The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-10-21
AN ENERGETIC, QUIET, SUMMARY OPERATE
The Memphis Avalanche Of the 18th has the
following:

The Memphis Avalanche of the 18th has the
following:
About o'clock Thursday afternoon, the tug
Eettie Jones' Capt John Ford, left the wharf for
Fort Pickering. having barge in tow, and intend
ing TO return with lumber. The tug reached us
destination and landed at about half past
; O'Clock. No one was In sight; but the line
Lad scarcely been " made fast" before the spot
was covered with men, all so securely masked
rs 10 be unacceptable. They were probably
hundred in number, and had evidently been con-
cealed for some time under the blum. Had they
sprung out Of the earth their appearance before
the startled crew could hardly have been more
tudden. Without speaking word, they quickly
boarded the tug, took possession OF the P,lot,
house and eDgineroom, and ordered Capt. Ford
to Immediately start down the river, adding. by
way of an incentive to promptness that some
body might be hurt in the event of q refusal.
As soon as Capt. Ford could sufficiently re cover
from his fright to decide whether his unodden
guests were hundred or a thousand in number,
and whether the height of ordinary men or tall as
h hs s. taa es rrs
dents Island chute. Upon taking Possession. ths
new commanders kept vigfIant eye on the crew,
not allowing any one of them to leave his post for
even moment, The engineer was not permitted
10 oil his machinery. the mysterious passengers
evidently fearing he might suddenly put 1t out of
repair
The head of the tug was held steadily down the
river until approaching Cat Island, twenty-five
between q and O'Clock, and Captain Ford was
ordered TO run his tug alongside the little steamer
Hesper, which left the city during the afternoon
with the Radical arms for Arkansas, and was tied
up, wooding. During the trip, the leaders of this
mysterious party informed Ford that they intend.
ed overhauling the Hesper and destroying the
arms but that strict orders had been Issued to the
men to harm no one, and respect all other prop
srty.
In obedience to orders, Capt. Ford ran the tug
alongside. This was no sooner accomplished than
leaving two of the number in the pilot house, two
IN the eDgine-room, and one in the cabin, as a
guard.the latter over one Of the crew who had
tnsulted the leader-the yelled party suddenly
spraDg aboard the Hesper. Little or nothing was
faid, and the boarders, who evidently had an eye
20 business, placed the crew under surveillance
and commenced the work In hand. The gun.
boxes were broken open With axes and hatchets,
the guns taken out and thrown into the river
Many were broken before being consigned to the
element.
A large quantity of ammunition in the hold,
marked "sundries," was also thrown overheard.
The boxes were showed overheard after them,
and many of them were seen by the passengers
ON the Mayfower. floating with the current. In
lalf an hour the task was accomplished. and the
party quietly returned TO the tug, leaving the
Hesper afoat adrift and in possession Of all
her crew who remained. Captain Houston and his
brother having made rapid strides for the woods
as soon as the Nettie was seen bearing down
upon their craft.
The mysterious raiders once more aboard, Capt.
Ford was required to turn the boat north ward
and proceed until further orders. At midnight
she reached point in Presidents Island chute,
eight miles below the city. Here, by order of the
yelled commander, she was run aground. No
hooner had this been done than some one u ill
that moment invisible, on the island, was hailed. |
A minute afterward skif put out from the shore,
and was rowed alongside. Whether the person in |
II was black or white could not be ascertainsd as
he, too. was masked. Six of the raiders got into
he skif and were taken ashore, and the skif con-
tinued making trips until A. NJ, when the last |
elk were safely carried over. But before any one
left, strict orders were given Capt. Ford to re-
main In the chute until daylight. He did 90, the |
tug not changing position until o'clock yesterday
morning. She returned to the city, bringing the |
fret and only intelligence of what had occurred.
| Cap. Ford informs us that con after the Hesper
fas boarded several shots were fred but whether
by the crew or the raiders he did not ascertain.
Some one ordered the firing to cease, and nothing
more was heard. No one aboard the Hesper was
injured or in any way mistreated. Several bot
ties and fasks of the " fluid " were seen crcu-
lating among the raiders. but no one was under
its influence. They could not have been more
quiet and orderly IL en- route to a funeral. Where
they went after being rowed over to Presidents
Island We have not been able to discover. Doubt
less they dug hole in the ground, era led in,
drew the hole after them, and slid down to China,
to assist old Foo Chung in the tea business.
While the demolition was progressing small
squads of horsemen appeared on either shore,
and horses hoofs could be heard at intervals
throughout the night from the point where the
tug lay aground.
The Hesper, after picking up her fugitive cap
Tain and his brother. turned up stream, and ar
lived at the city wharf yesterday afternoon. The
Facts Of the boarding being known. her appear
Ance attracted considerable attention, and the
officers and crew were greeted with numerous
questions. mainly OF humorous character. Some
OF the questoners wanted to know what had be.
come Of them arms; !" and the captain was
afforded several opportunities to give list OF the
m nf fba nam 90 - |
rapidly discharged his cargo.
Captain Houston and crew answered some of
The questions good naturally, and were evident
y IN fine humor. Their faces wore a self.satis-
led air, unlike that Of men supposed to be the
victims Of an outrage. The boat was placed in
charge Of the metropolitan police, who allowed
no one to go aboard. and Captain Houston rushed
Utter some some Of the Radical leaders to assist in
working up" the affair to the largest possible
dimensions ss political capital against the Ku
Alux.