Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1854-04-07
Desperate Rencounire on the Steamer
&, F, !, Traube,

We have often heard Of meeting murder.
er on the High Seas, but sed Jm have 10 re-
cord such scenes of VIC eace as occurred on
the steamer s. FL. Traube on the Mississp-
pi river, during her recent trip from New Or.
leans. As is usual nt this season of the year,
the boat was crowded with deck passengers,
chiefly INSTRUMENTATION Plttsburg. Among
the latt5r was set of turbulent, quarresome
men, who were about half drunk when they
got on the beat at New Orleans, and had
tight or two among themselves before the
boat left port. Capt Tucker was notified by
friend, who recognized one or two of the
men, that he would have trouble with them
and they would try to take the boat.
Soon after the boat was under way and
before she had proceeded many miles up the
river, one Of the Pittsburg coal boatmen az.
tacted Wabash man who was quiet and
peacablc and had said nothing to him, and
Knocked him down and beat him severely.
Two OF his friends interfercd to save him from
further i'll usage, when they were beset and
beat nearly to DEATH and one of them had
bis arm broken by blow of an axe in the hands
of one of the riotors.-'fhe deck bar was op-
en- and another passenger, a small man, step
ped up after the first fray and called for a
drink. While he was in the act of drinking,
hurley fellow, bully among the coal boat
men, stepped up and seized him by the neck
choaked him, and threw him TO the deck as
if he were a chicken, and then stsmped him.
He was suffered to get up and as soon as be
regaIned his feet he drew a knife and inflicted
terrible wound in the big mans right breast,
which placed him on his back during the res.
of the trip, and on the arrival of the boat here
be was sent TO the hospital
Not long after this occurance the coal boat
men became perfectly wild with liquor, or
their anxiety for 6ght, and were heard to
swear that they would take the boat and do
as they pleased, The deck was crowded
with passengers, and the quiet and orderly
had no peace or rest, and were beset every
moment Captain Tucker then determined
TO quell the riot, and summonine his crew,
awong whom were twenty-one Spaniards, and
arming them with short clubs, hatchets, and
whatever weapons he could, he marched to
the lower deck and endeayored to restore or.
der and put the rioters on shore. The riot
ers laughed at him, and one big fellow shook
his fist under his nose and defied the whole
with clubs and long knifes. were ordered
to advance and seize the ringleader. Then
eusued a scene of strife and confusion seldom
seen on the deck of boat.
The spanish crew, however, were victori-
Gus, and managed to secure four of the ring.
leaders who were tied neck and heel and
peace was at once restored The chief of the
mob was not caught, and for several days
could not be found, and it was thought that
he, together with four or FIVE others. had
jumped over board and either drowned or
swan asore-Several OF the cabin passen-
gers aver that they distinctly saw three or
four men in the river, and as the affair occur
red soon after the boat left New Orleans it
was impossible to tell who was lost.
During the melee, coal boatman OF The
name Of Blakely was much hurt, and danger
ously stabbed in the rear. He was taken care
of by the offers of the boat and sent to the
Hospital. The male OF the Trabue, received
cut in the hand from knife which be caught
Just as one of the mutneers made lunge al
him.
The four that were arrested were pu: of
of the boat soon after the affray was quelled
and when the boat was in the neighborhood
of Millikins Bend, the big fellow that had
been missing, was found, and was forthwith
set ashore He had been secreted under the
cylinder timbers. No further outbreak occur
red during the trip, though many threat,
were made just before the boat reached port
The discipline of the Spaniards. and the de
termination of the officers of the boat put al
etfectual stop to the awlessness of the Goa
boatmeu.