Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1854-12-16
Bloody Fight at Cairo.
From the Louisville Journal, Dec,

From the Louisville Journal, Dec, 9
We learn from Capt Bachelor, as well as
from several of his passengers, who were wit
nesses to the bloody scene, the following par
tculars of a fearful tragedy, enacted at the
town of Cairo, at the mouth of the Ohio. The
character who performed such desperate deeds
was a free negro, well known in Louisville, Of
the name of Joe Spencer. He had established
a sort of floating hotel at that point, was sharp
fellow at every game, and as the sequel proves,
was afraid of nothing human and in his last
moments-surrounded by an Infatuated mob,
armed with death-dealing guns, cut off from all
chances of escape, alone out in the river, on
burning boat, with the red hot fire Kissing and
wreathing around him, and completely encircled
by living fame-he defied and denounced his
enemies in the most daring way, and with the
direct imprecations On his lips and armed with
all his weapons rife, shot gun an revolver
he plunged into the river and disappeared
forever:
THE CAIRo TRAGEDY.-A negro by the name
of Joe Spencer. who kept hotel on board the
wharf-boat at Cairo was sued for sixty dollars.
When the officers went to serve summons or
him he swore he wouldn't go, and said there
were not men enough in the place to take him.
He finally, by good deal of persuasion. agreed
to go. On his. road to the 'Squire's Office he
got key Of powder, took it ia one hand. while
he held revolver in the other, went into the
Office, and told the Squire that if he did not
release him he would blow the whole party to
h--ll. They were afraid of him, and so allow
ed him to 60 back to the river. When he got
back he went into a tat-boat which he had fitted
up for the boarders and defed the town to take
him. By this time the mob had become large
and very much excited, and seemed determined
that he should be taken and the law oneyed.
They tried for some time to get him out, but
could not succeed. At length the concluded to
scuttle the boat and let her sink; but the first
that nearest her for that purpose received with
discharge of buckshot from the negro inside.
The firing now became general on both sides,
the negro having the advantage, being inside.
In the attempt to sink the fatboat five men were
shot, some rather seriously, but none were
killed. They soon found the advantage was too
much in the negro's favor, and the cry was
raised to set the boat on fire, and then went to
work to carry it into execution. Here another
party became interested in the tragedy. There
were three steamboats, laying near the flatboat
and their officers saw alta glance that if the fat
boat was set ON fire the steamboats, would all of
them be burnt up; so they put in their protest
against setting her on fire, unless that she was
pulled out in the stream. The mob paid but
little attention to the officers at first, but they
soon found, when they discovered four or five of
them with their rifles, that they were in earnest,
as they swore they would shoot the man that
would attempt to set her Oh fire where she then
was. This was an attack in the rear. and
little more than was barganed for, and thinking
they could not stand the fire of desperate
negro in front and Il few determined men in the
rear, the mob concluded that "discretion was
the better part of valor," got yawl, made
line fast to the hatboat, and commenced pulling
her out into the stream at the same time two
men boarded her and set her ON fire, but at
risk, as the negro kept blazing
away at them whenever a chance offered. When
they got her out about q hundred yards the
negro cut the line that was towing him, and
went adrift. The boat was now all ip a blaze
1t one end, when the negro came out on the
other, clapped his hand on his breast, swore he |
was king of the black race, and would die like !
man. The wind, blowing off the shore at the
lime, carried the boat across the river and the |
steamboats, were saved. At this time the negro |
disappeared for while, and all supposed that |
lie had destroyed himself: when presently he
appeared with section of stove, and, making |
me end of line fast to it and the other end to |
lis neck, overheard he went, and never came up
which was the last of the negro, and an end to
he ".Cairo Tragedy"
INTERESTING TO CLERGYMEN AND ODD FELL
.ows.-The Rev. F. G.. Zeinner, pastor of a
church at Pittsburg, was tried at Pitts
lurr a few DAYS aen on a charge of interfering