The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1854-04-20

DESPERATE REEcoNTRE ON tue STEAMER
s. F J. TRABUE. We have often heard Of
meeting a murderer on iht High Sea-, but
seldom have to record such scene, Of vio-
lrsce as occurred on the steamer S F J.
Frabue, on e Mississippi river, during her
recent trip from New Orlenns. As isusuai
at this season OF the year, the hoat was
crowded with deck passengers. chiefly Aat.
DO tmen from the Wabash and cual.buat-
men from Pittsbnrgh. Amung the latt
was a set of turbulent ,quarrrlsome men who
were about half drunk when they got on the
boat at NV Orleans, and had fight or two
among themselves, b tore the buat left port
Capt. Tucker vas notified by freud, who
recognized one or two Of the men, that he
would have troVOlr with them, and they
wond try to take the boat.
Soon after the boat was under way, and
beior she had proceeded many miles up the
river, one the Pittsburg coal bOatmen al
tackled II Wabash man VITO was quiet aHd
peaceSble and had said nothing TO him, and
knocked him down and eat him drpadlully.
Two Of his fiends interiered to save him
from III usage, when they were besrt and
beaten nearly to death, and one OF them had
hts arm broken by blow Of an axe in the
hands of one Of the rioters The deck bar
was open and another passenger. small,
man. stepped up alter the fir fray and cal.
| led for drink While be was in the act Of
drinking, hurley fellow, among the cOul
buatmen, stepped up and seized him by the
neck, choaked him, and threw him to the
deck as if he were chicken, and then
stamped hin. lie was snffered to get up
and as soon as he r gained his feet he drew
Il knife end inflicted a terrible wound in the
big mans right breast, which p aced him on
his back during the rest of the trip. and on
The arrival of the boat here he was sent to
the hospital.
Not long after tn occurrence the coal
boaimen became perfectly Wild with liquor,
or their anxiety for fight, and were heard
to swear that they would take the boat and
do as they FleHsed The deck was crowded
with passengers, and the quiet and orderly
had no peace or rest, md were bespt every
moment. Captain Tucker then determin ed
to quell the riot, nd 81 MN ming his crew,
among whom were twenty-une Spaniards,
and arming them with short clubs ,hatchets,
aud whatever weapons he could, he march
ed to the lower deck and endeavOred to re.
store order and put the rioters on shore
The rioters laughed at him, and one big fell
low shook his fist under his nose and delied
the whole crew. The Spaninrds, solid
! phalnnX armed with club and long knife
were ordered to advance and seize the ring
leader. Then ensued scene Of strife and
confusion seldom seen on the deck Of boat
'Fh Spanish crew, however were victorious
n d managed to secure tour OF the ringlead.
| "a hr tinI ol, al hna nd
was at once restored. The chief of the mob
was not caughr, and for several days C ,ud
not be found, and it was thought that he, 10
gether with four or fiv" others, had jumped
overheard an either drowned or swan a
shore. Several OF the cabin passengers a.
yer that they distinctly saw three or four
men in The river und as the afFair occurred
soon utter the boat left New Orleans it was
impossible to tell who was lost
During the melee, a coai boatman OF the
name ut Blakey was much hurt, and dan
gprUu>ly stabbed in the renr. He was taken
care of by the 0iiice Of the buat, aud sen,
10 the Hospital. 4 c mate of the Trabue
received cut in the nd from knife
which he caught IS. as one of the mutineers
made Iunge at him.
The four that were arrested were put of
the bont soon after the atFray was qurled
and when the boat was l. the neighbnrhoot
OF NJ. llikin's Bend, the big fellow that hac
been missing, was found and was forthwith
set ashore. He had been secreted under the
cylinder timbers. No further outbreak oc
Cured during the trip, though many threats
we're made just bc fore he boat reached port
The discipline of the Spa iards, and the de
termination OF the officers of the buat,put ur
etfectual stop to the lawessness of the Goa
boatmen.- Louisville Jour.