Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-11-09
HE WAS A PIRATE,
a MEMBER OF LAFiTTE'S eANO
LIVING IN TEXAS.


Bolivar peninsula is n sand spit on the
Texas coast terminating opposite Gal
weston In Bolivar pOintA few miles east
ward the peninsula narrows TO mere
ridge known us Roll Over, and there
lives Charles Cronea, aged 81, and the
last survivor Of the famous "Lahue
Gang wbo once dominated Galveston
island, or the Republic Of Oampeachy.,'
Charles Cronea was born in the south
of France In 1905 and was made cabin
boy at the age Of ten. After many Noy-
ages he found himself, very much TO his
amusement, a cabin boy on what was
practically a pirate ship. He was, In
fact, one Of "Lahtte's meni ana mas
boon a Texan ever since. There was a
faint odor Of legitimacy about Latitte's
rule. A revolutionary government ID
Mexico had appointed military rulers In
Texas, and they had regularly commits
stoned Admiral and Governor Jean La
ftte. The governments above MN went
to pieces, but he promptly took out com
missions from aud hew the tags OF south
American reyoluuonists, held YAM
penehy' and proved on Spanish COM
When he Is feeling weil-and he Is
remarkably vigorous for man oil his
age-Cronea can talk by the hour about
tie Wild times Of LATTE aud Auryi Long
Ellis Beam and other flibusters, To
recent visitor he snid that aside from
their "business," the Laiitteans were
good men.
Didn't you have SOME Sighting to make
the capturesi'
"oh, no. They always gave up. 1t
wasn't any use 10 resist
"You were prepared to fight If it was
necessary" ,,.,,.s
Eyes. we had pistols, the old-fAshioned
one-bnrreled kind, with tints. we also
Ind cutlnsses. They were big things,
ns keen nd A rasor. They weighed about
five pounds. When one Of those knives
come down II was goOd-by, COly.'
ss\Vhnt sort Of crew did you have;
prettv roughf'
I'VE had the same discipline as on
S 5oaru what INV we AID Il II hadn't been SO.
Anv man who misbehayed was punish
ed"
which Is the truth. In fact, LATTE
hanged one of his favorite captains for
plnndering an American vessel. In the
ISr~e iii paintina commemorative of
+be hattie Of New Orleans In the very
thickest of the fight, directing the work
~ a ba4terv is 4 Gigantic figure which
L. nainted ant TO the visitors as that Of
~ ,a8tte me pirate.p Ii il history that
Tatitte fought most bravely under Gen.
i.hi.se r. that deciaiTe battle of mo
Ja si ~ tsio ana tbot a pardon wins IL.
wa aa ol 80 lin Tor h before that
,, sIeu ma haen set on Lafitte's head.
- The M British commander on approach
i,,, Wa,y, Drieons offered I.atitte a cep-
M Se% 1mi.son NTH IN the British serT.
I Iell Int tV the latter sent to New Orleans
nn o Nor Tor service and letter begin
an oI ,hns lor Aei '''e ""U "
II am a stray sheep, wishing to re-
ratebiy aeouainted with The nature OF
i"usii,S ~, 49, sbonld appear 10 YOU
,ag o ieus unity and suil worthy 10
9 inuSn gss the duties Of a good citizen.
! have never sAiie9 unhsr ns na9 ~.
the isepuoic no ~ Jf' resoiar n tbsyt
respect rssseit are p''S' 'i'
IL served and was nardoned, but
returned TO ny oll urnTnd hin ana g sa
.iis nlrnGerod nm American ship, SO no
AMERICAN brig was sest 70 leu MIN MIN
hun, lie entetiailhleu nv sbnenta VIII" VIE
, NINA ou aSvaii,' The torch was applied