Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 09.pdf/186

 Why Thomas Bram Was Found Guilty.

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Bram had the vessel's course changed to canvas and had fixed it to the jolly-boat, they went to the forecastle, lit their pipes carry out his plan of going to Cayenne. and talked about how to place the bodies in This did not please Loheac, who feared to the boat. Charley Brown proposed to put go to French Guiana because of his relations the captain in the middle, and his wife next with the French navy. Nor was the pas his heart, and the second mate on his right. senger satisfied. He had had some yacht They assented to this and went out and told ing experience and naturally examined the chart to find out for himself what their Hram that they were ready to remove the bod ies. He said, " Have you heart enough to do chances were. He found that while Cay it? " They asked the steward for sheets and enne was between fifteen hundred and two for towels to cover the heads of the dead, for thousand miles away, Bermuda was only they could not stand and look at their faces. about four hundred, so he said, "What do Five men took out the body of the second you say, boys, shall we go to Bermuda?" mate. Bram was in the after house when The men agreed, and the course was for the second mate's body was taken out, but Bermuda. But the wind was dead ahead, not afterward when Mrs. Nash and the and upon the passenger's finding that Hali captain were taken. The second mate's fax was only about seven hundred and fifty body was sewed into bedclothes on deck miles off, he told them all so, and they by Charley Brown. Then Charley Brown decided to go there, and this was the and Andcrsson went in to get Mrs. Nash. course they finally kept. Charley Brown decided to sew her body up The passenger brought up a box of cigars, in her room to avoid exposing her to the and Bram passed them around, saying to men. She was heavy and was lying so far the men, " We all here is one." This sen back in the bunk that Charley could not lift timent evoked no response. her forward. So he took off his slippers, The first mate, being then master of the stepped onto the side of her bunk, and with vessel, appointed Charley Brown to be first Andersson's help lifted her into a sheet. mate, he having acted as second mate on They then pulled the sheet around her, and other vessels, and Frank Loheac to be sec Charley sewed her up. Then she was car ond mate. ried on deck. The captain's body was also About the middle of the day, the clothes taken and sewed up in bedclothes on deck by that were expected to be needed on deck Charley. The captain, his wife, and the were brought up, and the doors in the after second mate were all large people, and their house were locked. In the afternoon, Charley bodies were very heavy. Hence five sailors Brown threw overboard his overalls, which carried one after another, and meanwhile the were covered with blood and dirt from his passenger took the wheel. As soon as the work on the bodies. As the day wore on, bodies had been all put into the boat, and the passenger and the steward consulted to before pulling the tarred canvas cover over gether. The steward said, " The mate killed it, the passenger said, " I don't pretend to be them people." But Bram was then the mas very religious, but we might do a little pray ter of the vessel, and they were cautious. ing." Bram responded to this suggestion Towards dark the handles of all the sharp by proposing to bring up the organ from instruments in the carpenter-shop in the for the chart-room. The passenger said, " That's ward house were cut off, and the shop was nonsense," and proceeded reading the bur nailed up. The men were very superstitious, ial service from the Episcopal prayer-book. and no one would stay at the wheel alone. Then the jolly-boat was covered, and the That night there was no discipline, except canvas fastened down. that no one was allowed to go below. Ev