Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-01-08
NJ PERRON'S DAUGHTER
Toe Story Of a Philadelphia Girl Whose Lover
Was a Pirate Captain.
BY P. D. HAYWOOD.
Philadelphia TINES.


the fashionable faubourgs OF the city,
an offshoot Of Quality HILL, Front and
Pine, where the most select of our COM
mercial magnates dWell-and our mer-
chants were magnates in those days
Louis Clapier could stand on the hill at
the foot of Lombard street and see i've
of his own ships sailing stately up the
river. Every square-rigged vessel was
known to the city boys and the news
that the Condorcit or Votaire was COM
ing in brought them all to the wharves.
There were no tug boats and ships used
to 60 past the city under jib, main, top
sails and spanker. 1t took rare sea-
manship to do this and the Delaware
Bay mariners regarded themselves as
first in the profession, speaking scorn-
fully of Yankees as "spouters" and
"clam-diggers."
AT this time we bad larger proper
portion of foreign merchants than now.
Both French and Spanish dealers were
engaged in trade and much respected
for their probity and correct business
habits. Among them NJ. Auguste Per-
ron was al one time prominent. He had
come here about 1879 and was refugee
from st. Domingo, although French
man BY birth. He lived at No. 81 Lom-
bard street, and his neighbors were all
well-to.do people, mostly connected with
Shipping. Monsieur Perron was osten-
sibly West Indian merchant, and had
undoubtedlyin his little by 10 office
on South Water street many samples OF
Colonial produce, but as he always filed
any orders he might have through other
houses his neighbors regarded his bust
ness in this line as neither extensive nor
profitable. He did receive consgn-
ments from the islands occasionally, but
no samples of these were ever offered
in open market, and as they were gem
erallv brought ashore by dark-visaged
men with rings in their ears, in small
bundles, it is fair to believe that the
formality of passing them through the
Custom House was omitted. M. Perron's
credit had been badly shaken in the
commercial world by something that
had happened year before, and an &C
count OF this may throw some light on
the character of his business.
Mrs. Abner Gardner, wife of Captain
Gardner, OF Salem, Mass. looking into
the window Of Fletcher & Gardner, 100
Chestnut street, then the leading jewel
ers here, was shocked to see therein
displayed handsome sapphire ring
which she had last seen on the finger or
her husband when he sailed from this
port in the bark Venice nearly eighteen
months before for Pernambuco. Noin-
telligence had since come to her as to
his fate, and she had given him up for
lost. No wonder, then, that this ring
was to the poor woman a message from
the sea. Messrs. Fletcher q Gardner
admitted at once that it was one of num-
erous articles Of jewels and plate that
had been purchased from nj. PerroD,
No. 66 Water street Mrs. Gardner got
the ring and the matter was hushed up,
but the jewellers declined to do business
in future with NJ. Perron, and his COM
patriots, such as Mr.. Louis C!apier,
passed him by with pointed absence of
recognition-and people did not hest
tate to say that he had been acting Tor
years as agent for the West India plea
ROOFS and disposing of their plumber.
Then, as now, justice was harsh and I'M
compromising to small offenders, while
big ones escaped altogether. At this
time there were firms in Philadelphia of
unimpeachable credit and responsibility
that fitted out slavers at Havana and
made much money out OF this terrible
traffic. Perron was perhaps as honest
as Stephen Girard, who was once warned
that if he continued TO supply Column
bian privateers commanded by such
ruffians as Henry McCabe, Abel Thomas
and Captain Breed, with munitions OF
war, the government would bring him
to account. 1t is part OF sea history
that one OF his vessels engaged in
traffic, the Osprey. was the brig on
which the hapless Roger Tichborne left
Chilli. She was never heard Of again.
Perron found his business shrinking
at a rate that made bankruptcy In the
near future more than probable. He
was sitting In his dingy office one raw
day in October, 1929, very disconsolate,
when the door opened and in stepped a
tall gentleman dressed in the fashion OF
the time, dark green coat with wide
skirts and high rolling collar, embroid-
AIRED vest with deep laDels, tight fitting
pantaloons and Huzzar boots. With
EASY and rather comtemptuous assur-
ance he addressed the Freuchman In his
own tongue:
"My dear Monsieur Perron, delighted
to see you. l have the honor to bring
Won a letter from mutual friend which
will explain my presence here. l will
wait TIL you have read it," Then the
stranger dropped into chair and
looked around him.
Perron was sturdy-built little fel-
low, who looked as ii born without
nerves, but his hand shook perceptibly
as he read the letter, and his voice
tremoled as he spoke:
Captain Revel, l am charmed to
make your acquaintance; say how can
serve you"
The visitor was rot an ordinary look.
ing person. He was evidently powerful
man, despite his fashionable attire, but
there was something nautical in his
looks, his face had evidently been
tanned by tropic suns, and although the
features were good there was some.
thing repellent about his gray green
ewes. Cold as ice, when seen through
the half-veiled eyes. when suddenly
opened they gave you the startling i'm
preston that you saw another man.
The thin lips smiled, but the evil eyes
never. A long, livid seam that ran from
the cheek bone into the hair. was an in
timation that the captain had seen SER
vice in his time.
He regarded Perron with long stare
and said: my, friend, you are, OF
course, aware that our business south
of the Gulf has been annihilated. There
is no longer any profit in it. l bring with
me sac 600. and with this and strong