Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1860-07-12
The Hell, Fire Club.


who failed years since, owing the govern
ment over Three Millions of dollars duties
on teas, and concludes the sketch with an
account of the "Hell Fire Club" as fol-
lows:
Thomas H. Smith, besides being the
greatest tea merchant of his day, was also
the greatest .Spreeite of his day. He was
the President of Club called "The He'll
Fire Club" II held its meetings in Frank
lin Square and the Corner of Dover street.
BOYS have a mode of amusement called
"Follow your leader" This was adopted
by the Club of which Smith was President.
Many men who are now aged and respect
ed men, or dead, belonged to the "Hell
Fire Club" Joseph Foulke trader at
Curacao, Dutch Island in the West In
dies, and the Stages. There was old Pc
ter Stagg, Cashier of the City Bank, and
John and Benjamin Stagg. There was old
Matthias Bruen, and many more whose
names were on the Club list. They gave
grand suppers, and their orgies were some
times of horrible character. They would
invite guests to these suppers, explain the
rules, and if be refused to join or would
not carry out the idea, the fine was one
dozen Of champagne. These fines were oc-
casioned by refusal not to follow the lead
er.
On one occasion great cotton merchant
from New Orleans was guest. He agreed
to all the conditions. 1t was late in the
dead of winter. The ice in the East river
was floating up and down with every flood
or ebb of the tide. "Follow the leader" /"
shouted Smith, and out of the warm lux
urious Club-rooms poured the maddened,
drunken crowd of some of the best men in
the city. Out of the Square around the
corner into Dover street. "Follow leader"
ard on rushed Smith President of the
"Hell Fire Club" with thirty men behind
him, down Dover, past Water, past Front,
into South, and thence on to the Pier
One of Smiths own ships lay at the dock.
A lighter lay inside of the main wharf,
The ice was loose and clashed up around
the vessels. "Follow leader" exclaimed
Smith, as he plunged from dock into the
water. Some drew back, but others fol-
lowed the leader, who succeeded in getting
out Of the ice water on to the lighter, and
from thence to the dock land shouting "Fol-
low leader" he led off with frozen clothes,
up Dover and into the room of the "Hell
Fire Club" Plunge, plunge, plunge, one
after another, and so on until all had sue
cessfully accomplished the terrible and dan
gerous feat. The Southern cotton mer-
chant was last. Some of the regular He'll
Fires remained until they saw him reach
the dock again safely, and then they left
him shivering. He did not remain long.
As he walked up from the dock, he noticed
a large store open in South street. He en-
tered. 1t was wholesale and retail ship
store. 81 have met with an accident-give
me glass of warm cognac, hot, with su-
gar and water" 1t was done, and be drank
it. "Do you keep gunpowder?" he asked.
Receiving an affirmative reply, be bought
and paid for half keg, and then took his
way to the Club room. At the door were
standing Mic Lowe and Mr.. Town, two
members of the Club. The latter exclaim-
ed, "Brave Southern Stranger-You have
passed the ordeal safely. You are now
leader, and we are now deputed to place
the Club under your command, if you
choose to exert your sacred privilege"
"Thanks, my friends, shall do so, but
I will not ask you TO 60 out of the room
this cold night. Let us drink" and as he
entered the room, he sought closet where
hung his cloak. There he placed the keg,
and then returned and took a seat at the
long solid mahogany table. President
Smith called the Club to order. The stew
ards for the night opened dozen of cham
pagne amid shouts, calls aud songs of the
most obscene character "Order, come to
order!" exclaimed President Smith. When
order was partially restored, he said: "Hell
Fire Brothers, our guest has passed the icy
ordeal. He has now the right of becoming
leader for the balance of the night, or until
a failure in our sacred rites. What says
he?"
The cotton merchant took from his bo-
som bundle of tow, and laid it on the Ia
Bile. All eyes were fixed upon him. I ac-
cept the command, 1 will lead now. Wait
until 1 give the word, and then do as you
see me do" By this time he had spin the
tow into string that would reach from the
table to the CRATE. He placed tumbler
on one end of the tow, to hold it on the
table, and then passed the other to the pan
under the CRATE, and made that fast with a
piece of coal from the coal scuttle. Not a
word was spoke. All felt that something
unusual was to occur. Cotton merchant
now deliberately went to the closet and re-
turning with the keg, took his seat. Then
he went to work and removed the hoops,
until be could take out the head of the lit
tie keg. Not soul moved. Then he
took very little Of what appeared to be
black sand in his hand, walked to the fire.
and flung it in. The considerable explo,
sion that followed startled all. "Powder.
by Godr' exclaimed Smith. Cotton mer-
chant took the end of the tow line from
the glass, and pushed it down deep into
the powder in the keg and then reseated
himself. snow, Mr.. President and mem
bers of the He'll Fire Club, I wish you to
hear what 1 have to say.
"You have tried my pluck, I come from
hot climate, and you have made me 60
through an icy ordeal. 1t is my time now,
bat l will not be so cruel. 1 will give you
fiery ordeal to go through. If you stand
it, you will never need more wine; and il
you do not, the fines will amount to q
small fortune, and you will have wine