HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Advocate, 1893-7-13, Page 2HOW IT_ OAPPENED
Admiral Markham's &pod on
Victoria llisasteL
the
AN IMPOSSIBLE MOVEMENT.
faime 0 ninadereol-ariee Awfue Itesubt--
iiseroison d the lden-The lives Saved -
The Wilma and an elnenielai
Account or the amastrepae.
A London cable ova A midshipman
horn the Victoria arrived at Colds early
-this 'morning with Rear-A:In-area Markham's
denpabohee concerning the collision off
Tripoli. The arst aespatch was dated from
tbe warship °mayor:Iowa ea Jima 22n1. It
eve "It is w3,th profound regret that
heve to report the toad 10813 'Of EL IL s.
viotort., involving the irreparellelose of
the Conaneanderen-Chief, Vice -Admiral
Sir George Tryon ; 22 officers and
S36 mem wader the following oir-
cumatancee : Tho somadron, consisting
•of H. M. S. Victoria, Camperdown,
Dreadneught, Inflexible, Collingwood,
l'hotetom• Edinburgh, Sane Paha, Easel
Araphion„ Fearless and Barham lefteBeyrou
abed 10 thie foram:ill for Tripoli. Shortly
after th,e squedron formed single column
line abreast and proceeded at the rate of
about eight knots an hour. When about
five maim from the anchorage off Tripoli the
signal was given at lf.20 in the afternoon to
form columns of division:a in line ahead, die•
posea abeam to port, the columns to be six
cable lengths apart. We proceeded in this
formation until 3.28, when the :sigma was
made from the Victoria to the firet
envision to turn sixteen points to esorte and
to the second divideu to turn sixteenpoints
to starboard. As the columas were only
Mx cable lengths apart, it was not, there-
fore, in my opinion, possible, within the
imanceuvring distance, to execute such
an evolution. 1 dire:Med the flag-lientenmt
-to keep the signal, which we were repeat-
ing, at dip, faS an indication that tin signal
from the Victoria was not understood. I
then directed him to signal vita the
semaphore.
'DO UNDERSTAND
title your wish for the 00/nrane to turn as
indicated by the simeal now flying't' But
before my order could be carried eta the
.commander-in-ohief semaphored me to
know what I was waiting for. It then
struck me that he whaled me to turnaixteen
points, as indicated by the signal, and it
was his intention to circle round, the second
division, leaving them on the port hand.
Having the fullest confidence in the great
'ability of the commander to memento the
squadron without even risk of collision,
I ordered the signal hoisted as an indica-
tion that I understood. When the signal
was hauled down the helm of the
Iftamperdovni was put hard-a-parb. The
oame time the hart of the Victoria was
abarboarded. I watched very carefully the
kelm of the Victoria, as indicating the pur-
pose of her eigruale. .A.s the two shipstu.rned
toward each other, seeing that the bebn of
the Viotorie, was still hard starboard, I
directed the captain of the Camperdown to
go full speed astern with the starboard
screw in erder to decrease our Mailed turn-
ing. • Seeing thab a collision was Inevitable,
Ithen ordered him to go full :speed astern
with both origin:3e, but before our speed
could be materially checked the Mem of the
Camperdown struck the lasictoria on the
starboard bow about 20 feet before the
turret and crushed into the sbip almost
to the centre line, the fore and aft linee
of the ships at the time of the collision
'Whig inclined towards each other at
an angle of about eighty degrees. It was
Ithink, quite two tair,utes before the Cana
perdown was able, although going with fell
peed astern with both engines, to get clear
of the Victioris. The water-tighto doors of
the Camperdown had been closed by my
orders before the collision occurred. See-
ing the critical condition of the Victoria,
which seemed to be settling down by the
head, boats were immediately prepared,
and the boom boats were got ready to be
hoisted out when the open pennant was
hoisted by the Victoria and the signal
was made not to send boate. A very
few minutes later she kneeled over to
starboard, and turning bottom up -ward -a
disappeared. The time that elapsedbetween
' the occurring of the collision andathe die.
appearance was only about thirteenmin-
uteri. Shortly before the Victoria tensed
over the men were seen jumping over-
board. Observing this I immediately
ordered the signal made to send all bode
to the rescue, and directed the
Barnham and Fearless to close in at once to
save life, steaming up in the Osimpordown
at the same time to secure the Mame and
men struggling in t,he water. The com-
bined efforts of squadron resulted in the
eaving of 29 officers and about 262 men.
.Bat! regret that no less than 22 officers
and about 336 men, the majority of whom
were in MI probability below at tbe Mine,
Were lost.
