Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-02-15
MATILDA HERON'S PLUCK
A Remininseuce Of the Ohio. River, in
Which the Noted Actress Played Prom.
inent Part,

Bowling Green tky.) Demoera'l
We have gathered from Mr.. Thomas W.
BAIRD, Of Bowling Green, the facts Of quite
thrilling story, and shall relate them in
their order. These facts lave never before
appeared in print, aud are all the more in
terestlng now on that account.
Ihe story runs that, In the summer of
1856, the steamer Ohio Belle was making
her usual trip from Louisville to New
Orleans. When the steamer arrived at
Paducah, there came on board man who
was evidently recovering from a drinking
spree. His clothes were of good materiai
and ht him well, though somewhat i'm
paired by use. His face was soiled, and
bis beard had grown to an uncomeiy
length. His eyes were blood-shst and
glared unnaturally. His liHen needed a
change.
Soon after the steamer left Paducah,
this man went into the barber shop and
had bis hair shampooed and hls face
shaved, in payment fer which lie rendered
the barber $50 bill. The barber, being
unable to make the change, carried it for
that purpose to the first clerk o. the boat.
who, upon examination, pronounced the
Dill counterfeit. The barber returned
the bill to his customer, saying: "The
clerk tells me that this is counterfeit +"
The man received the money with a stern
arr, and then handed the barber another
bill, which, feeling a little suspicious, he
also carried to the first clerk, who pro-
nounced II, likewise, a counterfeit. The
barber returned to his shop with the second
bill, as he had done before, aue, handing
II back 10 the man, said: "The clerk
says that this, TOO, is counterfeit" In
the meantime the clerk had left his office
and gone to the hurricane roof, passing as
he did so, In front of the barber shop.
When the barber returned the second bill,
proHouncing 1t a counterfeit, the strange
man hew, as 1t were, INTO a rage, and
rushed out Of the shop In wild, desperate
manner He ran along the guards aHd up
the steps of the hurricane roof, where the
clerk OF the steamer had gone to Join
party of ladies and gentlemen W 90 were
amusing themselves with observations Of
the river scenery, and with whom he was
engaged In conversation. The man, having
reached the deok, drew a revolver, rushed
/ upon the clerk and shot him dead in his
tracks. Then without utterlng a word he
instantly fed, running back over the hur-
rieane deck and down the after-guard,
several gentlemen being In pursuit OF him.
Miss Matilda Heron, then well known
aud, since, famous us an actress, was Il
passenger, being in the ladies' cabin at
the time, and when Informed of the pur.
suit aud hearing the cry of "stop him !
stop him J" she ran out on the aiter guard
aud saw the murderer coming down from
the hurricane deck, She cried out to him
stop =" but be went on. She then rushed
upon and seizing him threw him down
on the deck, and, placing herself across
his body, there held him fast until the pas.
sengers ran forward, and secured him
The courage thus displayed by Miss Heron
was truly renal kable, and won the ap
plause Of all who witnessed il.
The murderer was firmly secured, being
tied hand and foot fast to a chair which, for
the purpose of additional security, was
tied tight 10 a staunchon. The dead
body OF the clerk was sent home from
Cairo, when the steamer arrived there,
but mystery hung over the disposition
which was made of the murderer prisoner.
He disappeared between Cairo, Illinois,
and Hickman, Kentucky, Was this man
given watery grave or not