The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1874-01-10
The Pirates of the Gulf.

tHiS hncW tneW 0' peSSOu1''y auu wen
They are now all dead. Ono Of thes.
men. Michel Mar|ie, when he va. li,t'.
under the influence Of liquor, was particu'
larry fond Of reciting the peri's. thrilling
adventures and desperate encounters Of the
great pirate in the Gulf Of Mexico.
| Michel Marie was small, energetic &C
tive Frenchman. with rather broad fore
head. He always took An active part in
elections, and espoused and advocated the
cause Of his friends with great animation
warmth and energy. He was noted and
we'll known character. who died in St
Louis in the year lS45 or '46
Old Msrlie, as he was fa,hl;ar'v called
used to cay that at the time the Governor
of Louisiana offered. reward of $500 for
the head Of Lsf,,e. the next day after the
proclamation of the Governor had come
out. Lsfitte came out in an advertisement
10 oil tho newspapers printed in New Or
leans, in the French and English languages.
offering q reward Of $l5, 900 for the head
Of the Governor, aud that his exce!lency
became awfully alarmed lest some of La
fittss men should capture him and carry
him of to the headquarters Of the deeper
ate buccaueer. And on this account the
gubernatoriai dignity WAS for while very
cautious about vsnturing out or being seen
upon the streets.
Among other stories which Michel Mar
l:e used 10 relate Of Lafi,,s's fea.s and ex-
ploits in the Gulf is the following: There
was British merchant vessel in the har-
bor Of Vera Cruz, which WAS about to sail
for Liverpool with an immense amount OF
specie and gold and silver and bullion on
board, which had been brought from the
City Of Mexico. LATTE became spprised
Of The fact. and ski'mished to capture the
vessel With this valuable treasure. He
fitted a weasel with fnll crew Of bic most
reliable men. She was we'll armed and
provided with slI tho appliances requisite
for the expedition.
La6,t~, thus prepared, sailed forth into
the gulf. having arrived just outside of
| land, waiting for his prey. It was not long
before the merchant vessel hove in sight.
and which Lafitts soon csp."sstI, w'thont
resistance. with all her valuable and rich
amount of treasure. Among The passen-
gers Of the captured vesseI was lady, to
whom Lafitte would not sutfer or permit
anv ind;gnitv whatever. He intended to
have her taken to Bsrrataria, sud from
thence transferred to New Orleans. 40 that
she could from there reach her friends.
There was also on board the captured yes.
sel = Catholic priest, and the men. turning
to Lsftte, inqpi'ed what should BE- done
with bim. 'Overboard with him." shouted
Lsfts. The man with the black gown
was accordingly. in obedience to the or
ders Of the commander, thrown into the
sea. He made the sign Of the cross, NUT
:ering . short prayer. and sunk beneath
the wages Immediately.
The great piratical commander had
hardly made sure Of his great prize. when
a British man Of war made her appearance
The intrepid commander Immediately or.
dere3 all sail. spread. to make their escape
The man.of-war came pressing down upon
the piratical craft, coming nearer and near
ev. still gaining on her. 1t socn became
evident to all on board that they would
soon be ovevtaken and captured by tht
wav vessel. The hero Of the Gulf Of Mexi
co ordered the vessel to be put in fighting
order. and for every man to light ill h
dies" He told his meo that they all knev
what would be their fate in case they wer'
captured, and there VAS no other a'terna
tive but TO sell their lives ~ dearly a. pos
sible. The desperate commander had Of
bis vessel anma Of the finest guns and mo.
experienced psuners ever found on boar
a sbip-men Of daring aud Of unquss!ione'
bravery.
The British! vesael, when she wss ap
proaching the fleeing vessel. fred shot A
the pirate. LATTE turned his vesse, an
returned the 6rs Of the man war. tn
two vessels verv soon became engaged II
the ,unat desperate conflict. The csp:a;
of the piratical crew Was cool, collected
. and not At al excited-9;ving his order
With deliberstiou. The fire was rapid an
constant.
At last a shot from the pirate vesst
T struck the captain Of the man Of var be'o>
; HE knees and took of both his feet. n
British captain f.Il on the deck Of hn sh;
With both h;s seet gone. He called to hi
men to bring . barrel Of Aodr 90 decl
> which was done. ono head Of The barre
. knocked out. and abont one h.if Of tn
( barrel Of -four emptied out. Then II
brave captsiu ordered his mea to take hil
up and stick his stumps Of legs down mi
), the barrel Of flour to keep him from bieet
: ing to death !; all Of which WA done, an
bic sword given 10 him. And tsen ~
;. there the heroic British commander, will
. out feet, with the stump Of bic legs. .ti
bleeding, pressed down into the barre!