THE sne wee moons,
and there was only a light breeze at the
time of the accidena The injuries to the
Camperdown are serioas, but 1 bops that
with the aesistance of the artificer et the
aquadron they may be temporarily repaired,
ao that she may be seat to Maltastid
docked." :(Uere Rear -Admiral Markham
gives a detailed and technical dessoription of
the injuries sustained by the Camperdown.)
"I regret that the ship's books of the Vics
torkewere lost. In foot nothing of import.
mice has been recovered so far.
"For some hours after the einkbag of the
Victoria the water remained agitated over
the wreck. The screws Were revolving as
he saulta I remodeled in the vicialey ,of the
cabatobrophe with the squadron until 5.30
o'olock, when, as the Camperdown was
making water, I deemed ib advitable to
anchor the ship off Tripoli. The Anaation,
Barham and Fearless remained until after
dark but did not recover anything of im-
portance. (Signed) A. Meennear, Rear
:Admiral."
A Subetenicesee Story,
'A bugle cell ease sounded on the flag-
ehip, calling all hands to their etatione, ,and
the order given to oloee the waterelaght
doors in the bulkheada minute before
nhe collision happened, The Camper -
down havoever, was swinging raidly
ward the Victoria, and thooe on the
fiagship scarcely had time to eeach the
comps:temente before the vessels came to.
,gothea Then the water rushing in to the
Ship throegh several of the forward doom
prevented accosts to thee compartments.
The collision mat and oinn were got
out. An attempt Wad made to pletce the
Mat over the hole in the forecastle, lmt It
failed. While this wad being demi Com-
mander :Tellico° Wats engaged in getting the
boatel out. The rapki and ineteeetleg IM
the ship Wass Making made tide teak et
difficult one, Tile poet eide of the obp
was orowded With men, their anxiety-
plaftly eitoWing in their ODantAiniCOOM but
perfect ordbe was maIntaieed. Clam met
who had been condemned to balprieselmetit
were brought from the 'brig*" and the Mak
were comfeyed frout the hospital. On
man who bad been below forward et the
time of the oolliston bed, both lege brokeli
aa- being hit by the caniperdowna ram.
laie Victorba. lay with a, list ot from tweaty
to thirty -ave degree: forabout two minates,
She wee :settling by the head at the time.
Suddenly the weber euehed through the
mates deok portwand In lesethantenminutee
after the ship went down.
"gum", Sena YOURSELVES."
"In the ant few minutes the keeled over
with frightful rapidity, but clutehing
etaunchiohe and enything elite that woula
hold them, the men hong or., no one et-
temptieg to love the ship. Tice -Admiral
Tryon taw that alt hope was gone and gave
the order,: qualm leave yourselves.' nen)
and net hill then, did the men brash ranks.
They climbed into the weathernetthige ory.
hag "Shea going down,' and :scrambled to
get hold of something on the upper side of
the ship. The men who were in the demi
above the port propeller, which was re-
volving rapidly, were when they jumped,
forced to iamp close to it. Some did rob
clear the blades and were instantly
killed. Those still en the storm
seeing tho fate of them'cried, Stop the
engine, for God's eake1' This of course
amid not be done, as it was impossible oven
bed anyone dared to enter the engine -room.
The sight of men meeidng their death by
being hit bythe sinew Was a horrible orm.
Many who jumped went down beneath the
water, but rose again. In the meantime
the Victoria had learned bottom up, and in
a few moments she plunged down, bow
fiat, carrying with her many of the men
whe were clinging to her, they having
clambered toward her keel as she turned
slowly over after getting down on her side.
About 400 got clear of the ship before :she
Beads, but many of them were struck by
floating wreckage afterward and so injured
that they were drowned,"
A London cable says: Hon. Maurice
Bourke, the captain of the Victoria, sends
to the Admiralty a letter dated H. M. S.
Nile, June 23rd. Captain Bourke recites
technically his orders up to the point of
making the turn.
"The signal was hoisted for the fireb diva
Mon to alter course sixteen points to port,
and the second division to alter course six-
teen points to starboard, the leaders toge-
ther, the rest in succeeder:. The flagsbip's
helm was pub hard to starboard, and I
directed a midshipman to observe closely
the distance of the Caraperdown.
I reported to the commander that
It would be too Mose, and make&
permission to reverse the pert screw. This
was done, and just before the collision both
engines were going at full ispeed astern.
