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350 HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
about Avhere he Avanted them the picture reversed, and the officers had
Cole just where they Avanted him, and he fell a prisoner into their hands
and custody.
Cole arranged a Avine party at the time that affairs Avere expected
to culminate, and the liquor Avas heavily drugged, but the officers neA'er
partook of his bounty, and instead of their falling victims to his plans
he himself fell into theirs.
The plans of Beall Avere equally well formed but through the failure
of Cole's were also futile as carrying out the main effort AVIIS concerned.
Beall, with a feAV rough characters, took passage on the steamer Philo
Parsons, as that boat Avas making her passage betAveen Detroit, the islands
and Sandusky, and at Maiden, in Canada, twenty other men also came
aboard having as baggage a heavy and well bound box. This Avas not
an unusual circumstance and nothing Avas thought of it. After passing
from the landing at Kelley's Island the men approached the clerk of
the boat, Avho in the absence of the captain seems to have been in command,
and Avith revolvers pointed at him demanded a surrender. The
others at once opened the box and provided themselves with revolvers
and knives sufficient for a small arsenal. Without much resistance the
steamer passed into charge of the piratical creAV of boarders and Avas
turned back foAvard Middle Bass Island, AA'here a landing Avas made.
About this time the Island Queen reached the dock at Middle Bass,
but no sooner had she touched than she Avas boarded and captured not,
hoAvever, Avithout a stout resistance from her commanding officer and
the engineer, but both' Avere overpoAvered, the latter being shot in the
face. On board the Island Queen AVIIS a party of about a hundred
recently discharged soldiers on their journey home, hut being Avithout
arms were poAverless in the face of a score or more of heavily loaded
revoh'ers in the hands of determined, desperate men. The Queen was
scuttled and sent adrift, after which the proAv of the Parsons Avas turned
tOAvard Sandusky Bay. After cruising about for a long time, anxiously
Avatehing for the proper signal from the land party supposed to have
been successfully organized by Cole, Beall Avanted to make the attempt
at rescue AA-ithout the assistance of Cole's co-operating force, but knoAVing
the power of the Michigan's guns, and fearful of the result. Beall's
desperate CIVAV Aveakened and declined to take the chances. Disheartened
and discouraged, the daring leader reluctantly put about and made
for the Canada side, AA'here the steamer Avas abandoned and her former
creAV released from their temporary imprisonment.
This Avas the only open attempt made to effect the rescue of the
officers confined on Johnson's Island, and it proA'ed a dismal failure.
What the result AA-ould have been, had Cole's effort proved successful/
is wholly a matter of speculation. Several prominent citizens of Sandusky
were soon after arrested and charged Avith complicity in this
attempt. They Avere temporarily confined on Johnson's Island but
afterwards released. Cole Avas also subsequently released. But Beall
seems to have been less fortunate. He Avas captured near Suspension