Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-02-02
Boatmen,s Justice.


week or so ago the good steamer Helen Mar
bound to Rattlesnake Landing, 20 miles below this
city, was the ssene of one of those little romances
which viii sometimes occur IN spite of lfe's dull
realities. We state tho facts as related to US by
a passenger.
The HELEN Mar was bound down the Ohio river
for this city. At Paducha young man from Ten.
nessee came aboard and took passage in the cabin.
He was from the country, and being away from
home, with a pocket full of rocks he was not
long in making the acquaintance of all on board,
from the fireman to the captain. Among the pas
sengers was young girl of IL, to whom the Ten
nssseean paid marked attentions, and II was evil
dent that she was not Indifferent to his blandish-
meuts.
The ice was running thick in the river, as the
Helen Mar turned her bow up the Mississippi,
and her progress was slow. The young Tennessee
an would frequently join the circle gathered around
the stove, but presently paid all his attentions to
the young lady. Presently, she seldom appeared
in the ladies' cabin, and her step recently as light
rs an antelope's was heavy and slows her cheek
was pale, and her eyes dim and swollen. Tears
were seen to steal from under her fringed eyelids
and was whispered that sobs--deep, heart-broken
sobs of anguish and despar-were heard from
her state-room in the silence of night when others
slept
The boatman began to suspect that something
was wrong they canvassed the matter among
themselves Jand resolved upon an investigation.
The Trailer vessel being leaky, they determined to
overhaul her and discover the cause. With that
delicacy characteristic of western boatmen, they
said nothing TO the girl herself but called upon
some OF the lady passengers to interrogate her.
The girl was young and artless. With tears and
sobs she confessed she had yielded to the young
mans opportunities, and had fallen from virtue.
She blamed him not however, but took all the
blame upon herself
1t was about ten o'clock at night when this fact
was communicated the crew and passengers COM
posing the /" Court of Inquiry They we're not
long in making up their verdict Their decision
was, that the two crafts should be lashed together
The Tenncssean was arragned before the i'm
perative tribunal, and made acquainted with the
sentence. He had to take the girl or be left high
and dry on sand-bar, where he would freeze to
death in less than an hour. He caved in at
once-said he was willing to do what was right
and would make the wronged lady mistress OF his
plantation in Tennessee. The girls consent was
also obtained, and the next step was to find
blacksmith" to do the welding. There was no
one on board authorized to golicatc on such inter-
csting occasions, and about midnight the boat was
landed at Chester, on the Illinois shore, and mes
senger dispatched to procure parson or a justice
of the peace. A justice was found, jerked out OF
bed, and marched down to the boat, rather against
his will, and the marriage ceremony IN the Sucker
State being exceedingly brief, the deed was done
in less than two minutes. 9E t
Having pioted the two crafts safely into port,
and tied them up suugly together, the joval boat
men resolved to :" have night of it," After drink
ing the health of the bewildered Justice, they sent
him ashore, and reorganzed the Court as a Board
Of, Commissioners to assess damages. The pro-
ceedings on this occasion were of the most mrth-
provoking character Our informant says they
were indescribably amusing. Many proposals were
made to infct some ludicr0us sort OF penalty upon
the bridegroom, and the speeches delivered we're
highly honorable to the bar of the steamboat 1t
was finally agreed that the young man should pay
4 fine a census taker was appointed to count
noses, and clerk to figure up the costs The
sentence was that the happy fellow should pay four
dollars aud a halt in legal Illinois currency-coon
skins excluded--to be expended in spiritual com
forts for the benefit of the honorable court. The
finding of the court was announced with prelm.
mary " 0 yesn through the keyhole of his state
room door, and he was ordered, under threats Of
divers pains and penalties, to " shell out"
The last we heard of the newly married couple
they were suugly domiciled in elegant apartments
at Barnum's st. Louis Hotel-having made the trip
by land from the point where the Helen Mar was
frozen in.