
Sanchich's clothes out Of his ham
mock without disturbing him; I
searched them but found no knife.
I laid my case before the execu-
tive officer, and he appeared to
joke at the idea; but I found out
afterward that he had the same
ideas and opinions I had, but re-
mained silent, knowing that he
could prove nothing.


In consultation with the cap
tain, we agreed to say nothing of
the matter until after We had re-
ported. We were now in signal
ing distance Of the feet, and were
ordered to "come within halling
distance" which we could not do,
so we asked for tug and were
towed in. and anchored close by