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Show I Stealing the Davy Jones I I g jBjs an Ejc-Operative of the 7nited State Secret Service. X I V 1 "' IAPTAIN DICKSON, a Retired I fficer Uncovers and Nabs 5 j ct I Perpetrators of Most Daring j s ' C rniTI Theft Full-Grown Steam- j 5 v I I boat Is Taken on Inland River ; y Vessel Long Used by Government and Then Sold to Hank Parlow x y His Part in the Tale of the Davy ) ? Jones Last Cruise of Famous Craft JjC T SEISMS preposterous," 4 4 Y I said Capt. Dickson, "that I I thieves could Bteal and get nwny with a full grown ySSCJ steamboat and that, too, on nn inland river. Hut jX" '. t? 1 ln,B ls JllBt cxctly what tftOftji;! a gang of river "pirates did WfcfUl Joncs.astorn-Wheel steam-boat steam-boat that once belonged to UbiyniH tho government scrvlco nnd which was employed with other boats of tho government govern-ment fleet on tho Mississippi river in Idoklng after the levees, keeping tho channel clear and the government lights burning, nnd tho numerous other- matters that tho government has assumed In connection with the navigation navi-gation on that stream," Capt. Dickson was a retired secret service ofllcor" nnd I hnd known him for many years. lie had no thought of publishing his reminiscences, but when I could get him under tho Influence Influ-ence of n warm flro in his cozy parlor, par-lor, a plpo, and a glass never more than two In nn evening of his favorite favo-rite sherry, I always got something that was worth publishing and I used to tell him so. And ns the principals to tho affairs were so 'hidden In tho tolling and tho locale of tho events was usually so fur nway he did not object. I prefer to tell .It In his own words. Tho bont had been operatod by the government until It had been considered consid-ered unsulted for Its needs, and then 'It wns sold to ,n curious old river man named Hank Parlow, who employed It as a trading boat, towing a largo flat boat with It, and picking up such odd Jobs of towing nnd freighting ns chance threw In his way. I was In the oluco or the survoyor of customo nt u cortnln Mississippi river city ono day when Pnrlow came In to have his Ucenso renewed nnd tho surveyor sur-veyor Introduced him to me, Ho wns a peculiar character, and when it camo to paying tho fee for the HconBO, Par-low Par-low drow forth a greasy pouch from some Indotormlnato place of concealment conceal-ment about his person, nnd paid tho amount from n $20 gold piece. Ho asked for hlB chango In gold, but as thero happened to bo none in tho, oinco Just then ho accepted-tho silver and bills With Bonie showing of rcluc-tanco rcluc-tanco and bowed himself out of tho otTlce. After ho hnuTMt, tho surveyor told mo that Parlow was a miser and wns roputcd to bo' worth many thousands of dollars. His fortune, so tho river-men river-men said, was concealed somewhere about tho boat Davy Jones, and It wns thought to- bo all In gold, as Par-low Par-low Invariably had overy bit of silver nnd every bill that fell Into his handB converted into gold coins at his first opportunity. I didn't see Pnrlow again until somo weeks later, when ho camo Into my ofllco and told me that his boat had been stolen from tho wharf the night before nnd he wanted me to find it. Ho was frenzied with grief and elm-grin elm-grin nnd swore, with many black and long-winded oaths, that ho would kill tho thieves on sight If he could find thorn. I doubted If I ho enso was -ono In my Jurisdiction, but I wired tho particulars par-ticulars to tho department at Washington Washing-ton and received instructions to go on search for the vessel and endeavor to capture the rogues. It scorns that thore had been considerable complaint from the port where I was then stn-tloned, stn-tloned, of thefts of goodB nnd other nrtlcles from steamboats, and ub tho work was attributed to n gang of rlvor pirates, tho chief thought It would bo u good Job to round up tho gang and put thorn where they would do no harm. Pnrlow offered to pay all expenses, and ho told me that a friend of his, a sallow, slouchlng-flshormnn nnmed Wnatrow, owned a fast cabin gaBollno boat that would be put at my