The :hip had turned twelve or thirteas
points when t,he Camperdown struck the
Victoria, on the starboard bow about ten
feet abaft the anchor. The Car:meltdown's
bow came right through into the ehip as far
as into the chain lookers, and burst in the
bulkhead between the fore tacos deck and
the stokers' rams deck. When the collision
was
SEEN TO DE INEVITARIA
orders were given to came the water -tight
doors. I called around and asked if every-
thing was tight, and was azurwered with
'Yes,' hut by whonst I could not my. I
then heard the order for 89827 one to go OD
deck, and the men in the flat where I was
on the starboard side all went up. Then I
getup on the mess deck and aft, and down
into the starboard engine room. The en
-
ems were being worked, and I heard
the gongs of the telegraph. There was no
water in the engine room, 1 tben went to
the after bridge, where all were at their
stations to get out the boats. The Mites
company iie great numbers, were on the port
aide of the upper deck. I then want along
the port fore•and-aft bridge to tbe admiral,
the ship having a heavy list to the star.
board. just as I reached the cutter's fore-
raost davit on the porb side the ship
GAVE A GREAT LITSCLEC
starboard, and I clutched at the rail. I
found myself awaked down, but I came up
to bhe surface again among the wreckage. 1,
with many others, was picked ras by the
Nile's boats. The condoct and :steadiness
of all at their stations was beyond praise.
There was no panic of any sort or descrip.
tion."
Sbaff Commander Hawkins Smith and
Lieut. Heath, of the Victoria, also =them: -
ports. The former flays the 'Victoria wee
headed in for land to get into shoal water.
She gradually filled by the bow, and Bated
over to sterboard. Heath was doing dutoes
as executive officer.
The nag Liinterunet's Wary.
Lord Gilford, flag lieutenant of the Vic-
toria, said the Admiral wished the distance
between columns to be six cables. "About
3.15," he says, "the Admire' came on deck,
and after a few minutes on tbe after bridge
went forward to the top of the fore cleat
house. About 3.25 I hoisted, by the Ad-
miral's order, the signal; Secoad division
alter course in succession Menem points to
etarboard, preserving order a fleet; first
division alter course sixteen pointo to port,
preserving order of fleet.' While leadwas
aying the Admiral ordered the fallowing
signal to be got ready ; 'Columns to be
two cables apart, and all ships will barn
together with their guides as the gedde off
the fleet turns.'
LAST SHIP TO. ANSWER.
the above signals, aS far as I coald zee, wee
the Camperdown. .About aso, as soma as
she had answered, the siteeal was hauled
down by order of the Admiral.. Thereupon
the Victoria pub her helm hard teetaebeard,
and the Camperdown put hers hard a -port -
I told three shipmen to watch the helm :an-
n als of the Camperdown,. Edbiburgh and
Nile. No alteration, however, was reported
to me :Miler than that the Canmerelown's
helm was being pub hard over. eao tale
signal being hauled down, and a collielon
appearing likely with the Campezdewn, the
port engines were reversed, and alsomet Im-
mediately after the starboard eatilmee Mao.
I reported to the Admiral that the Dread-
naught was lowering bot. He thereupon
made a general :signed to annul the nendeog
of bombe.
THE STEERING GEAR'ILS.ODWDOWN.
"After the collision the admiral remained
on deck. He diced the deaf co/amender
what water we were in, and the Wolff 'com-
mander replied : 'Deep water ; eeventy or
eighty fathom:a' The helm was then put
heed etarboard, and both enginees went half
speed ahead. The ship gathered besselemy,
swinging slowly to pore A raiante alters
wards: the 'acerb* gear broke down, the
quartenneeter reporting that to WAS nnoble
to move the wheel. During tale time tbe
ship WaS gradually keeling more and More
todarboard, and the water rising vapidly
over the forecestle. The admiral ordered
Me to go down and osek the captain if the
/hip was making any water aft,"
In mclocavorieg to Carry ea the admitalt:
orders he was weehed away by the Ailing
watere, and when he came to the airtime
caught eight of the Viefeede, Malting Iseee
Ariit
Menagerie Aidetanb-The big ostrich
attem bed to senalloW a turnip teedayee
the neck.
the
High born -the baby On the top flat,. Moe
Moonstone is a variety oi folclispate Age.
TflO.MAS STARR, . 'DESPERADO
Thrilling Story of a Western Outlaw's
Life of Crime,
HE MURDERED 56 MEN.
mares aas Erotheranatavv-lais aather's
Meath and Tones Tow at Vengeance -
Treaty Wtth the Government and a
ifindet Old!Ago.
OM STARR, who
died at hie hones in
pham.eathis nation, leas tban
• tear ago, says a
a. Mualtskee :special, at
the advert:Jed age of
ninety-six yeare, was
perhaps the most re-
markable deeperacio
that ever lived. For
a quarter of a century he was a terror to the
Indian Territory. as Was a full -blood
Oheroaee Indian, and came to this nation
from the old Cherokee country in Georgia
over seventy-five years ago. The origin of
Tom Starr is somewhat obeoure, but it la
knowea that be came to the West with his
bather when a inere infant
The old men Starr was a "badman" to
begin with, and when he came to this
country the Cherokee:: were jueb essayleg
their new form of government, and he was
one of the first to bid defiance to the new
.order of things. He became involved in
, same trouble and killed an officer :who
attempted hie arrest. An armed posse of
fifteen raen went to take the old Man and
they had to
RIDDLE RIM ViTrll BULLETS
before they could do it. Young Toni was
then about 16 years old, and ea great was
hie attachment for hie father that he was
by his side almost continually. Tom was
preeent at the killing, and hie father died in
his arms.
