Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1854-04-11
Desperafe Rencontre.


as occurred on tho steamer s. F. j
Traube, on the Mississippi River, during
her recent trip from Now Orleans
As is usual at this season OF the year
the boat wss crowded with deck passen
gers, chiefly 0at.boaimen from the Wa
bash and al.boatmen from Pittsburgh
Among the latter was q set Of !urbulen,
qinrelsomc men, who were about hal
drunk when they got on the boat at New
Orleans, AMI had fight or two among
themselves before the boat left por,
Capt. Tucker wos notified by q friend
who recognized ono CT Two of the men
that he would rave trouble with them
end they. would try totake the boat.
Soon after the boat was under way,
and before she had proceeded many
miles up the river. one Of the Pittsburgh,
coal.boalmen attacked a Wabash man
who was quiet and peaceable, and had
said nothing TO him, and knocked him
down and beat him dreadfully. Two o
his friends interlered 10 save him from
further III usage, when they were bescl
and beaten nearly to death. and one oil
them had his arm broken by blow of
an ak in the hands of one of the rioters.
The deck bar was opened, and another
passenger, a small man, s,eppc.l up
after the first fray and called for drink
While he was in the act Of drinking, q
burly fellow, bully among the coal.
boa'mcn, stepped up and seize,l him by
the neck, choakod him. and threw him 10
the deck as If he worea chicken, and
stamped on him. He was suffered 10 set
up, and so soon as he regained his fee,
he drew knife and inflicted terrible
wound in the big mans right breast,
which placed him on his back during
the rest Of the trip. and on the arrival OF
the boat here he was sen, to the hospit.
al.
Not long alicr this occurrence the
'boa'men became perfectly wild
with liquor, or their anxiety for f,ht,
and were heard 10 swear that they would
take the boat and do az they plea sed.
The deck was crowded with passengers,
and the quiet and orderly had no peace
or rest, and were beset every moment.
Capt. Tucker then determined to qucll
the riot, and summoning his crew. a.
mong whom were twenty .one Spaniards
afming them with short clubs, hatchets,
anil whatever weapons he could, he
marched 10 the lower deck anil endeavor.
ed TO restore order, and put the rioters
on shore. The rioters laughed at him,
and one big fellow shook his fist under
his nose AMI deliel the whole crew.
The Spaniams, in solid phalanx, armed
with club and long knife, were order.
cd 10 advance and seize the ringleader.
Then ensued scene OF strife and con.
fusion seldom seen on the deck OF
boat. The Spanish crew, however, were
victorious, and managed to secure four
or the lingleaders, who were tied neck
and heel, and peace was at once restored.
The chief Of the mob was not cought,
and for several days could not be found,
and it was thought that he, togethcr with
four or five others, had jumpel over.
board and either drowned or swan a.
shore. Several of the cabin passengers
aver that they distinctly saw three or
four men in the river, and as the affair
occurred soon after the boat lcf, New
Oh, ans, it was impossible to tell who
was lost.
During the melee, a coal boalman by
the name Of Blakely was much hurt,
and dangerously stabbed in tho side.
he was taken care of by the officers Of
the boat, and sent to the hospital. The
mate of the Traube received cut in
the head from a'knife, which he caught
Just as one Of the mutineers made lunge
at him.
The four that were arrested were put
off the boat soon after the affray was
quelle6, and when the boat was in tho
neighborhood Of Millikin's Bend the big
fellow that had been missing was found
and was forthwith set ashore. He had
been secreted under the cylinder timbers.
No furlh:r outbreak occurred during
tue trip, though many threats were made
just before the boat reached the port.
The discipl'n Of the Spaniards, and Il e
determination octhe officers Of the boat,
put an eAectual stop to the lawlessness
Of the coal. .boatmen.-LouisuilleC Cour.,
Extraordinary PreSentinent.
On Tuesday Simeon G. Webster,
formerly Of Jericho, Vermont, was caught