disposal. I wired notlco of tho theft of tho Davy Jones 16 points along the rlvor nnd Its tributaries, as I felt suro that tho boat could not remain long undetected If It showed Itsolf at any port "of tho Mississippi. Mis-sissippi. The next morning when I opened my ofllco, I found n dirty slip of paper among the lettere In my mnll box;"15x-amlnlUK box;"15x-amlnlUK It. I dlsnovormi nencll wrltlnir on It nnd after some difficulty I deciphered de-ciphered this message: the dav Jones Is up st frnncls River. It was not signed mid tho writing showed Hint Its Author was In no sense n scholar. I was pondering over It when Pnrlow camo In to tell me thnt tho gasoline launch was ready for ray (locn,"-fi whenever I wished to set out. I hnd not really Intended going on a cruise, as I thought tho boat would bo found In a day or bo, but the anonymous Ictler had put the'lden In my head. I showed tho note to Par-low Par-low and ho becamo highly excited. Ho swore. "That'sJiiBtwhat 1 thought they'd do. They've run out thero In the awnmps to pick the boat to pieces so that they can find my gold. There ain't no gold aboard It, Tmt them thlov-Ing thlov-Ing river-rats think there Is, and this nlu't tho first tlmo they've tried to get at It." "Wo left about one o'clock ani mnde rapid time down tho rlvor. I had often oft-en seen the Mississippi river during a flood but I hnd never fully understood Its I'i resistible force until this trip down It In the 30-foot launch Wo traveled at tho rate of a rncehorse. Parlow wanted to run after nightfall, and whlio I was more In favor nt ijiiij up, ho nnd Wastrow assured mo that traveling was absolutely safe nnrt, as they wero experienced river men and seemtd to understand tho boai nnd the river, too, 1 consented and turned In, making n bed on tho locker seat of tho forward" cabin. My bed wn a Utile cramped and the situation was a novel one ,hut 1 soon dipped nsj?ep nnd dlOn't wnko until It wns broud daylight day-light next morning. It was close to noon when wo turned a sharp bend In tho river, which Par low told mo was 30 miles from tho Mississippi. On tho farther Bhoro thero wns a depression in the trcellne, which Parlow said Indicated that a slough or load imt out there, and that If it were followed up one would probably find a lake back In tho timber. I looked at Jt curiously, and was on tho point of asking some question when Wastrow, Was-trow, who was Ueerlng, became greatly great-ly cxcilcd and called Parlow lo his side. Ho pointed across the river at tho mouth of the Blough and seemed to bo endeavoring to show somo object ob-ject to his companion. Parlow huw It In an instant, anu mo uoaia prow wub headed for It. I couldn't make out what they had discovered, nlthough I strained my eyes, ns I asked what It was. Parlow pointed with his long, skinny arm at a tree limb which had boon broken half oft near the trunk and which dangled down, hanging by a strip of bark. 1 saw, even at that distance, dis-tance, that the break was white and freHh. My companions seemed to attach at-tach the greatest wojght to it, for they gesticulated and pointed at it, talking excitedly all tho while. Wo were now approaching It closoly, and I suddenly saw Parlow grab up his i tlio and point it at a streak on tho trunk of tho tree In which hung tho brokon limb. I- saw what ho referred re-ferred to, and as wo ran closo besldo It I saw that it was a smudge of paint and splinters of wood us If something had rubbed ngaliiBt It. Then I realized real-ized tho purport of these signs and did not need tho excited explanation that, tho rlvermen gave me. Wo Blowed tho engine down until Its mnllled exhaust was scarcoly audible and stealthily crept Into tho narrow slough that ran back Into tho timber. Tho men woro suro that some boat had run up thin slmigh, and I folt thnt they woro right, nnd thnt It must bo tho vessel that we wero utter, for no sane pilot would drive n boat Into such n chnnnel un less ho were endeavoring to find a placo of concealment. It was a tortuous course through tho foroBt.by this narrow plough, or lead, fringed with stately cyproBS trees standing ns Btralght as arrows. Evon my luoxpcrlenced