In bringing the dead man to Tablequah
for identification and burial, buts littleatten-
Idea NVGB Paid to the lad that had thus been
made an orphan, but he was at the burial of
hie father, with tearless cheeks and a
threatening expression beaming from his
piercing black eyes.
After the old man had been laid to rest
forever the boy lingered at thegrave, When
the crowd of uneyrapathizling and curious
people had diepersed, and there remained
but a little mound of fresh -turned dirt to
mark the last resting place of hie father,
Tom knelt over the newly -made grave and
registered
A TERRIDLE OATH OF 'VENGEANCE.
Tom Starr himself told the writer that he
swore by the mutual love he and his father
bore each other that he would kill every
father's son of the posse who were present
at the murder ef his father before the beard
ebould grow on his face.
How well he kept this dreadful oath no
one ever knew better than Tom himself. It is
a fact, however, that in less than two yeare,
and beiore he was 17 yeara old, he had
carried out his vow, and the entire posse of
fifteen Men Inad fallen viotime to his deadly
and unerring aim. This was the beginning
of Tom Starr's career as a desperado -one
of the most remarkable in the world's his-
tory.
He joined a band of the most desperate
men in the West, and soon after became
their leader in their
DEF..DS OF DARING CRIME.
For thirty years he was a holy terror to
the Cherokee people. Officer after officer
who attempted his arrest fell a victim to
hie deadly aim. Citizen after citizen who
revealed his 'whereabouts or betrayed him
ID the least were likewise murdered by the
outlaw. In 1844 and 1845 reswarde aggro -
gating $30,000 were offered for him dead or
alive, but hie capture seemed an invitees!.
bility, and he defied the Cherokee and the
Unibed States authorities alike. As Starra
reputation grew, eo grew his band of fol-
lowers. 1111851 he had about forty dee-
perate men at bill conunand of every color
and nationality. There were full-
blosia Indians, half-breed white men, frill -
blood negrees and half-breed Lullarte,
&goers, Mexicaue and Irishmen. It meant
almost certain death for ene of his men to
show the willies feather in an emergency, or
to betray him In the leant. On one occasion
Member of the gang ---t Mexican -be-
trayed 111M by leading a eheriff and his
.posse to his rendezvoue on the Canadian
elver. Part of the gang wan
OAFTHF,ED AND HILLED,
but OM Tom made his esoape by swimming
the Canadian river, when the temperature
was but a little above zero. Starr subse-
quently followed the greaser to El Paso,
T87-, and murdered him in the :streets of
that ottiy.
Before the war between the States old
Tom did a thriving buobeess in human live -
:stock. He would steal negroes in Texas
and Athanne and take them to Miesiseippi
and. Tense:one and sell them, and then in
turn would rested them in Misaissippi and
Tennessee and market them in Arkansas
and'Texao. Ho entered upon business terms
with a New Orleans slave trader and would
zneet him at the confluence of the Arkenmas
and Mississippi Rivers and exchange hie
burassn merchandise for ammunition and the
most improved make of firearms. His
operations spread until by 1859 they ex-
tended over the entire Indian Territory and
femoral of the adjoining States. When
Mating his crimes in the fall of 1860 the
Cherokee Legislature placed
• ITITY-SEL COLD-BLOODED MURDERS
BO 110 credit, and Hi is safe to eetimate that
before the Mom of the war he had more
than doubled hie death record.
Starr killed several deputy United
States inters:hale and this, together with
some other incidental killinge, got Mole
Sam so clime after him in this country that
be thought It beet to move a little farther
Wedie so he accordingly went to Western
Mama and joined the hostile Cemanchee.
Hero he roamed with unbridled freedom
over tho Western plaine, and was a leader
ID many a bloody expedition againet the
early •settlere tof that country. -
When the war broke out Old Toni re-
turned to the Cherokee nation, and again
entered upon hia death -dealing midden
smong hie oven people. He was now at the
eigbt of ale glory alba earneotly prayed
that the big fight would lad forever, attd
.finally ternibeato like the amours scrimmage
between the Kilkenny oats -both 'sides be
exterminated.
