The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-01-02
ssOLD MARLIE."
A Remnant of Lafltt's Gang of Pirates
Some of His Stories.


fitte:
There were three men, who formerly I
lived in St. Louis who were said to have
belonged to Laftte's gang. The writer
of this knew them all personally and
well. They are now all dead. One of
these men, Michel Marble, when he was
little under the influence of liquor, was
particularly fond of reciting the perils, |
thrilling adventures ard desperate en- |
counters of the great pirate in the Gulf
of Mexico.
Michel Marble was small, energetic, |
active Frenchman, with rather broad
forehead. He always took an active part
in elections, and espoused and advocated
the cause of his friends with great ami
nation, warmth and energy. He was a
noted and well-known character, who
| died in ST. Louis about the yelr 1S45 or
'46.
Old Marble, as he was familarly called,
used to say, that at the time the Cover
nor of Louisiana offered reward of five
hundred dollars for the head of Laftte,
1 the next day after the proclamation of
the Governor had come out, Lafitte came
out in an advertisement in all the news
papers printed in New Orleans, in the
French and English languages, offering
a reward of fifteen thousand dollars for
the head of the Governor, and that His
Excellency became awfully alarmed lest
some of Laitte's men should capture
him and carry him off to the headquar-
tiers of the desperate buccaneer. And on
that account the gubernatorial dignity
was for while very cautious about VEN
tering out or being seen upon the streets.
Among other stories which Michel
Marble used to relate of Laftte's feats
and exploits in the Gulf is the following:
There was British merchant vessel in
the harbor of Vera Cauz, which was
about to sail for Liverpool, with an i'm
mense amount of specie and gold and
silver and bullion on board, which had
been brought from the city of Mexico.
Lafitte became apprised of the fact, and
skirmished to capture the vessel with a
full crew of his most reliable men. She
was we'll armed and provided with all
the appliances requisite for the expedi-
ton.
Lafitte, thus prepared, sailed forth in
to the gulf, having arrived just outside
of land, waiting for his prey. 1t was
not long before the merchant vessel hove
in sight, and which Lafitte soon captur-
Led, without resistance, with all her val
liable and rich amount of treasure.
Amongst the passengers of the captur-
, ed vessel was lady to whom. Laftte
would not suffer or permit any indignity
, whatever. He intended to have her ta-
+ ken to Barrataria, and from thence trans
. ferred to New Orleans, so that she could
from there reach her friends. There
was also on board the captured vessel a
q Catholic priest, and the men, turning to
a Laftte, inquired what should be done
: with him. "Overboard with him,
y shouted Laftte. The man of the black
gown was accordingly, in obedience to
< the orders of the commander, thrown
/ over into the sea. He made the sign ot
the cross, muttering short prayer, and
sunk beneath the waves Immediately.
The great piratical commander had
+ hardly made sure of his great prize
when British man-of-war made hei
appearance. The intrepid commander
;. Immediately ordered all sails spread, tc
make their escape. The man-of-wal
q came pressing down upon the piratical
craft, coming nearer and nearer, still
o gaining on her. 1t soon became evident
to all on board that they would soon be
overtaken and captured by the war YES
h sci. The hero of the Gulf of Mexico
ordered the vessel to be put in fighting
!, ordor, and for every man to eight til
he dies" He told his men that they al
- knew what would be their fate in cast
n they were capturnd, and there was NJ
:, other alternative but to sell their live
4 as dearly as possible. The desperate
commander had on his vessel some O
4 the finest guns and most experienced
gunners ever found on bord ship-mer
a of daring and unquestioned bravery
n The Baitish vessel, when she was ap
# preaching the fleeing vessel, fired sho
q at the pirate. Laftte turned his vessel
g and returned the fire of the man-of-war
n The two vessels soon became eagaged il
o the most desperate conflict. The captain
of the piratical crew was cool, collected
7 and not at all excited-giving his order
h with deliberation. The fire from hotl
: vessels was rapid and constant.
At last shot from the pirate vesse
: struck the captain of the man-of-wa
below his knees and took off his feet
The British captain fell on the deck O
= his ship with both feet gone. He calIec
f. deck, which was done, one head oil tn
70 barrel knocked out, and about one-hal
" of the flour emptied out. Then tn
v brave captain ordered his men to TAX
r him up and stick his stumps of leg
is down into the barrel of flour to keep hin
J. from bleeding to death; all of which wa
# done, and his sword given to him. AnC
v then and there the heroic commando
a without feet, with the stumps of his leg
I still bleeding, pressed down into the bar
. rel of -four, waved his sword over hi
r. head, encouraging and shouting to hi
men and giving his commands.
~ The contest was still doubtful. In tn,
o. midst of the life and death struggle be
! tween the combatants, one of LATTE
: men came to him and told him the sho
was all out, and they had no more tc
load the guns. That ready witted com
If mander Immediately ordered the can
" non to be loaded up with doubloons and
e silver dollars, which was promptly done
"a and the British sailors soon found them
i selves fred into, not with iron balls
) canister and grape shot, but with mis-.
: sles of gold and silver. The men of the
l. man-of-war became thereby panic strick.