American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1867-11-23
MYSTERIOUS PERSONS IN HIS
TORY.

The records of the past furnish III
with half a dozen historical charac
ters that seem to have had "A niyste
rious existence after the public have
been informed of their tragica
deaths. To such an extent has thu
belief of a post-existence been car
ried that one could say, with great
propriety, in the language of Sir vii
liam Jones:
The block may soak their gore
Their heads may sodden in the sun their limbs
Be strung to city gates and cast walls;
But still then spirit walks abroad
And these spirits seem to be en-,
cased in tangible, earthly bodies, il
we may credit the tales of travellers.
This young Republic has not been
slow in making startling history,
and one that has all the romantic
pages of century old Europe. For
have we not ~
JOHN c. COLT,
brother of Samuel Colt, inventor of
the Colt revolver. He murdered in
1912 man named Adams, to whom
he owed an amount Of money. and
who had dogged Colt considerably.
Adams called at the, office of Colt, on
the corner of Broadway aud Cham
bers street, when a scuffle ensued,
and Colt seizing a hatchet lyingnear,
dispatched his creditor. He then
went out, closed the door, and while
walking in the park, resolved to re-
turn. cat the body up and send it to
New Orleans; but in the meantime
Adams was missed, and having been
last seen going into Colts office, that
gentleman was suspected, and it was
ascertained from acarman that d box
had left the office. THIS box was
found at the bottom of the vessel.
Colt was tried and convicted, but his
counsel, who confessed to it on his
dying bed, introduced q knife into
the prison with which Colt committed
suicide on. the morning of his convic.
ton. Several mysterious circum-
stances were attached to this murder
and suicide, for the evening before
the execution man in disguise call.
ed upon the Sheriff and offered him
81 900 to afford facilities for the
escape of the criminal, which pr0po.
sition was not entertained; and an
hour or two before Colt was to have
been hanged the bell-tower Of the
TOmbs took fire and a great deal of
confusion ensued. Although an "a,
quest was held on the body, it was
almost universally believed that Cut
had escaped. Even now, reports
come from various parts of the world
that he has been seen alive, and
about fifteen years ago many senSa-
tiOnal articles appeared purporting
that he had escaped and was still
living.
'sTHE MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY.
Whether or not the person who
bears this pseudonyme was the sub
ject of cleverly concocted fable or
not, it is at least a singular case.
The person who is said to have borne
this title was Philip Nolan, notice
of whose death appeared last year in
a New York journal. 1t ran thus:
& Died, on board United States cor
vette Levant, on the 11th of May,
Philip Nolan" The story is as fol-
lows: When Aaron Burr made his
first dashing expedition down to
New Orleans, in 1875, he met a lieu,
tenant named Philip Nolan, belong
ing to the Legion of the West The !
Young officer became fascinated with |
the brilliant statesman, who enlisted |
him in his reasonable schemes Tie
authorities suspected Nolan as being
an accOmplice of Burr's, and on the |
court martial the impetuous youth |
cried out, in fit of frenzy, "D-n
the United States! | wish / may
never hear Of the United States
again These words shocked the
Revolutionary officers that form
ID the court martial, and Nolan was
to be sent on board yes
vel, where he was never again to hear
he words United States, and the in
received were as follows
WAsHINGToY. (wirh the date which
must have been late ia 1901
"SIR: You will receive from Lieu.
enant Neale the person of Philip
Nolan, late lieutenant in the United |,
states army.
"This person on his trial by court
martial expressed with an oath the
Wish that he might never hear of
he United States again.
"The court sentenced him to have
lis wish fulfilled.
"For the present the execution OF
he order is intrusted by the Presi-
lent to this department
A." You will take the prisoner on
,oard your ship, and keep him there
With such precaution as shall pre-
-ent his escape. ..s.
"You will provide him with such
quarters, rations and clothing as
would be proper for an officer of his ,
ate rank, if he were passenger Oh ,
our vessel on the business of his
,ovefhment. {
"The gentlemen on board will /
make any arrangement agreeable to I
regarding his society. ,
lie is to be exposed to no indignity ,
# any kind. nor is he ever unneceS- A..
arily to be reminded that he is a I
prisoner. {
UR Rut. undcr no circumstances is I