Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 09.pdf/187

eryone slept on deck as he pleased, if he the man at the wheel would not be alone. slept at all. Neither the passenger nor the About the middle of the night all the men steward slept. They were the actual com were huddled on the top of the after house, manders of the vessel, from the fact that and the passenger, the steward and Bram they rose to the occasion and showed strong were taking turns in keeping guard over staying qualities. them, the passenger and the steward sharing The next day, Wednesday, there was much the passenger's revolver. Charley Brown, it talk. Purdok and Andersson complained that then being his watch, rose and took off his while they were trying to sleep, Charley came hat, coat and boots, and walked from side to to them and peered into their faces. Loheac side and looked overboard; then he walked reported that Charley Brown had said that quickly forward, but was stopped by the there was a barrel of kerosene in the fore steward, who put the pistol to his head and castle, and if it were spread over the lumber told him the men were not allowed to go it would be very easy to set the vessel afire; forward without permission. Charley then also that Charley had told him, shortly be asked leave to go aft, and went aft and sat fore the murders, that he had shot aman in over the rail to relieve himself. Then he Rotterdam, four years ago, because he had returned, laid down and went to sleep. At lost his money and his girl, and afterward daylight he was still sleeping, with his oil locked the door and drank a bottle of beer skin jacket over his head. It was arranged and smoked his pipe before he let the police that, if he resisted arrest, the passenger in, and then got off by playing insanity. A should take the wheel, so that the man there shirt of Charley's had been drying, and one could help. Then the steward fell upon of the men said that Charley had changed him, cursing him, calling him a robber, and his clothes the night of the murder. This charging him with stealing the captain's revolver. The irons were fetched and put was regarded by the passenger and the stew ard, and Bram, whom they consulted, as a upon Charley Brown, who did not resist, but suspicious circumstance. Bram said that merely said, " Oh, steward, you do wrong." he told some of the men that he saw Charley There was a space left in the lumber leave the wheel and go to the mizzen-peak around the mizzenmast, and in this hole jig about the time of the murders. The they tied Charley. After Charley was in inference suggested was that such action irons, Bram repeated to the steward that connected Charley with the axe which at about the time of the murders he saw was found not many feet from the port Charley leave the wheel and go to the miz forward corner of the after house. Bram zen-peak jig on the port side. The steward said that when Loheac was to relieve testified that, after arresting Charley, he Charley, Bram saw Charley putting on his asked Charley, " You had a mate in this, slippers at the wheel. Charley's manner didn't you? " and Charley answered, " Yes," liad changed. He was very quiet, and would with a foolish laugh. Whereupon the first not talk much. Therefore they decided to mate exclaimed, "What!" After Charley put Charley Brown in irons the next morn had been tied at the mizzenmast, which was ing. They also searched all the men in try not far from the window of the second mate's ing to find the captain's revolver, which was cabin, Bram said to him, "You will see the missing. But they let each man keep his second mate's face come to the window to sheath-knife, as part of his necessary equip night. You thought you would be smart, ment as a sailor. They ordered all the men and put me in it. And I am too clever for to spend the night on top of the after house. you." When Charley was asked what his Thus they could watch the crew better, and reply was, he said, " I only looked at