Los Angeles herald., 1892-10-09

Mr.. Cronea was born in the south OF
France in 1906 and was made a cabin boy
at the age of ten. After many voyages he
found himself, very much to his amaze
ment, cabin boy on what was practically
a pirate ship. He was in fact one of La
fitte's men," and has been Texan ever
since. There was faint odor of legitimacy
about Laftte's rule. A revolutionary gov
ernment in Mexico had appointed military
rulers in Texas, and they regularly COM
missioned Admiral and Governor Jean La
fitte. The governments above him went to
pieces, but he promptly took out commits
sions from and flew the flags of South
American revolutionists, held Cam
peachy'' and preyed on Spanish commerce.
When he is feeling well-and he is re-
markably vigorous for man of his age-4
Mr.. Cronea can talk by the hour about the
wild times of Lafitte and Aury, Long,
Ellis Beam and other filibusters. To a
recent visitor he said that aside from their
'business'' the Lafitteans were good men.
Didn't you have some fighting to make
the captures?"
"Oh, no. They always gave up. 1t
wasn't any use to resist"
'You were prepared to fight if it was
necessary"
Eyes, we had pistols, the old fashioned
one barreled kind, with flints. We also
had cutlash-es. They were big things, as
keen as razor. They weighed about five
pounds. When one of those knives came
down it was goodby, Coly."
What sort of crew did you have,
pretty rough?"
"We had the same discipline as on board
a man-of-war. We couldn't have done
what we did if it hadn't been so. Any man
who misbehaved was punished"
Which is the truth? In fact, Lafitte
hanged one of his favorite captains for
plundering an American vessel. In the
state capitol at Baton Rouge hangs large
oil painting commemorative of the battle
of New Orleans. In the very thickest of
the fight, directing the work of battery
is a gigantic figure which is pointed out to
the visitor as that of Lafitte, the pirate.''
1t is history that Lafitte fought most
bravely under General jackson in that
decisive battle of the war of 1912, and that
pardon was issued to him for it. Before
that price had been set upon Lafitte's
head.
The British commander, on approaching
New Orleans, offered Lafitte captains
commission in the British service, but the
latter sent to New Orleans an offer of SER
vice and letter beginning thus:
II am stray sheep, wishing to return
to the sheepfold. If you were thoroughly
acquainted with the nature of my offenses
should appear to you much less guilty
and still worthy to discharge the duties of
a good citizen. I have never sailed under
any flag but the Republic of Carthagena,
and my vessels are perfectly regular in
that respect"
He served and was pardoned, but re-
turned to his old tricks. A much worse
lot gathered around him and finally plum
dered an American ship, SO an American
brig was sent to deal with him. He enter
tanned the commanding hands only, but
his Establishments were without avail.
The torch was applied to the buildings
and the fire burned until the camp was in
ruins. Then the fleet of pirate ships was
brought together. Lafittes favorite ship,
The Bride, was put in readiness. Those
freebooters who wished went with Laftte.
The others scattered. The king pirate in