Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1882-07-26

BY MAJOR HAMILTON,

Twenty years ago, more smuggling
vent on along the northern border than
anywhere else in the union, and one of
the chosen routes for illicit trade was
across the ST. Lawrence River.
At hundreds of points contraband
articles were landed, and farmers
throughout the entire northern portion
of the states of New York and Vermont
were more or less il league with the
Canadian fishermen and boatmen, SO
called, who engaged In this forbidden
traffic, aiding them TO secrete, and after
wa rd to dispose of, their merchandise.
Much OF this was liquor, from which
tn csc kindly farmers g took toll as it is
pa ssed, and it SO happened that one
co uld often find better whisky among
tn ragged hills Of Essex, st. Lawrence
an d Chlttenden Counties, than in the
gi lded saloons of Albany or New York.
In 1868, was appointed special dep
uty marshal at river port near Ogdens-
burg. That is, [ was acting under au-
hority OF the deputy marshal at that
p 0lnt, but was not confined In the extent
Of my territory: and IL was III the con-
d uct OF my duty while holding that office
tn at Sbe following adventure befel me-:
X SCLIS b1L1IS p11O1 W lily dEJpOlub-
Dc eDt, the smuggling of liquors across
Tia e river had been carried on most ac-
lively, to a greater extent than In any
previous years, and it was for the more
es pecial purpose OF breaking up this I'M
portatlon, and capturing, if possible,
some OF the lawless importers, that an
ex ira Office had been created and [ had
been named to fill it,
The persons with whom I would have
to deal would be rough, perhaps desper-
ate, and the duty to be performed dan
gerous; but these things only added zest
to the undertaking. Perhaps was fool
hardy; certainly was not afraid.
afy appointment came to me In Sep J.
TENDER. When the first snow fell, was
still hard at work. and still without any
noted achievements to report.
True, had been shot at twice on the
river; | had met the smugglers' boat,
and chased it, one dark night, in my
capen skiff, alone; [ had been warned :"
sby two notes. in the true Kuklux style;
but had not broken up the traffic, nor
caught the men engaged in it. And,
therefore, worked steadily on.
the season was an unusal one that
rear, and winter came late. I well rec
ollect that on Christmas Day the snow
was but two inches deep on the main
shore, and the river still open.
This fact, of course, aided the contra
band trade, and 1t looked as If the year
might close with the smugglers still in
f1ll feather and no captures made. [ re-
doubted my efforts.
Between Christmas and New Years,
two things happened. First, wandering
one moonless night along the shore, /
surprised party Of three men unload
ing liquor, shot and frightened then
away, capturing their cargo; and second
the weather turned suddenly very cold
SO that the last day of the year, teams
could cross upon the ice which haC
formed on the river.
It was the thirty-first of December
about noon, that my friend the deputy
marshal called me into his Office. Re
firing with me to the inner room, ht
closed the door carefully, then drew
near and spoke.
s'Karl, you like the service ? :"
''You know that do"
-'And if you could obtain the ap
,pointment as special detective, with
good salary, you would remain in it ?"
81 most certainly would.
"Then now is your chance. 1 hav'
this morning received information tina
tomorrow night Dick Sutton and hi
gang are to be on Red Fox Island, sever
miles down the river, for spree. I
you can get there, join the party in som
way, and decoy the fellows into Ameri
can territory, for the island is Canadial
ground, [ will be on hand with force
sufficient to bag the party, and you shal
have the strongest recommendation
which l can give you to go with you t
Washington, The duty's dangerous
for, if they spot you as a spy, the ras
Gals would as soon down you as look a
you. But the reward and honor ar
great. What do you say? Will yo1
try to coax them into the net?"
/ paused moment, and then replied
~"Yes."
A few hours later, Just as the dim win