The Osceola times., 1882-08-19
A YAGRANT'S ROMANCE.
Sold for Thirty.seven aud Half Cents.
and Anerward Became Wealthy.

I Noid auu Senu.
and Anerward Became Wealthy.
Louisville (Ky.l World
The contemplation of being knocked
down at anction may not be pleasant for
apostles Of lazness and leisure, but il is
about the only way that some vagrants
can be made useful. The provisions Cf
the vagrant act are often beneficial to
those upon whom they are imposed. 1t
has so proven in the past, and the auc-
tioneer's block has proved the turning
point in more than one mans life. As an
illustration OF this there is old Captain
! Joe Coombs. There is a good deal OF ro.
nance in this history, but the facts are
sufficiently vouched for to justify its repe
tition here.
Something like ffty or sixty years ago
Joe CooIlbs was an idler about town-a
worthless, no-account fellow, whom no
one respected and every one was ready
TO kick. A love OF liquor was compan-
ion TO his passion tor leisure, and COM
bined made Joe a model yagrant.
Eyery thing else falling he WIS finally
convicted under the vagrant law and
sentenced to be sold at the court house
door. The date is obscure, but it must
have been between 1883 and 1850, for in
1913 he was plotting the steamer Rain
bow. At the time he was out of condi-
ton and not desirable purchase but was
finally Knocked down 70 river captain
for thirty.seven and half cents. The
Iubicon in Joe Coombs's life was passed
when he left the auctioneer block. He
went with the man who had hired him
from the State. Joe's master or his friend,
as it turned out, put him to work as a
rousler on steamboat. At that time
the river was the only avenne OF trans
portation to the South, aud the steam
boating was lively and prosperous.
Forced to work, Coombs soon thew off
bis old habits Of flaziness, ana became an
active, industrious man. He surprised
all by his activity and perseverance; rose
rabidly from one position TO another, and
at the end of his year of service was in
charge of the boat upon which he had
been driven to work as vaerant and
was considered one Of the best pilots on
the river.
Fortune had given her wheel lucky
turn for him, and he did not waste the
opportunity. In few years of persever-
ance he accumulated wealth, and, as
owner and commander of the steamer
Rainbow, running between this city and
New Orleans, he became among the lead
ing boatmen OF his day.
Something like twenty years after
he had been sold Captain Coombs Sc
cured control of the Exchange Hotel, at
the corner of Sixth and Main streets,
where the Hamilton block now stands,
and for several years conducted one of
the leading and most popular public
houses i'll the city.
1t was during this time that he went to
Philadelphia, where he married rich
Young widow. Returning to the South
he again went on the river, and at the
time the war broke out, was in command
of the steamer Louisville, which boat
was captured at Memphis by General
Pillow, and two or three years later she
was again captured by the Federal gun
boats, and about the close of the war
Captain Coor.bs went to Washington,
and il is said succeeded ia getting claim
through Congress for the value of his
boat.
Those who knew him in the days OF
his prosperity speak of him as frank,
noble and generous. He was never Of
Tended by an alluslon to the past, and
often spoke of the day be was sold as his
"lucky day" Many of the older people
abontthe city remember Captain Coombs
As proprietor of the Exchange Hotel he
he was a jolly host, and many anecdotes
are told of him. Daring his experience
as river captain and hotel keeper, he ac-
cumulated wealth and when he died left
considerable estate.
Strange were the experiences of Cap.
tain Coombs. From yagranthe climbed
up the social ladder to position of
wealth and respectability. Such con-
trasts are found in the history of but few
lives. He was man that, in the prime
and vigor of his youth, was totally un-
able to make an opportunity for hin self,
but his experience proves that the pos
sibilities of life are limitless. At that
time of life when power should be great
est, he was destitute of energy, and called
worth, s. le,low, but when the time
came he took the tide at its food which
ed on to fortune.