As the war lore:greased and the value of
slaves depreciated, Starr found that hie
TlEGRO-STEALING BETElturdshs
wee° nob as profitable Me he desired, so he
bonen Moretti poet of hie:attention to horses
.1o.nd cattle. He Mole horses frbni the
Confederates in Teicalt and sold them to the
Orate in Kenelaw end then Would
cattle from the bluctioeite ID KansaS
Miesaari and drive them to
Setithern poldiees bt Arkaiman and
eau end sell thine Just after the clime ef
war Old Toth performed One of the
reertalikethlei and tiering fade of his
With Van estop:lots Starr Wen the
Fed
etea
Mid
the
choke iteela Meinagersalfaii t edit ft -
bell THE BIRTH OF MORMONISM
16
e
as SOMethillg About be ioith And the
t.
meet powerful men, phyelealiy, In t
Cherokee nation, lab exception was b
brother-in-law, Bill West, Vibe was oo
coded to be the strongest man in th
elalettalt Otie blow with his fat w
aimed as deadly as a Winehesior belie
He killed severat ausa with hits fist, an
the Cherokee legislature, recognizing hie
terrible :strength, passed a haw deolerlog
wese's nee A DEADLY WEAPOIsT)
end making it a felony for hien to strike a
fellowman with it. ale law as on record
ID the exeoutive office of the Cherokee
nation to•day, and may be seen by any one
Who may doubt the tnithfulnees of thie
etatement
Watt aud State :were boon companions,
and were partners in may a bloody enter-
prise, but it so happened lamb thee men
:lid not agree later on as they did at first,
and as there were big rowatde offered for
eoch of them at that time by the chief of
the imam, Old Tom decided to put West
oub of the way, and at the Beene time mane
the reward oftered for his head. So aciaorcl-
ingly Tom picked a quarrel with West one
day about the division ref the spoils of e
plundering expedition. West sta‘uols out at
Tom with hie fiat, but the wily red man
eluded the terrific blow and at the same
time lauded a longhladed knife between the
ribof hie old companion. As West fell to
the ground Starr, with another awoke of
his huge knife,
SEVERED HIS HEAD
from his ehouldere, ale then put the head
ID a gunnysack and with hie gory charge
proceeded to Tallequah, where he entered
the room of the chief of the nation'threw
it on a table, with proof that it wasWesta
head, and deneanded the reward. The chief
was a feeble old man of 60, and he well
knew the eharaciter of the man who was
now before him. He also knew thab while
the reward offered for West's head was but
,000, that the reward for Starrwae 65,000.
But the old chief's life was at 'stake, and at
the muzzle of a revolver he paid the reward
over to the old terror, and he left town -to
the delight and surprise of the trerablingin-
habitants of Tahlequah, without murdering
O Single person.
Old Tom at lengbh became tired of his life
of outlawry and determined to
SUE FOR PEACE
with hie nation. He had become such a
terror to the Cherokees that they were glad
of a chence to make peace with him, and
accordingly negotiations to that end were
begun. Starr sent an envoy from his ren-
dezvous on the Canadian River to Tahle-
quah, the capital, to represent him before
the Cherokee legislature, which was at the
time in annual session. The matter was
taken up by that body and seriously con-
sidered. Arrangements were finally made
whereby Starr was to be acquitted of all
his peat crime and murders on condition
that he ever after live in peace with bis
people and abide by their lawa. The
bill was pained by the legatee
tnre and approved by the chief.
The document was then sent by the envoy
to Old Tom, and he signed it. Thus was
peace proclaimed. This is, I believe, the
ONLY INSTANCE KNOWN IN HISTORY
where a treaty of peace and amity was
entered into between an individual raanand
O sovereign nation of people. TM:: treaty
was never broken by Old Tom'he ever
afterwards religioualy abiding by 19.
Old Tom Starr was an extraordinary per-
son in appearance, standing six feet and five
inches in hie moccasins and weighing 170
pounds. He was 96 years old when he
died, and as sprightly as a young man
of 20.
Fon25 years Tom Starr lived at peace
with ' mankind and made an exemplary
citizen, but mules of the people of this
country entertained a profound fear of
the old man, even unto the day of his
death.
The Decline of Profanity.
The habit of swearing is dying out. It
was within the memory of those who do
netlike to think themselves old, very com-
mon. I have heard, on what I am sure is
trustworthy authority, of a clergyman of
the last generation who, summoned to
breakfast while at his naornieg devotions,
turned upon the unfortunate messenger
with the exclamation; " you 1
How dare you interruptmy prayers 1" Much
less extreme instances are known to many
of as which wouldnow be simply impassible.
Axe we becoming more pions? Thab is not
the general impresslon. Is the fibre of the
race softening? That is often maintained,
but I do not think successfully. The Civil
war is there to disprove it for Americansmt
least. Or are we, as French men and women
did long ago, learning more adequately to
master the resources of our own tongue, and
becoming independent of this crude and
rather stupid -to call it nothing worse -
device ? -.Edward Carey, in the Century.
The Oldldren's Letters.