oyo could dotoct thnt tho boat had surely pussod along tho channol nJiead of us. Tho drift was disordered and willows and saplings sap-lings woro broken oft hero and thore. As we proceeded, tlio rlvormon gripped tholrrlflea horvously nnd peered ahead through tho open window win-dow of tho cabin with baleful glaro of panthers. They swept .every bit of tho chnnnel on both sides with eyes that overlooked nothing, nnd nt tho discovery discov-ery of a now sign of tho boats having passed that way, they 'would nudge each" other and exchnngo glances that boded no good for tho thieves. Par-low Par-low was especially noticeable for the steely glitter of his eyes, and I read murder in them us plainly as I have ever seen it in box-car letters on the front page of a yellow Journal. Wo must have traveled n mllo or nioro, whon, JuSl ns wo darted around a clump of willows and saw a stretch of open water loomed ahead, thore was a spiteful rcport far down tho lake, anil n rlllo ball sung over our bends. I had been under flro before, but it happened so suddenly that I ducked involuntarily. But not so with Pnrlow and Wnstrow. They seemed to hall tho attack with a tlcndlsh delight, de-light, and I saw them slick tholr rifles farther out of tho open window and sight carefully down tho barrels. Our course was changed bllghtly, and ns tho prow of the boat swung to tho right In obedlenco to tho rudder, rud-der, I suw the Davy Jones tied up to a gigantic cypross treo at tho farther sldo of tho lake. Wo headed directly for it, and thero woro several more shots from Its direction, and, one bullet bul-let plumped Into tho woodwork of tho cabin and sent a shower of splinters about my ears. Over the bowed heads of the two rlver-mcn I could plainly see tho steamboat, and on Its lower deck I saw three men, each flrlug at us with a repontlng rlllo. Wo wore now less than 200 yards' distant from them, bat neither of my companions hnd replied to tholr fire. Our progress was slow, and wo mado nn excellent target, as tho sullon crunching of bullets bul-lets through tho woodwork and tho spllutoring of glass Indicated. As coolly as If ho wero giving some direction about tho running of tho launch, I heard Parlow mutter to his companion: "You tnko the ono on your right side and I'll take care of tho one on mine. You say when." WaBtrow Immediately grunted IjIb understanding, nnd although ho didn't say "when," ho said something that caviBed two lingers to curl about two triggers. Thero was a loud report from their, rifles, sounding ltko a slnglo "shot, and 1 saw two of tho men on tho steamer crumple up like a sero leaf, stagger a step or so, and fall to tho deck, The third man turned to run, but ho had only gone fnr enough to portnlt of tho flinging back of a lover and a hasty taking of sight bo-foro bo-foro I saw him pitch forward In response re-sponse toji spltoful ernck from Par-low's Par-low's rlflo. "I'd 'a' got him It you hadn't," Wastrow grunted in a matter-or-facf way, Just as it he had been shooting bVAbYAM at .squirrels or ducks Instead of human beings. i It made mo turn sick to hear thorn speak so lightly of killing three of their follow men. We rnn alongside, .and ono or tho rlver-mcn Jumped out nnd mado fast to tho steamer. Par-low Par-low looked apprehensively about tho boat, and I followed his gaze, which finally settled on tho brick foundation for tho boilers. I saw a glad light, come Into his eyes, and Bomehow I Jumped to the conclusion' that his treasure, whatever it might be, was concealed In that brickwork. Wastrow hnd not noticed this. Tho boat was in the wildest confusion. confu-sion. It was evident that tho thieves wero literally following Parlow's suggestion sug-gestion nnd picking it to pieces. The stuffy cabin and squalid staterooms had been absolutely wrecked. Tho mattresses wero slit open, planking torn nway, and every place ot concealment conceal-ment laid bare. Parlow grinned mali ciously at tho wreck of his boat, and I saw that ho folt tho keenest satisfaction satis-faction at the knowledge of tho three Inert things thnt lay out upon the forward deck, stiffening In tho drizzle which had now