The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-02-16
HEsTER's HISTORY.
Adventures of one CT Gen. Grants
Friends and Cronies.
A CRIMINAL CAREER.

A CRIMINAL CAREER.
A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF THE MAN WHO MANU-
FACTURED oUTRAGEs PoR LANDAULEr
MURDERER.
The New York Sun sheds few of it's
most vertical rays on the dark doings of an
outrage manufacturer: The career of the
adventurer Thomas, or Thomsssen, now
known as the dynamite Demon" has its
parallel in the life of Joseph G. Hester, who
acquired notoriety as a special agent of the
attorney generals Office, and the principal
cog-wheel in Landaulet Williams once
busy outrage mill. When last heard of by
the general public Hester was declaiming
Milton to the Young Mems Christian Asso-
citation of Washington, circumstance
which may derive interest from the sequel.
Hester was born about 40 years ago in Green
Vile county, North Carolina, where he
still has many highly respectable family
connections. Almost from the cradle be
manifested the rasca.ly, rowing disposition
of born reprobste. When mere boy he
one day, in the absence of his father, want
only shot and killed a colt. His elder
brother attempted to chastise him for this,
whereupon Joseph snatched up a gun and
only escaped being a fratricide by the snap
ping of tap. He then avoided further COM
plications by running away from home.
After some months of wandering he enlisted
as cabin boy on the United States frigate
Congress, famous afterward for its encoun-
ter with the Merrimac at Hampton Roads.
The Congress was commanded by Capt. L.
M. Goldsborough, and was bound tor the
Brazil station: Arriving out, Hester de-
serted, and Joined one or the other of the bel
ligerent parties in the Argentine war. After
numerous adventures he again
PLAYED THE PART OF DEsERTER,
and fed the country on a merchant vessel.
Hester next appears in the service of his
country as a soldier in the Seminole war,
either a regular or a volunteer. During his
military career in Florida, he received a
wound in an ignoble part of his person, in
dicatiDg that, at the moment of its recep-
ton, he was "facing backward" Hester
still displays his scar with pride which 1t
is difficult to understand. After the Indians
had been sent out OF the state Hester joined
the Regulators" and participated in many
lawless acts. Soon after the breaking out OF
the civil war this adventurer, who had pre-
viously trans erred his sphere of usefulness
to the other side of the ocean, boarded the
rebel privateer Sumter, then lying at Glib
raltar, and asked employment of Capt.
Raphael Semmes, afterward of the Alabama.
He professed ardent sympathy with the
Southern cause, and bis good address gained
him position. In private letter Semmes
speaks OF Hester as follows: "While w as
| lying at Gibraltar in the Sumter, Hester
came on board seeking service, stating that
he had recently arrived in merchant ship
| of one OF the Northern states, but had left
her because of the war, and his ardent desire
| to be of some benefit for the defence of his
section and people. Pleased with his ap-
pearance and conversation, appointed him
masters mate, warrant officer OF subor-
dinate grade, and when / left the vessel ]
left him assistant of the lieutenant in charge
The latter sought active service and was re-
| lieved by masters mate named Andrews
Hester killed Andrews. / had no personal
knowledge of the homicide, but the current
reports represented it to be a cold-bloodeC
murder. The rea son Hester was not tried
by the British government was that / hs6
claimed for the Sumter upon my arrival al
GibTalter land the claim could not be denied
under the International code), that she was
! a ship of war of de facro government
maintaining successfully, up TO that time
its independence, and as such exempt from
/ British jurisdiction.
NUMBERING A sHIPMATE.
Hester was never tried for the murder al
luded to by Mr.. Semmes. The facts were as
follows: Disseminated with the inactivity
of his position at Gibraltar the lieutenant
who succeeded Semmes in the command Of
the Sumter, applied for relief to Mr.. Mason
confederate commissioner at the court OF st
James. Hester, aware of the application, as
pired to the command, and when, finally
Mr.. Mason MT Masters Mate Andrews to
take command of the Sumter, Hester's
! chagrin and disappointment were all that
might be expected of a morose, sullen, des-
perate scoundrel. Andrews was naval de.
psrtment appointee, Norwegian by birth
a rough, confident sailor. who had beer
| m m
He was cautioned against Hester, but seems
to have taken no precautions to guard him
self from possible harm at the hands of mar
whose evil disposition was now very manifest
One day, when Andrews was asleep in his
cabin, Hester walked coolly in, placed
pistol at the head of his unconscious victim
and scattered his brains over the pillow. Al
an excuse for this deliberate and cowardll
act, the murderer alleged that Andrews wa
in collision with the federals, then lyin,
at Algeciras, and had arranged TO delive
up the ship. 10 prevent such a consumma
ton he murdered himl The next day th,
British admiral sent off an officer and boat
crew, and, after considerable difficulty, ar
rested Hester. He was placed in irons and
sent to Bermuda by order OF the British
government, there to be deliver, d to som
officer of the confederate states. By som
means Hester obtained release, and
strangely enough, made his way into con
federacy. Mr.. Mallory, the confederat
secretary of the navy, acted in a very singu
lar manner. Instead OF putting Hester or
trial for murder, he allowed him to depart
and even to
TAKE COMMAND OF A BLOCKADE RUNNEI
a sea captain who knows the Hesters wei
states that when Joseph Hester ran tn
blockade in this schooner (of course she wa
J betrayed and captured), he took with him
Younger brother who has never been hear
ofsince. There are those who do not scrupl
, to say that he was not accidentally los
. Hester's blockade running speculations de
serve a chapter by themselves. w
have only space to say that he swindled
+ large number of bis own countrymen by OF
, tanning orders for goods, medicines, sail, etc
and taking out cargoes of cotton, whic
somehow fell into the hands of the federa
, with refreshing regularity. Many were In