The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1894-04-13
UNCLE BILLY RUSSELL'S FEAT.
A Steamboat Captain on the Mississippi
Revepging the Wrongs Done
to Friend

The early days or Steamboatlng on
the Ohio and Mississippi rivers were
filled with many exciting and inter-
csting events, rccollections of which
will possess peculiar interest for
thousands of persons who have lived
to see the great tide Of travel diverted |
from these once throngcd and popular
routes by the more aggressive rail-
roads, says the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Most of the captains and pilots OF
those busy river days were men who
served their time upon broadhorns or
keelboats, and rough and ready set
of men they were. All were almost
born and really educated upon the
water, passing their days either in
floating down stream exposed to the
various dangers Of the voyage or wear
ily working their boats up stream
against the rapid current and liable
at any moment to be attacked by some
one of the many gangs Of robbers that
infested all the region through which
they passed.
Exposed to heat and cold, to snow
and rain, toiling through the tedious
hours of the day, and at night drown
Ing all their cares in the ever-prescnt
whisky jug and bidding sorrow flee in
the music of fiddle and bow that filed
their hours of revclry, they paid little
attention to the march of time.
Though brusQue and rough in manner
they were free-heartcd, generous,
devil-may-care set of fellows, who
were always ready to lend Il helping
hand to the distressed.
One of of these old-time ryermen
was Uncle Billy Russell, as he was fa-
miliarly called. At one time he was
known from Cincinnati to New Orle-
ans. Six feet and massively built,
"Uncle Billy, had been in his prime
man of giant, strength, and possessed
of unflching courage, yet slow to an
ger, and when not aroused kind-heart-
ed and most agreeable companion.
But when provoked to wrath he not
only inspired terror, but was Stunned
by his enemies.
One of his noted characteristics was
a hatred of injustice in any form, or a
strong believer, as he put it, in "fair
play" and nothing would mOrcquickly
arouse his ficrcest resentment than to
discover an unfair advantage taken or
the imposition of one man upon an
other. This rather peculiar notion in
those days of card-playing and robbery
on the river made 'Uncle Billy" un-
popular with the dishonest gamblers
who infested many of the river towns
and swarmed upon the steamers that
piled the waters. But the old fellows
prowess and strength were too well
known to precipitate a personal en-
counter between him and the paste
board fraternity. Several years after
Russerl had abandondoned the fiat
boat for the swift-moving steamer he
was temporarily in command of a
large steamboat on its up trip because
of the illness Of the captain, who had
remained at New Orleans. One night
the boat was compelled to tie up at
Natchcz, under the hill," and wait
for morning to resume the trip. A
number of passengers went on shore
and visited the dance houses and gam.
bling dcns that were doing thriving
business in that line.
Among the crowd was man named
Hall, who had taken a flatboat OF
produce south, sold out his boat and
cargo at big profit and was return
, ing tu his home near Cincinnati Will
} the proceeds OF his sale. He entered
a notorious house that stood on the
bank overlooking the river, more
through curiosity than the desire tt
game. The place was frequented by
the lowest class Of gamblers and dcs
: perate characters. Hall foolishly dis
pl&yed his money and was at once
attacked, brutally beaten and robbed
) Of every cent and then thrown out ol
the building In an almost dying condi
tlon, where he was found and carried
back to the boat BY friendly hands
Russell learned OF the affair, and, get
ting from the lips Of the suffering vic