turned to sleet. Parlow examined tho corpses and said that he knew all threo of them; they were members of n gang of toughs thnt Infested the river, and he began to display symptoms or ularm as soon as ho hnd looked them over "This ain't all or Vm," ho snld. "Thero's moro'n this, nnd they will be coming back hero nnd taklu' n pot shot at us It wo don't hurry up nnd get away." WaBtrow seemed lo share this apprehension, and suggested that we had best leave as soon as possible, for tho pirates would have overy advantage ad-vantage or us It thoy should como back, the timber about tho boat affording af-fording excellent places of concealment conceal-ment from which they could fire upon us with safety. Acting upon this advice, Parlow secured se-cured a crowbar and attacked tho brick foundation under the boiler at a pojnt near tho farther end from the lire-box, while Wpatrow stood by nnd watched him with greedy eyes. With u few lusty strokes Parlow pried out some of tho bricks, and 1 saw a small Iron-bound box within the opening. Parlow dragged It out with some dltll-culty. dltll-culty. It was heavy, and something within it clinked like metal when It was--moved, With Wastrow'B assistance assist-ance ho carried it to (he gasoline launch nnd placed It IubUIo. Then ho hastened up the companlonway Into the stuffy ofllco and dived Into (ho rickety stove that stood In one corner, Ho scooped the ashes from tho waste box at Ub bottom, nnd disclosed A smnll ring. Pulling on this, ho rateed, an Ingeniously contrived door which had been quite concealed by the ashes. The stove had a false bottom and from tho cavity in It ho brought forth threo heavy sacks which I saw contained coins. Wastrow had watched these pro ceodlng with cyps that woro nap rowed to 'ay sills. I could sco thai ho was Interested, and I didn't Ilka tho cupidity and cunning which showed In -his onttro faco. Parlow had lugged his backs down tho companlonway and started for tho launch, declining tho assistance that Wnstrow offered him, and ho wns In tho net of stepping Into the launch when there camo n spiteful crack and n puff or smoke from somowhero back In the timber, and a bullot plumped .into n stanchion beside him, to which tho launch was tied. It -was no tlmo for hesitation, so wp three Jumped Into tho launch and Wnstrow cut tho ropo which moored us to tho st earner. Tho surviving members ot tho gang wero returning, fl and we had no desire to be trapped on tho dismantled steamer. In a trlco Parlow had started tho engino nnd wa wero headed away from tho Davy fl Jones, nutlets Bang all around us, and nlthough we returned the Are, the 1 pirates wero hid away In tho timber, fl nnd thore was small chance of sllen-clngthom. sllen-clngthom. Wo tore through tho water with bullets skipping and ricocheting about us on every hand until wa turned tho bend In tho slough. Not 1 until then did we draw a full breath 1 or feol that we wero out of danger from tho murderous bandits hid back flj In tho thick timber. It was an uneventful emlse back lo HJ the city, It. having been decided that flj It was bolter to return thero and send flj out a strong party to recover tho stolen boat, than for us thrco to at- flj tempt'lt. 1 am sure that Parlow aldu't -flfl sloop, a wink on the return Journey. flj for whenever I was nwake 1 saw him IJ huddled d6wn upon the Ironbound box Into which he hnd surreptitiously slipped 'ho sacks ot money that ha hnd taken from the bottom of the ! I was dog tired when wo reached flj port late the next afternoon, so I loft tho river-men aboard tho launch after 'flj offering to help Parlow carry his box to a place of safety, an offer, which ha BJ declined. flj That was. (he last I ever saw of elth- er of tho llvor-mon. Pnrlow was found dead, floating to flj the river somo mouths' later. Wnstrow, who had disappeared, was suspected ot the, "murder, but he wm flj never apprehended. I don't know what became of the Ironbound box, but tliu Davy Jono never wont on another cruise, Tho pi i at ob bumodjiC'clear to tho keel whera It wus.tled up'in the isolated lake. flj (Copyright. W, by W, (J. Chapman) ',v '.Copyright in Great Hiltuln.) |
