New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-06-21
JEFF Thompson Interviewed.

| the net of one of the tribe of interviewer
who infest the national capital. The Pitts
| burg Leader contains the result OF til,
meeting, and, as it is told in rather a spicy
| manner, we make room for it:
In the lobbies of the Capitol there wa.
| noticeable to-day a tall, gaunt figure
clothed IN black, surmounted by a black
| som brero, hat of such gigantic dimen
sions as to make it impossible for more
than two such hats to march abreast down
the House lobby. The hat first attracted
my attention and then the man under it.
Turning to doOrkeeper l asked him who
was the distinguished stranger
General JEFF Thompson, late OF the
Confederate service. noted guerilla, etc."
"Please stop. did not ask tor bioyra-
ply. l just wanted to know who it was"
So this was the once terrible guerilla
chief who was so merciless in his prosec u
ton of the claims OF the lost cause Surely
to the casual observer, he looks like mild,
inotfensive individual. But you can not
tell much about men in casual observation;
it is in conversation with men that you are
enabled, by the study of their features in
action, to obtain a more correct idea I
confess to have sneaking admiration for
men who have been or are notorious. This
sentiment is shared in by the public in gen
eral. Following out my instincts in de.
lighting to talk with men who are more
wicked or great than their average fellow.
creature, l followed General Jetf-as he is
called-out into the rotunda, and there
had talk with him. A New Orleans pro-
fessor, an acquaintance of mine here,
working in the interests OF the ship
canal at the mouth of the Mississippi. per-
formed the ceremony of introduction for
mo nd Oh H.,
hands and looking up INTO the face of the
great guerilla chiettain. He would make a
charming study tor sketch. He is tall
in the neighbOrhood Of six feet-and was
dressed in that inevitable black suit that
heightened Southern gentleman OF the old
school invariably wears. His linen was
neat, and terminated at the top in huge
rolling collar; collar that would give a
modern tailor spasm to contemplate
From under this collar struggled huge
black silk tie. The face of General jeff
would strike an ordinary observer at once
1t was such a look of fierce cunning. He is
lantern jawed and aGuline featured. His
face is devoid of anything in the shape of
beard, except faint suspicion of red
dish stubble upon the upper lip. His eyes
were brown and twinkling, with a reg
uar nest of crows feet at each corner
They twinkled in talking upon ordinary
topics but took a sort of wild glare when
he became excited, and convinced YOU
that General Jetf was man OF extreme
ly nervous temperament, and would be
hardly responsible for his acts in times
OF great excitement or anger. His nose
was straight and long, and hooked over his
mouth as if seeking TO stray outside of the
limits assigned to it by nature. in search of
stray information. His mouth is thin--a
cruel mouth or kind one. according to the
mood OF the owner. He iespises dentists,
and so he has never replaced his front
upper teeth, which are all gone. Their loss
gives his mouth very peculiar expression.
In conversation he is as voluble as an auc-
ti0neer and as prOfane as whole regiment
of Dragons. In his manner he had the
simple. child-like style of a man who lives
far away from the world and its conven-
tionalifies. Half the time he was talking
to me did not hear word he said, | was
so delighted with his personal appearance.
1t is so rare that you find man who
looks all he should to satisfy the demands Of
his reputation. That cunning, bold head,
set upon that long neck, made you place
him In the saddle at once upon a long,
lanky thoroughbred. Stealing in and out
of the shadows, this watchful never tire,
citizen in search OF the enemy
is his lawful occupation. He seems out of
place in the peaceful avOcations OF life. In
conversation he pushed up his black SOM
brero, and at times he became SO earnest
and his voice grew so sonorous that l
started, fully expecting he was about to
charge on my OutpOsts and shoot me down
without giving me the honor of drumhead
courtmartial. He was continually sur
by Southern gentlemen, and it was
conversation with him.
IA In, Of +ha sc ~,
Il suppose you have no Objec-
ton, General, to talking about the general
situation in your section Of the country"
BLESS your heart. no. Matters are bad
enough down in my State (Louisiana). We
have been drowned out, and are id hard
up. However, am not on here asking for
aims. No, by Cd, nothing of the sort. I |
am after some money for our Mississippi |
evees. You know l am engineer for the |
State, and of course have to come forward |
% push matters
what do you think Of the political situa-
ion p
1T is id bad and no mistake. Things |
ire awfuliy mixed down there"
What are the prospects of getting them
traight :"
Not much show. we must be patient and |
Wait. Things won't get fixed up short of
wO or three generations, that is certain. 1t |
5 too much to expect more than that"
what do you think of the merits of |
he Pinchback- Sheridan contested election
ase!"
General JEFF become contemplative here.
HUM said he, "they are both friends of
nine; Pinch is good fellow, so is Sherry
am Republican, but l wouldn't like to
ee Sherry seated, because itSwould turn
ut all the present State government, and
hey are friends OF mine. Sherry is good
elbow, and l guess he ought to have it, but
would unsettle the State government to
90 great an extent"
l may add here that the General engineer
,r the State under the present government,
nd that may account for his anxiety to not
Il am surprised, General" said /, that
GU are Republican. What do your Con-
.derate friends say to that" |
"Oh, d-n these twenty Niger men, /
~. None but they object. and ---
lem, l ranked them before the war, sir,
uring the war, sir. and rank 'em now, sir, |
Y Cdr
What do you mean by twenty Niger
Ien!'
During the war the Confederate govern
ent exempted all men from the service
no owned twenty niggers, and it Is these
.ay-at-homes who are the ranting heroes
Dw; the most troublesome men to satisfy.
he war is over, sir, and am not going to
yht now; am whipped. That is why l
Il Republican, because believe it is tor
le best interests Of the South to become
conciled and get settled.
II never did believe in secession re-
lmed the General. II did not believe in I
e Kansas tnuss. l was Wing before the
ar, and never did believe in State rights,
:. But, damnation this war had to come,
I'd amt sorry it did. The niger had to
, disposed of, and he was. He is going |
at now"
"How did you come to fight, then, if you
d not believe in secessionl"
General jeff raised himself up to his