The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1851-02-24
Truth Stranger than Fiction Reversss
~- z, of Fortune. ga

Truth Stranger than Fiction Reverses
~ q of Fortune. 3a
- The Springfield Republican furnishes the
following sad narrative;
Many Of our readers will remember a series
OF articles entitled, "rhree weeks on q Cot.
ton Plantafiot,p which appeared in the Re-
publican twelve month since, or more. In
one Of those articles, the romantic history of
tlfe planter, whose hospitalitics the writer so
gratefully rechleds was briefly given. He
landed at Natchez, boy. He had come down
the Ohio and Mississippi on hatboat, with
his father and his fathers partner. There his
father died and was buried, and there the boy
was left by the heariless partner without 4
picayune. Naturally shrewd, he picked uu
buslfess-sold tickets for the theatre, did ef-
rands, peddled nick nae ks, &C., until hu grss,
up TO proper size for larger operations He
then become the owner Of draw, then of a
small plantation near Natchez. then Of an i'm.
mensely large. plantation at Mill;ken's Bend,
above Veksbdrg., Here he went into specula.
lion, and before tlfe crash Of '37, supposed bin.
self TO be worth quarter Of o million.
Hitherto bis fortunes had waxed. He then.
for the first time, returned TO Cincinnati, and
sought out his mother and sisters whom he left
behind long years, before He found his fam.
lily, who supposed him dead, in poverty, and
provide for them, aud then came tlte reverse.
The wife Of his youth had borne him three
beautiful children. hese. one after another
died, then the wife was laid in Che grave. An
interval elapsed, of pecuniafy prosperity, but
of intense grief, when he was blessed with the
hand Of one Of tho most beautiful and lovely Of
womankind Then came the energy that
L. r.. e
and he was enabled to return and add to his
be utful plantation. +'A+
Years passod on, ind another family OF beau.
iful children had grown up arounc' him, To
whom and wlrose beautiful mother'he was at
taclFed by almost hnatical idolatry. Two
years ago last August, his home was the abodeN
of plenty and the largest hospitality. lmne-
diately afterwards his favoriie child sickencd
40 died. month or two after this, bis house
was burned. A few weeks more aud long
pending law suit originating in bis efforts 10
retain hsproperty. and paw off his debts, was
decided against him, and his plantation was put
under the hammer of the auclioneer, and the
broken spirited man moved to Vicksburg.
Here another child died.
With the remnunt of his large possessions'
he purchased the beautiful steamer Mohaiok,
aud.run hel in the New Orleans trade, acting
as the Captain, himself. A few. days ago tho
following dispatch was received by the North
ern papers: el sal
LOUISVILLE. Dec, II.
Capt. Cobb, of the steamer Moha,ck, blew out
his brains yesterday at Vicksburg- cause, PEI
cuniary troubles, and death of his wife. %
Another dispatch from Nashville, Of the
same date, stated that that morning the steam
er MohaDk unk with . 500 bales Of cotton ON
board, while living at that city Two poor,
weeping, tcrror-strcken children are all that
remain of the whole family. What dream OF.
fiction ever equalled tragedy like thisa :;