Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-02-28
A HORRIBLE TALE.


Now Orleans Correspondence of the Boston Traveller
In the month of August, 1861. man by
the name of James arrived in the town of
Orange, from Galveston, and put up at
Kings Hotel. He reported, during the
course of conversation with crowd in the
bar-room of the house, that he had just argi
we'd, q few weeks previous, at Galveston.
from California. 1t is said that in the eve
ming of the day of his arrival he was seen
conversing with one or two negroes by jim
Worshem and his gang, who were lying in
ambush for him.
In his interview with the negroes it is
asserted that he told the negroes his mission
was to liberatc them, and if they would pre-
pare themselves the next night he would
secrete them on board a small schooner
which belonged to him, and which was an
chored on the Sabine river on the louisiana
side One of the negroes to whom he re-
veaed his plans, and who was the property
of Mr. Smith, a New Yorker who had been
in Texas about year and half, went to
Smith, his master, and narrated the full par
ticuars of the conversation that had taken
place between Mr.. James and himself telling
his master that James wanted to meet him
Uhc slave) that night at 12 o'clock, and that
he had promised to do so. Smith, upon
foundation of the negro's story, and accord
ingly he dressed himself in the slaves suit of
clothes, and backing himself, sailed out at
| the appointed hour to meet Mr.. James. So
complete was the disguise, that with the
knowledge of the whole conversation as de-
tailed by the ignorant or treacherous negro
Smith succeeded in drawing from his unsus-
pecting copFddate the whole of his plans
Making an agreement to meet him again,
the supposed negro vanished. The next
morning Smith reported TO Charley Saxon,
jim Davis and Jim Worshem what he had
heard, and il was at Gncc decided to murder
| Mr., James, who was expected To leave
Orange that day. About nine o'clock Mr.
James chartered small boat, and hired a
Mr.. Marshall 10 row him across the Sabine
river.
Both James and Marshall were in the boat,
aud Marshall was standing up pushing oil
the boat from shore, when Jim Davis, u
notorious horso-thief, and his companions,
came rushing down to the bank. The boat
was not more than dozen yards from the
bank, when Jim Davis, with terrible oath,
with an oath, You are the - Yankee
scoundrel that tried, last night, 10 entiee
our niggers away, aud am going to shoot
you ON the spot, you miserable theft" Mr..
Marshall stood In front OF Mr.. James, expos
tulating with Davis, telling him he was mis-
taken in the man, aud begging him 10 spare
Mr.. James life. This Intervention reused
all the bcaslly fury Of Davis, who swore he
would Kill both of them, and sultlng the
action 20 the word he fired upon slv, Mar.
shall, who fell into the bottom OF the boat,
shouting, "ureat God, what have you done r.
The ball entered the right breast, and passed
nearly through the body.
They then put out In small boat and
brought bath James and Marshall on shore,
aud securing James they laid MARSHALL ua'
deg an old shinglc she'd, where the hideous
monster, Charles saston, took cut his Jack
knife and hegan 10 pfol,o tho wound fer ths
ballet, eugsing Aagthall fOf gtoaplng ., tbs