Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-09-09
81 do certainly think you mus. be much

proper, tale that would change your mind |
But what have you done with that villain |
Sumpter Have you got him hidden !
some wherer IL so, you. might as well |
bring BIN out. lie viii fad no person
here that fears him, and you can tell him
80 for me 'Ol1 Charley fears no man,
least of all, him. l will prove that to him
yet"
assured him that Sumpter was COM
paratively stranger to me, adding, by way
Of inform alton, that be bad just taken pas
sage in the boat that arrived few minutes
before. This last remark seemed to arrest
his attention. He rose Immediately, en-
tered his cabin, drew from under his bed
large rife, putting on his powder-horn and
sbosSpouch, then stepping to bis pill w, be
took from Qndet e ilnxe znife. some six-
teeu inches b length. Then turning to-
me. be said:
sNow, youag man, / will accompany you
to the stsamboatif you have no ohjec-
ton"
| assured him / had none. He walked
on board into the cabin. and thence to the
deck his keen black eye narrowly scan
ming every spot as he passed. Disappon>
ted IN his search, he went ashore and sat
down. Shortly after he had taken his
seat l approached him, aud we entered into
{ conversation again.
You seem to feel somewhat concerned
about me-" said he.
IL do, for you appear to be unhappy"
was my reply.
And YOU" said be, "cannot comfort me
either"
remarked that / was very sorry; that
would be glad to do SO if it were in my
| ID L. -
| ed the boat so narrowly.
TO iud Snmpter," he said.
your conduct toward that man," re-
marked, "idicates some mystery pertaining
70 you two persons that / should like to
have solved"
| We'll then, if you must know" said be,
surIly,
Il went to bed on purpose to give Stump
ter a led pill"
felt alarmed when | perceived that he
was determined upon taking hi, life, and
remarked that should be sorry to have
him get into trouble for such q miserable
fellow
He started and exclaimed:
"Do not feel alarmed young man. it
would not trouble me in the least. / have
passed the Rubicon, and am yet unscatb-
Cd"
There was something in his manner that
indicated in the man unusual talent, and
every development of it served only to in
crease my curiosity to hear his history, es-
pecialiy that portion Of it which seemed
SINE way mysteriously connected with
Sumpter. In the course of protracted
conversation that ensuId, | elected the iol-
lowing particulars:
lie bad been a resident of the south
about six years-was a native of Virginia
LOST his wife there, who left him with son,
his only child. The father a man Of
wealth, INDUCED freely in dissipation and
gambling. The son, fortunately copying
his example, they together som squander-
ed large estate. Disc vering their ap-
preaching destiny. and feeling their ueces-
sIsy OF some provision for future wants, they
gathered up their little remnant of proper.
ty, which consisted of fifteen negroes, and
left for the wild lands of Mississippi, here
they, on praemI ton claim, built the bin
which was still tho home of the ole man.
, Soon after their arrival they fOated 50 the
New Orleans marketa large timber-.aft
: ard sOli it atgantageousiy making n large
: profit. They then returned to their new
, home, where they had left ten slaves to the
, care of an Cverseer, and found that during
) their absence, all bad decamped. The old
man and his son Immediately hastened tc
D Yicksburg for assistance, carrying the re-
e manning five servants with them They
e had no sooner arrived Mt that place anC
= made known their misfortune, than Stump
r ter offered tie aid of his services 10 recover
| Jog the Lost property. Some Of his acquaiU
d ces did the same, and in few hours q par
s ty was enlisted and equipped for the pur
e suit. As they were on the point of start
e ing it was discovered that the old man wa
a unable to travel in consequence of sudden
g illness. 1t was thought best to leave hin
a i'll the care of the remaining five servants
b and pursue the !ugitives with the son alon
e to lead them.
d The party started for the upper part o
J, Arkansas, where they were not only sue
b cessful in capturing the renegade overseer
d but also IN getting, on condition of releasin
e him, large compensation for these egroes
D, The party then took the first d0wnwar
N boat for Vickskurg. The boat, like a
lie others at that time in the south, was crow
is ded with disslpated passengers. Tn
1T young man, highly elated at his success
ID joined the common revelry. Cards wer
m proposed by Sumpter. Some of the party
10 with the young man, seated themselves
Of the table, where in a few hours he lost M
r. ten slaves, but the proceeds also of the raj
e, which were several hundred dollars NOR
n. When they arrived at Vicksburg the
ne found the father very low. The young ma
is infatuated as ever with the spirit Of gaml
AZ ling, was led again by his professe
lie friends to the gambling table, were he soc
I'd Lost his remaining five slaves. 1t WI
I'D some months before the father recovere
in During his illness one of the party was a
r. rested in Vicksburg, carried to New Oh
On leans, tried, and hung for murder. VIII
Id under sepiance he stated hat Sumpte
en- himself and others were cognizant of q
ng loss of the slaves; that the money paid
", the young man was counterfeit; that tn,
Tor were determined upon securing il or thro
mt ing him, money an all, overheard
As soon as the improved health Of &
its father at all permitted him to travel,
go with his son returned to the hut they ca
nit ed their home. Two years passed ava
The son became sick and died. The fat
full err ever after lived solitary life in the pl
eG emption cabin. just at the time of my VI
the to him he had come to the determinati
to put and end to his weary life, and b
i'm taken opium-as be supposed suficie
quantity to accomplish his design.
in then placed large amount of the same
an old mattrass, aud set FIRE to it. Closi
sd) the door be laid down, never expecting
IT'S rise, as he probably never would had
40 not accidentally, as above narrated, visit
|, is his cabin. The door had probably be
forced open by the dog, that the master,
his suppose had shut out. After the gamb
ces had revived in the manner ! have desert
ks ed, chance brought Sumpter once more
er- fore him, and the old man, looking aga
he upon the author of his misfortunss, I
hat burning within him such vengeance as
to ruined gambler only knows. This &C
to STRAPPED him to defer the purpose of 81
Oat destruction until he should By his o.
ard hand, iuflict summary punishment on