There is not one man, woman or child in
ten who would not, if left alone, delight in
reading aloud for the benefit of everybody
part or ail of his or her correspondence.
The news would all be told in ten ;minutes
and in chorus, but if one is continually
poked at all is [moiled. A child will
naturally hare a letter with an interented
mother and enjoy ib more for the doing,
but the private letter box evil has in a
groat measure grown from the impertinent
interference, for it is really that, with the
young people's right of privacy. Know all
about a ohilda correspondence'of course,
but do your supervision tactfully and as
justly as possible. Children appreciate
justice more than we give them credit for.
At Booth's Birth and Beath.
It is related that on the date of Edwin
Booth's birth there was a meteoric 'shower,
:says the NW Orleans Times- Democrat. At
the hour, and just before the moment, of
his death at the Players' Club lad week the
electric lights all went out, and at the hour
of his burial in Mount Auburn last Friday,
just at eunset, there was a phenomenal :sky.
The wed wars net only brilliantly aglow,
but aglow in a peculiar way. Above the
horizon line was a band of light verging
toward golden green, while lselow and above
was a marvelous blending of rose and ezure
and gold, while in the met the refiecbion of
all bilis Splendor was repeated in fainter
tints. It was an effect so beautiful and to
unique, even among beautiful euneete, that
it was remarked in many townsall eloogtho
coast here.
Annexperieneed Clerk.
Bellboy -Berea a young coupde on de
piazzy as wants you to send em some
chain,"
011eolt-Is it bright moonlight?
Bellboy -Nope;
Clerk -Take than this chair.
" Thai ie the portrait of the founder of
our house. He fought under William the
Omagroirori" "X FRIPpOfie you are very proed
of him V "Well, hardly. YOti me, he is
the only ono of our house since its foundes
tion who had no anceetore."
Mother (to Johnny, just) baok ham a
visit to hie aunta)-What was your auntie
doingt aohrmy-Minding the beby.
Mother -Von should say tendiam not mind.
ing. Johnny -Huh 1 Yaz don't kiloWthat
baby
Religion, He Founded.
STORY OF THE BOOK.
wire Plates of Gold and the Weep tlitolie-
ada oubtu1 Days-Iniorview With
the Printer att the llormon
Stolen Inantiseript.
N BRIEF the story
of Joe Sznitha career,
as told in Palmyra,
N. Y., is as follows :
lie was of a family of
nine children who
came to italmyra
from Royalton, Vt.,
it in 1810.
j 1 a At first the Smith's
opened a awe and ale Abend in the village
of Palmyra. The boys "worked round,"
dug wells and chopped wood now and then,
but Jeeeph jun. was opposed to manual
labor except in great emergencies. Acoord-
ing to people who knew him bed be was a
silent, lazy boy -often called stupid.
As young Smith grew older he became
the master of the family -father and
brothers followed him to the end. Joe was
tlae chief vagabond of this New Euglanci
gypsy family. Horse, whiskey, craft and
story telling characterized hie worldly
career.
Three years after the family had opened
their tittle Weep of gingerbread and ale in
Palmyra the Smiths I :squatted " on a pieoe
of timber laud of one hundred and fifty or
two hundred acres, about two miles :south
of the village centre.
When other boys were hoeing corn Joe
was hunting or fishing or getting up a party
to dig for money. He claimed to have a
clairvoyant insight into things that other
people could not see. He always had two
or three
DOTS OE MONEY
or chests of valuables on tap in his mind's
eye, and this explains why the hills of Pals
myna, to -day are covered with holes whiola
Apostle Joe Smith, jun., had inveigled ale
fellow citizens into digging.
In the autumn of 1819 an incident cc -
dried which put Joe Smith into a wider
field of operation& The elder Smith was
digging a well for Clark Chase, two miles
south of Palmyra. The Chase children
were playing aboub the well, when one of the
Smith boys shovelled out a dear white stone
shaped like a human foot. It was quite
transparent, something like
A "PEEP" STONE
which the Chase children had used as a
plaything. One of the girls said that when
she peeped into the stone she saw things
that had been lost. She was quite joyoua
over the treanne until young Joe, who was
idling about the well, seized the agate and
carried it away. Joe was quiet for several
days. Presently it was whispered that he
had discovered a charm in which he could
see wonders. With an air of mystery he
would look at the stone shaded in his bat
and see visions and any amount of lost pro-
perty. Each day be had new revelations
for his open mouthed followers.
In a few weeks people were paying
money for his oracles. Many a man was
sent over the hills in search of lost cattle,
on a fool's errand, of course, but Joe made
money and the public apparently fended
humbugging, and that made him a great
eucceee.
seurna viSIONS.
