New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-07-11
Old Time Deeperadoes.

ana 10 the United States, in 1904, Their
were but two American families who wer
residents OF st. Louis. then containing
| about 100 inhabitants. The names of til
heads OF these American families were Cal
vim Adams and James Price. All OF tn
other inhabitants were French and Span
iard.. who. with few exceptions were
| lazy. adventurous and ignorant. though
an honest AID hospitab!, race, who
were principally engaged in the hun:
ing. trapping and mining business
We are row contining ourselves simply
| to -. Louis. for in what is now known al
| the Donhomine district many American.
had settled. having obtained grants fgon
| the Spanish Commandment Delassus DE-
! DaluZ!ere, vino was 80 anxious 20 intrciucs
| the Anglu-Saxon race. who could Ge.elor
! the agricultural Resources of the country
! that he did rot enforce tie ed:c; of his
government. which declared that no grants
| of land shonld be made unless to Catholic
However, the Americans who settled in the
! Spanish domain dared got advocate and
practice their religious ;enets openly. hu,
Otter. in secret. sc''yed :ae;r pecais,
mode Of worship.
Alter thus promising. ~e VII! again az:
vert 10 the period jus, after the cesson OF
the province Of Louisiana to the L nitei
States. Immediately after the transfer
several American fannie. TOOL. up their
resdenc. in the village. OF whom Carr,
Rufus Elstoa. Homestead wer. among the
first.
Soon after the c&slon ha.ioa,iry came
IN vogue. and 70 the Canadian voyageur
succeeded the American .i4tboatm an, who
had the daring courage o: the former, was
equally a> Ignorant. and :..0re brutal in his
instincts.
These fatOCatmeN were a half savage
ard laIless set. aud were dreaded and
avoided by the peaceabie inhabitants. They
made the greater part OF the floating popu.
lation OF st. Louis, and. when ne: ged
on the river. spen: their time in drinking,
hunting, fighting and gambling Among
the number Of those tiatboatmen vino were
distinguished among their compeers as
being more hardy, more daring ard more
brutal than the rest, vera Mike Fink and
Jack Pierce. They became the reputed bul-
lies among the class. and though, as might
be supposed they too anne once in collision,
Ii was without any decided advantage being
gained by either party. However. there
was rivalry between them, and secret
enmity engeudered in the hearts of both.
One OF the feats Of Mike Fink was to shoot
an apple with his rifle at eighty yards dis
tanca from the head Of one Of his compan-
ions called Carpenter. who sundry times
exposed his life in that manner for a gallon
OF whisky. Usually on these occasions.
crowd OF vagabOnds, hunters. trappers and
tlatboatman would assemble to witness the
exploit, and the favOrite place Of resort On
those occasions was on the banks OF La
Petite Riviere, which became afterward
known by the name Of Chouteau's Pond.
which applied to the whole course of the
little stream, to its rising, which now is
known as the Rock Spring, to its emptyipg
in the Mississippi These gatherings never
came Oft with becoming eciat unless there
were one or two rough and tumble fights
between some OF those who had a fame for
istic abilities. and the parties. after Mike
Fink had shot the apple from the head of
his comrade. and others had pummeled
each other in severe manner, frequently
lighting as did the knights GRAND Of yore.
10 see who could boast Of the greatest prov.
sss, would retire to their drinking rendez.
gous, and spend hours in cursing. drinking
and telling long yarns Of hard and interest
ng adventure.
History relates that Mike Fink had \
quarrel with his comrade, from whose head |
le used to shoot the apple, and though the |
.rudge had apparently been forgotten by |
10Th, yet in the heart Of Mike Fink the |
Tres OF vengeance had been snothered and |
'ot quenched: He planned and awaited |
he opportunity that was to satisfy the
emon which was ranging in mis- bosom He
uuuO luS dCu VI sOtIiD tFdUeTS VINO
we're on visit to st. Louis from New
orleans. and among other things, told them
+ the feat that he bad frequently accom-
lished by shooting an apple with lihe
'om the head of one of his companions. !
as they did, that the strangers
'ould like to witness the performance, he
I'D them that he was ready to show them
le feat, could they get Carpenter to stand
18th the apple on his head. which they
,u!d readily do by Offering him gallon of
Risky.
The strangers soon searched Up Carpen.
r. and the bargain was struck for a gal
n OF whisky. which was paid for in ad.
ance and drunk in advance. and large |
lrty Thea adjourned to the banks Of La |
elite Riviere to witness the eft repeated |
at Of Mike Fink shooting the apple with
$ rife from Carpenters head. After some
eliminates. the eighty yards were mea.
red off, Carpenter took his stand with ,
e apple upon his head. and Mike Fink.
th demons smile upon his face, raised :
8 rifle. There was a moment of breath
IS expectation among the crowd. and fol-
wing the flash Carpenter fell to the
ound. the ball entering the temple. He
PRED instantly.
Mike Fink declared tia. the ride had
ng fire, and that was the cause of the |
cident; but those that were present were ,,
satisfied with the excuse. for they knew .
1t the report of the rife was full! and ,
ar. There where whispe,ings Of hellish
sign being connected with the occasion, !.
they were cautiously circulated. for no
> would have liked to have been brought 9
collision with . desperate so notorious :
his brutality.
here was no cogniZance taken OF the | =
ID by the authorities, at the time as :.
re was no proof that could lead to pos. J.
le conviction; but in drunken debaucll. -
1e two months afterward. Mike Fink :
ssted of his intention to kill Carpenter on =,
occasion. and gloried in the gratifca.
, OF his vengeance. He then fled far up
Missouri, when he heard it bruited that 8,
authorities intended to arrest him. He u
. and though he was not pursued by the C
listers OF the law, yet more sure and al
tain retributlon than through Justice II
rtoo!S him from private vengeance. 4 E!
nd OF Carpenter, who had been absent 81
he time of his death. on arriving in st. al
lis, and hearing Of the treachery and az
ut OF Mike Fink. sWore that he would |
Ow him and be revenged upon him. He q
as good as his word. He went up the b
souri,, and finding Mike Fink. stabbed
to the heart.
ack Pierce cana 10 the village ct St. o,
is at the same time as Mike Fink. Hs ~
all of his raffian instincts, but, amid =,
dark and demon attributes, there was ~
angel virtue which lent somewhat re.
ming grace to his character. and made ~,
" look with less severity upon his y
tic career; it was his love for his mother, 60
ch never waned an instant in his most y,
less moments, and though it could not -.
aim him from his reprobate ways. ap- -
ed to burn in the temple of lis heart
q vestal flame. and il glowed more
htly from the surrounding moral dark.
IN
9 have just related that Jack Pierce g
ia =; 81 ~ oAoAi' uicE fer
wv ~ uoAenuous uSnt, N Wnlcn SUI
received severe punishment, and of in !
Il,