Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-03-22
A ROBBERS MAGNANIMITF.

apply to John A. MErrell, as Eh
great Western land pirate. At th
time he figured conspicuously alon
the Ohio and Mississippi river
steamboating was comparatively il
its infancy, and SO sparsely was th
country settled that the red man stil
retained his foothold, although hi
absolute sway was over. 70 tn
traveller Murrell was a terror, but I
the squatters for many miles aroun
his cave he was rather friend thai
otherwise, for he had never bee
known to harm any of them, and b.
had often lent them his aid in tim
of trouble. Especially had he be
friended them from outrages by th
sayages, and he was not slow {,
avenge any wrong inflicted upon then
oy red man. Murrell had been idl
for some time. 1t seemed as if b.
had a presentiment. of evil hangin:
over him, and he had grown listless
and even melancholy. His men ven
tured to whisper among themselves
that their captain was becoming in
dolent, and some of them declared
that he had received q vast quantity
of gold which he had concealed, ant
that at the first opportunity he in
tended to ship to some distant point
and leave them and his former occu.
patton forever.
All summer the captain had talked
of incursions, but they had been de
layed from time to time, and moth,
ing had been accomplished. The
stock of provisions had become sc
far exhausted that the robbers were
now compelled to subsist principally
on game. They became discontented
and some of them openly grum bled;
but a single frown of the chief was
sufficient to impose silence.
All day the men had been lolling
leisurely about, and as night came on
they hugged the fire closely, and
anon they cast anxious glances over
the river, as if expecting some i'm
portant event. Even the captain
appeared uneasy, and he strode up
aad down, sometimes pausing, and
then continuing his walk at u more
rapid rate.
Suddenly man ON a horse ap-
peared in sight, and the same time
the shrill blast of a trumpet was
heard. Instantly the men were upon
their feet, and when the rider came
up he was surrounded in an instant,
and a dozen questions propounded
in the same breath. To one and all
he made the answer:
1.-THE steamer will not come fJFth-
er down than Louisville, but she is a
r;o, ,1ri1a if xro ,ap Oy,1xr no ,1f,,rr -.
Her cargo is an assorted one, and it
will not beremoved until snow falls, so
that it can be taken across to Nash
vile in sleds, unless warm spell
should come on; then she will come
down the river and up the Cumber-
land.
"There won't be any warm spell
this season." suggested one of the
robbers. "In a week the Ohio will
be frozen up tighter than drum
head, and the Cumberland is closed
now. We must seize her were she
lies"
"Aye, ayer' was the response
from fifty throats. Without needing
these words, Murrill asked:
How is the water on the falls at
Louisville ?''
Hardly enough to get her over,
but there has been rain above-the
river is rising-and there will be
plenty by the time we get there.n
''Are they on the lookout for me?n
asked Murrell.
"Yes and what is still worse, I
was recognized"
1.-The devil r'
eyes, went on board the boat,
and in looking around / saw q pair
of sharp eyes fixed upon me, and /
knew had seen that face before. /
walked carelessly out on the levee,
when / heard this chap say that 1
was one of Murrell's men, and then
the captain cautioned him to keep
quiet until he could secure my arrest.
But in few moments after / was
astride my nag, and then L knew
was safe. But knew they were on
the lookout for you; for, before was
recognized, L heard one of the boat
hands say that pc hoped Murrell
would come up, ibr he wanted the
pleasure of hanging him.
A fierce frown passed over the face
of the chief, and turning sharply
around be exclaimed
"Men, get ready to move, for we
will be off in an hour. Well have
that boat or perish in the attempt to
capture her.
A wild cheer burst from the throats
of the robbers, and then they set
about making preparations for the
and before midnight fifty
armed and resolute men were on their
way toward Louisville, bent upon
plunder and bloodshed.
During the day Murrell himself, in
disguise, visited the city and the boat
be had resolved to capture. On his
return his eyes flashed fire, and he
exclaimed:
"Men, some of our bodies will be
floating in the Ohio before tomorrow
morning if we attempt this job. To |
succeed we may be compelled to |
fight a terrible battle. What say !
you? Shall we go forward ?"
"What is the especial danger ?'
inquired one.
"Just this. After it was discover
ed that one of my spies had been on i
board the boat, extra precautions /
have been taken to guard against an /
attack by US. Regular picket lines
have been thrown out, both up and
lown the river on this side, and |
built and guards station
ID upon the other side; and all the
hands on the boat are heavily arm
I'd, and a military company Is held
n readiness to turn out at a mo-
nent's warning don't know that |
I'm right but think some of their
scouts have already reported that the
We were on our way up the river.
What say you? Shall we attempt /
.he job with such chances against us?D
The chief was surrounded by a set
IF men who were physically brave,
many of whom absolutely preferred
'uch adventure as was pregnat with
ianger. 30 with one vioce they ex-
claimed
"We'll have that steamer or die ?"
Enough" replied Murrell "you
have decided in accordance with my
1wn feelings. We will have that
boat or perish in the attempt to cap
Sure her. But there is one thing
greatly in our favor,
"What is thatpn
"There is to be q grand ball In
The cabin of the steamer tonight, 50
The military viii not be as vigilant
Is usual, ON account of the large
,rowd which will be present; and our
approach will not be so marked, as
arge numbers viii probably be going
back aud forth from the city to the {
evee. And now for my instruc-
.ions.n