It was not long before he had heavenly
visions. Men paid to join his search for
treasures. His conditions were that no
person ehould speak during the digging. A
whisper would cause the box of gold to van-
ish forever. A confederate generally broke
the charm at the proper moment and thus
prevented exposure.
At this poinb in the Smith narrative the
Mormon Bible hoax enters. Volumes have
been written about it and strenuously denied
by the Mormons. The best informed
people of Palmyra., however, believe the
story of the stealing of what was known as
the Spalding manuscript, which Jee Smith
had oopied and interpolated with passages
from the Bible and palmed off as a revela-
tion from God.
STORy OF THE MORMON BIBLE.
Briefly, the story is this: A quaint and
gifted writer named Solomon Spaulding, a
graduate of Dartmouth College, moved west
early in the century, and became an enthus-
iastic student of American anbiquity. He
dug into the mounds, vvhioh were common
In the State of Ohio, and explored for relice
until his health failed. He believed that
the American, continenb had been peopled
by the lost races of Israel. In support) of
his theory he wrote a fabulous narrative -
sort of Robinson Crusoe romance—of several
hundred pages, wherein he ingeniously set
forth in convincing sbyle that it was a trans-
lation from manuscripts which he had found
ID the tombs of the mound builders.
The rasnuseript was read at different
times to friends and men of letters, who
afterward recognized whole Maaptere of the
story in the Mormon Bible. Certain phrases
and :sentences were identical with that they
had seen in the Spalding manuscript. Then
• they knew that somebody sold the work to
Smith. And ib seemed probable, as he had
the name of being
ME MOST GIFTED HUMBUG
ID epiritual end mailer matters known in
that day. Spalding had arranged to have
his narrative publiehed in book form, It
was sent to a Pittsburg printer named Pat-
terson, but because of Spalding's detaining
health the volume never appeared. When
Spaldieg died his widow had the manuscript
in her possession. A man named Rigclon, a
sort of crank printer in Patterson' printing
establishment and who had hada theological
east of mind and shown greab interest in
Speadisiga book of fables vanished at the
same time.
Nob long after thie a mysterious stranger
appeared olmeted with Joe limith. It was
Rigdon, He had frequent interviews with
the young apostle, and there was evidently
something important brewing. Smith's
revelatiohs grew more frequent. He had a
new diepeneetten to rebate every time he
vatted the village, Farmer Harris, the
only follower of Smith who had more money
then he khow what to do with, mentioned
Smith' name with new reverence. Smith
told him that
HAG MET AN ANDEL,
and would heve a new gospel for the publio
very BOOM Later he sante into town pale
and exhamited, but his eyea were radiant
He said be had boon On a tranlatain by
direction of the angel ; he aad bad a fight
with the devil, and afbssr a long conflict had
secured the gelatin pages of the nese goepoli
He would tam:slate ib by names of :spiritual
epentaolen which accoMpaniect the Metal
pages.
In a few days Mertin Berrie, the honest
fanner, wee teacly to morifloe hie life for
the only true revelation. He went to Me
Granath, tbe village ed1tor Wbo listened
to hie proposition to put the Bible It:
print, Mt Granite refitted to do the:porta
Herds Visited ThurloW Weed!!! printing°Moe in Rochester, and reseited a:limner
anesver.
Theo air. Harris returned, went to Mai
effidbe
widov
riaudinaVputbied
s ogoenrin a t
buoei;eyfor
t
seoformhoe
work if net:emery. XI% Grandin finally
cemented to print aa edition of 5,000 copies
for a3,000 oath. It was a large :sum in
those dive, and ultimately Martin Hamie,
the honest man, had to mortgage his ferra
ID pay the bill.
mamma. mut THE PRIMER.
Major Gilbert), who prattled the book 63'
yeare ago, is yet alive, He mid the other
day: "It required seven months of hard
work to Set up that Bible. The manuscript
was clearly written, but there were no
• capital lettere and no punotuetion naarke of
any kind in the entire book.
Joe Smith was not at the office at all. I
never saiv him except once or twiee during
the preparetion, :oven month. All the
buninem was done by proxy. Joe Sinith
was in lale cave or room where t/ae translat.
ing bed been donei'getting new revelationo,
nupporse, from the angel. When I ex-
plained to Hoards that the matter should be
punctuated and .put ha proper form
he retired for consultation. The mower
came back that the Old Teetament was
full of bad grammar and what was good
enough for the Bible was good enough
for them. They soon allowed me to 'puma '
tuate, so I went over the manuscript with
pencil ea it eves brought) in, punctuating
and paragraphing as I reed. My pencil
marks are on the original manueoript
now in the keeping of a Mormon at Rich-
mond, Mo.
"1 tried to leant something aboub the
humbug, but they declared that everything
they gave me was a direct translation from
THE GOLDEN PLATES.
