Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-05-02
ENDS IN SMOKE.
The MutinOus Mate on the
LOurey Shoots Seven Times
at Captain Long,
And is Shot at FOur Times in Re-
turn-EVery Shot a Clear
Miss.

Leander Huff, late first mate on the
towboat Lourey, appears to be first
class rufian and a horrid bad shot.
He got up his third row on beard Of
the boat yesterday and took to the
woods to save himself from the wrath
Of the captain, whom be tried to kill,
and from arrest by officers of the law.
Why Captain John H. Long kept a
man Of his unruly and outrageous
temper is rather odd.
When the steamer Lourey left here
yesterday with the Marshal's deputy
to arrest Huff aboard of the barges
moored at Cheeks Island, seven miles
above the city, it was not believed
that he would be found. Indeed, it
was thought that rather than risk
arrest he would take to the swamps.
But, in addition to being a rufian,
Huff seems to have plenty of nerve,
with little or no judgment,
and, as before remarked, is enc
Of the poorest shots in America.
He certainly wanted to kill his cap
tain, and he tried hard and long
enough to have killed the whole crew
of the boat. Failing to accomplish
his desire, he came to this city afoot,
and landed in jail.
When the Lourey left here yester-
day she had aboard as guests U. s.
Deputy Marshal Neal, and Inspector
Ralston. The boat ran above Cheeks
island, put the Deputy Marshal ashore
on the Tennessee bank, then dropped
down alongside of her barges. upon
the top OF one of which the mutinous
Huff was stalking back and forth like
a ferocious and untamed beast thirst.
ing for blood. The Captain Of the
boat anticipated trouble, and he seems
to have had as much nerve as any man
could have under any circumstances.
While standing on the hurricane roof
of his boat attending to the work Of
fastening his tow, Captain Long was
accosted by Huff from the deck of the
barge, and told that he, the mate,
wanted his money. The Captain re-
| piled that he would receive attention
as soon as at leisure. Huffthen board
ed the steamer, entered the cabin,
ordered a cabin boy to put some
clothes in a sachel, stalked around
cycling every one, as if he'd a suspicion
that they might have desire to tread
on the tail of his coat, asked who In
Spector Ralston was; tried to borrow a
pistol from Secoud Engineer Holmes,
and remarked that he intended to kill
the Captain. Mr.. Holmes advised
him not to attsmpti6, and did not lend
him any weapon. He had a first
class revolver, however, at the time,
and it was we'll charged,
Finally he poked his head up
through the stairway leading to the
hurricane roof forward and again
asked the Captain for the
wages due him. The Captain advised
him to take it easy and await patiently
until he was at leisure. Then Huff
went over on one Of the barges, put his
hands down in his pockets and again
demanded his money, Captain Long,
noticing the movement, said, mo you
don't" drew his own revolver and
trained it on the belligerent Huff. The
latter scampered ashore and opened
fire simultaneously with the Captain,
the latter standing exposed on the
boats roof, and Huff from behind a
| tree a part of the time. The latter
fired fve times, emptying his weapon
The Captain fired four shots, and all
missed. Then Huff boarded Aatboat
near, borrowed a shotgun, approached
rather close and let fly two loads Of
buckshot, all without effect. After
that he took to the brush and, later,
came to the city, only to be captured
and jailed.
This forenoon Huff had a prelimi-
nary examination before a United
States Commissioner at the Court
house, and his case was continued
until Thursday next. II the mate had
stayed aboard of the boat the Captain
intended to land up above the island,
on the Tennessee shore, and then get
the Deputy. Marshal to take him into
custody. Mates like Huff are a good
class of officers to get rid of as early al
possible.
Huff is inearcerated at the Jail, anC
is to be tried for mutiny.