Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1846-08-05
WHOLE NO. lsa
QUALIFICATIONS FOR A SENATOR.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR A SENATOR.
The following anecdote, among similar ones, isre-
lated of Col. Russell, candidate for the Senate in
Kentucky.
Every one has heard of I" Natchez under the Hill,"
as 1t existed some years ago. was the very ester-
ing focus OF vice in all its odious, its disgusting and
horrible forms. There the most lewd and ABANDON
ed OF women were found with refugees from Justice
from every nation under the sun-French, English,
American, Italian, and Spanish cut-throats, robbers
and gamblers. Numbers gave them bodness, and
they committed crime with IMMUNITY. One of their
usual resources to rob steamboat who
would incautiously stroll from the boat when anchor
ed at the wharf. On one occasion when RusseIs
boat was at the landing, one of his passengers, an
aged minister of the gospel, who was coming West
to purchase land, walked up into the city to buy sew
eral articles of which he stood in need He had with
him in his pocket between five and six hundred dol
lars which he mprudently drew out to get small
note for change. He observed by the seller who
was himself one of formidable gang, who adroitly
changing his Dress followed the preacher and decoy-
ed him into one of the dens under pretence of being
able to find superior article to one he had already
purchased, and while there he was seized, his money
cut from his pocket with bowie knife, and he turn
ed loose to make the best his way back to the boat
As soon he got clear of the thieves he raised tho
cry of robbery and MURDER and Russell happening to
pass at the time, made instant pursuit after the man
who was pointed out the thief chased him into an
other of their nefarous places of refugee where be for
a moment escaped.
But Russell, determining that this venerable old
man should not go unredressed or unavenged, imme-
dately FASTENED to the boat armed his crew and the
passengers who would take part, and formed Cor
don of men between the River and the hill preventing
escape or relief. Here he held the whole pack at bay
although at the imminent peril of his own life, and
those of his men, and demanded the money and the
robber. Neither being given up, he broke open every
house with heavy batterng beam and searched them
thoroughly without success. He then, like a great
French general has since done in Africa, built fires
and blew smoke into the sewers SO drive the rufian
from his hole (; but it all in vain. At last, and
last resort he proclaimed his purpose of dragging
the "whole of Matches under the HILL, into the rv-
er, and set about executing his threat in good ear
nest. He passed cable round one of the houses
and made fast to his boat raised the steam and gave
one pull when the building moved from its base on it's
march into the Mississippi. The old gamblers cut
the rope, and Russell returned and passed his chain
cable round the house preparatory to another and ef
tectual drag. At this penic seized upon the rob-
bers, parley was demanded, and the identical mon
ey Russell refusing to receive any other) re-
stored, and the old man went on his way rejoicing.
The effect of this rough dealing felt by the fra
ternty in the readiness of other Captains to initiate
RussePs example, and the famous ad-quarters of
Natchez under the hill was changed to Vicksburg,
where few years afterwards, they utterly dis
persed 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 sec
lion of country, and his gallant conduct was extoed
n all the journals of the South and West.