The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-08-21
Qualifications Tor "A se,,,.

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A biographical sketch is published in
some OF the Kentucky papers, of ca,
RUSSELL, who is candidate for the S,,,o
Senate. Among the anecdotes given If
ms exploits is the following:
Every one has heard of "Na,chc,
under The HILL" as it existed some wears
ago, II was the fostering focus Of vice
IN all It's odIous. its disgusting and horri.
Die forms. There the most low and
abandoned OF women were found with
refugees from justice from every nation
under the sun-French. English, Amer.
can Italian, Spanish, cut throa,s. rohb.rs
and gamblers. Numbers gave them bold.
ness, and they committed crime with i'm
pnn''y. One Of their usual resources
wls TO rob steamboat passengers who
would lncautiously stroll from the bo,,
when anchored at ,he wharf. On one
occasion when Russel's boat was y, tho
landing one of his passengers, an aged
Minister OF tho gospel, who was COMING
10 the West 10 purchase land, walked IN
INTO the city to buy some articles of
which he stood in need. He had with
HIM IN his pocket, between five and six
hundred dollars which he impruden,lv
crew out to get small note for chance.
tie was observed by the seller, who was
himself one OF formidable gang, who
adroIIly changing his dress, followed the
old preacher and decoyed him into one
OF the dens, under pretence of his beng
able 10 find superior article to the one
he had already purchased, and " lille there
he was seized, his money cut from his
pocket with bowie knife, and be nrned
loose to make the best Of his way back
To the boat. A, soon as he got clear or
the thieves one of whom was still IN SIGHT
he raised The cry of robbery and murder.
and Russell happening to pass at tie time.
made instant pursuit after he man who
was pointed ont as the thief. chased h,u
INTO another of their ntfarinus places of
refuge, where he for moment ESCAPED.
Bnt Russell determining that this ven
erahle old man should not 90 uuredfr,s-
cd or nnavenged, immediately FASTENED
20 the boat, armed his crew and such mas.
scrgers a. would take part, and Termed
a Gordon of men between the river and
The hill preventing escape or relief. Here
he held the whole pack at bay, although
his own life and that of his men were IN
Imminent peril, and demanded the nom
ey and the rohber. Neither being given
he broke open every house with heavy
baierlng beam and searched them thor
oughIy without success. He then. like
great French general has since done in
Africa, built fires, and blew smoke into
the sewers to dive the rufIian from his
hole; bu, it was in vain. At last, and "a
a last resort, he proclaimed his purpose
OF dragging the whole Of Natchez under
the Hill into the river and set abou, rx-
ecu'lng his threat in good earnest. He
passed cable around one of the houses
and made fast TO his boat, raised steam
and gave one pull, when the building
moved from lite base on it's march INTO
the Mississippi. The old gamblers Gu,
ed his chain cable around the house, pre-
paralory for another and eneciuaI drag.
AT this panic seized upon the robbers.
parIey was demanded, and the identl-
cal money, Russell refusing to receive
any osher) was restored, and the old man
went on his way rejoicing. The effect
of this rough dealing was felt by the fra
iernity in the readiCess of other captains
to initiate Russell's example, and the Ia
nous head quarters of Na,chcz under the
IL Ill was changed to Vicksburgh, where
a few years afterwards they were utterly
the indignant citizens Of that
place having first hung five of them for
an outrageous murder. For this action
he received the thanks Of all that region
of the country, and his gallant conduct.
was extolIed in all tie journals of The
South and West.