The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1878-12-24

Jim Bartis was one OF the foneh depi-
gods of The Mississippi during fbe OH
time of rh,r,vryeafs ago, ,wiea the bsnks
Of the great river ysse Ainfssted nom 81.
Louis Is New o, Ieane With plraless ssnd
rufflans and the sstnf otbefhood .cf s41s-
blers.- He lived i Csiso for aose ame,
and kept gambling boat nt the levee.
He. .Has xhe terror NOT only Of The igno:.
rant negroes and white gamblers, but Of
all srderslowgg people. Heswas ejRyiq-
chile in gambling, and knew every de-
vice for cheatings He-was = eoal-blaeke
bullet headed negro, who had bought his
freedom, and from his. .terrorisedruie, of
other negfoes, was called the "Nisfer
King T6s Kipg had "A vpec1iiaFity
frequently ohsel we'd in the fraternity Of
|asmhAess-4hs-wss 'sssis,lys henest IN husi-.
ness transactions, and never disputed
bill but once. OntheI memorable Upoa.
sion when he refused tor pay hill he
swore that the claim was UNJUST andV Vhe
was sued.- The fact thatJim Burtis-was
to be sued and brought into Court called
out big crowd Of roughs. Through
them all the "niggerA marched -into.tise>
'Squire'e Office, smoking cigar calmly,
with little tin cask under bis arfng T6js
he set down before him and rem,weidthe,
cork. Then addressing the Court, he
said: is'1t# y si.3 slialsigs,l suT
!. SOUR, that bill rain't just aud 4,
don't owe it. This case is already decis,
ded in my mind. ! know you. are pre-.
judieed against me, butii the case goes
against me lo4 Iasu 'ss hefls4sl1 nj 80,
Ill STICK THIS CIGAR INTO, THIS xHe, or /,
P0wDER, 90 HELP NE GoD!"
There was d Sensation, but nobody
dare interfere, and J i'm smoked his cigafs
calmly. They knew be would do it,, The
|"King" never .sfoeled." There was
sort Of trial, and the Justice decided IN
the qnegroe'sl favor. As the King
marched back to his boat With the keg of
powder under his arm, the. mob began
to gather and threaten. All whom te
had chested at cards and terrorixsd 7byI
force Joined it, and jim vas told that be
would be hung or burned. He retrested
to his boat, and taking down bis gum!
said he would kill the first man. who oeufJ
tered. They knew be would do il, and be
lay inlrenched in safety When dark :
ness came, However, the mob Procured
oil and threw over the sides Of his toAp
and, set,ing,tbe wood affre, cut the cables.
Then they drew up with guns ready 10
shoot their victim as he came out on decksi
to escape the Gre. The flames licked ahsI
structure rapidly. Shortly oia,nuom
seso 4 The sKIRa' APPEARED. iIiv s1sdi
Cautiously bearing somethineI in lhisf
arms. The mob watched curiously to
see what be was going to do. He had
his kitchen stove in his arms, and . STOUT
rope was attached from the stove to. his i,
neck. He turned to the stove, and cried
|out: "0h, d--n you, you'll never ketch
Jim Butlis." Then leaped over the side
into the waters and went to the bottom
with the stove abouthis neck The ne
groes up aud down the Mississippi for
years swore that the king" was not
dead. He was too, sharp 'fos the white
folks they argued, and that was just one
of his tricks. For years after they
would now and then claim to have seen
him alive. But there wassno proof that )
he escaped from the Cairo barbor unS
til the rope had rot.ed from around his
neck a3siasi s4wnaHF sssaSzs