As I understood it, these golden plates were
taken from the mountain to Smith's house
and put in a, bag. He was so frightened at
first after be had recovered them from the
guardianship of tlae angel that he hid than
for a dayand then book them to hie house.
Later the alleged plates were carried to a'
cave for translation.
"Nobody believe:, that there were anp.
plates, unless Smith secured a few of the
archeological plates at a =BOUM to slow
05 eirtraordinary ocomions to doubting
friends. In that cave it is supposed they
really went over the manuscript which had
been stolen by Rigclon from Spalding's
house, and, by incorporating it with Bible
language, disguised it and made it the basis
of their new gospel."
A 'VIGOROUS RELIGION.
Mormonism was a vigorous, red-haired
faith, and it wanted men of muscle and
action. Hence at Independence, Native°
and elsewhere theaformons organized bands
of fighting warriors, who used gunpowder
for the benefit of the gospel. They had a
militia of their own. All this is more or
less traceable back to the vagabond gipaye
training of Joe Smith, to the days when
chickens and sheep disappeared in the
quiet suburbs of Palmyra, and man were
led astray and their families broken up
through the macainations of the Mormons,
led by Smith.
Smith had received eeveral communism -
Mons from the archangel, and was told on a
certain day to repair that night) to the holy
he would recognize. It was shown him in
mountain and dig in a certain place, which
the vision. Accordingly he went there at,
midnight witla a shovel and crowbar. He
recognized the spot and dug until he mutes
to a large, flet: stone. To use Smith's own,
words:
SMITH'S OWN STORY.
"1 forced the crowbar under the stone
and raleed it Without difficulty. There r
beheld a caaket of golden plates, on which
were inscribed the new gospels. The glory
of heaven shone around them and upon
them. The place seemed on fire. I was
about to remove the plates when an enor-
mous toad appeared, squatting upon the
Instantly it was revealed to me that 1
had forgotten to carry out some requeab
made by the angel in digging for the 'slates.
I had forgotten to give thanks to God, and
I knew what was passing in the toad's mind.
Instantly the beast arose and expanded as
largo as a dog, then as a builook, then it -
rose for above me, a flaming monster with
glittering eyes, until it seemed to fill the,
heavens, and with a blow like lightning 113.
'swept me from the mountain into the val-
ley beneath.
•" The sun was shining high in the hea-
vens when I came to my sensea. Again the
ANGEL 010 THE LORD
appeared and instructed me how I should
further proceed. I acknowledged the mils -
take I had made and on that night I again
repaired to the holy mountain. But the
stone was nob there, nor was there
any sign that it hed ever been
there or that I had dug for it. But a revers
lation came to me on the spot. A new
place to dig was pointed out and in a few
momenta 1 reached a big fiat stone, and
offering up thanks I removed it with the
crowbar. The golden plates were flaming
again in celestial splendor. The toad was
not there. Then I knew it was all right.
• "Again thanking the Almighty I re-
m:eyed the plates, but was so agitated I
could hardly move. The moment I touched
them a thousand devils sprang into light.
They- were all around the bill; the moun-
telt' seemed :alive with them ; they were
ID the air ; they perched on my shoulders,.
They could do nothing, however. I was
pROTECTED BY THE ANGEL
f God. But I had to fight for it. It was
earstruggle to get down from the mountain.
Many a time I thought the holy plates would
be token from me, but I never let go of there:
until I found a place to hide, that I might
rest and recover my strength. The country
was heavily timbered in tame days, but la
was not afraid to go through tbe woode. On
the following day I had the plates safely
clasped to my bread and I carried them
• home and afterwards hid them in a cave,
where I began the first translation of the
inspired pages."
This'in brief, is Joe Smith's own narra-
tive of how he came to receive the sacred
Bible from heaven on which he founded thes
Mormon Churoh.
vanes ABOUT THE PLATES.
Melesestoties are•rolated hy friends of hl'
family as to how the golden plates ap--
paired when seen in Smith's, bonne, Ab oasis,
time he kept them in a hag. Then hp
hired e, earl:deter to make a chub bound
with irott and fa:aerial with a hasp and
sarong 'look. This was after the plates had
boat removed from the bove.
The beet people in, Palmyra Who were
well acquainted With the Sinithlamiletatade
meey attempte to eee tteee ,golden Oates.
Oao woman, a particular friend of':alare.
Smith, Was invited te. take 'es peep at thef
metallic pages • She 'mid they Were beautis
IDI to losik at and shone with glory,
A mail onde attempted to . nee forte and
open the chest, be fact he throw the lid up ••
bet sew nolhing itt explanation f thief
Smith Raid tad the Lord ,froold iroteCit his •
own, that no unbeliever could eee the ' holy
platen even if taey were In the child.
., • ,
Though We travel the World over to final
the bealtiftd, we meat earty it with tie de
we find it not