The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1894-03-24
A LITTLE DIPLOMACY.
It waa Worth More Than Bluff to
Revenue Collector.

Some years ago I received a Temporary
appointment in the internal revenue
department., and was assigned to the
duty of looking up violations of the
law in regard to nannfact ured tobacco
.Alrcported Irregularities were referred
Z to me for Investigation. l was tel
'cgraphed by the collector at Nashville,
upon one occasion. 20 go to Shclbyville
immediately and take action in q case
where u manufacturer, j. II. Jadd, had
lEes, using Cancelled revenue stamps.
When 1 arrived. 1 found Capt. Nor
willie, the district deputy, awaiting me
with n posse OF half a dozen men.
Ladd lived twelve or thirteen miles from
Shelby vile, in the richest section OF
the county. !. explained to Norville
that there was no necessity OF going
that night a.; Ladd could not remove
FMS property If he were disposed to do
go; that we would start before day in
scrdcr to malice tho trip, effect the sciz-
Nrc and return that night l learned
the following, froIu hir.s: lie had come
up with Two of Iatlus wagons n couple
Of days before in an adjoining county
laden with Plug tobacco put up in
boxes varying in weight from twenty
ii-e to one hundred pounds each; that
the stamps them had been reused;
that he had gone the next Gay with
deputy United States marshal to seize
/. tho factory; that when he arrived old
man L:.dd was not a t home and the fac
tory was. locked. He had gone 10 the
dwelling fer the keys, when Mrs. I-atld
told II s;.rvant'to look for them. She, il:
she meantime. stepped out into the
yard ans, raa:. the farm bell as vigor-
s,usly as il the huil,ting was on fire.
I'm n few moments tire. Of LnLd's sons
and a hired man rushed to the house as
fast as their horses could carry them
they had been blowing Mrs Ladd met
them Mt the gate, and. he supposed.
explained the situation. They came
into the house. Il large two-story frame
with l.. and in moment into the
room where he was sitting, waiting for
ahe girl to find the keys. armed with
Bhotguns.
Mrs. Ladd then bused the officer for
everything she. could think Of. and or
elered him to leave snt, not to stand on
the order of going; that If he did not
she would have him and the deputy
killed and thrown into the hogpcn,
where they ought to be. The old man
did not stand well in the collectors
Office, and when Norviile returned and
reported the situation by telegraph, I
was ordered to the scene. told him
TO secure carriage that would accom-
snodate three besides the driver, and an
hour before day we were en- route over
a zine turnpike road. When we got in
front of the house saw two men go in
from one side, ard noticed several faces
at the window. two of tt EN- females. ]
ordered the driver to go directly to the
factory almost in the rear of the dwell
ing and at corner of the garden fence.
Leaving the party in the hack I re-
turned to the house, entering by what
afterwards asccrtained to he tho rear
door of the kitchen. An elderly white
woman and a negro girl were in the
room, washing the dishes and clean
Ing up after breakfast. I asked
politely If this was Mrs. Ladd. She
ierlsed out a yes" approached and ex-
tended my hand. assuring her 1 was very
glad to see her. and giving my name.
] was SO friendly, greeted her SO cor
daily. that she was nonplussed for a
moment When I asked if Mr. Laeid
was in she answered yes in a more
pleasant tone, at the same time point
ing to door leading to the main build
ing.
opened it aud walked in, and there
sat four men and n fourtecn-ycar- old
boy, all except the old man having a
doutle-barrel shotgun lying across his
lap. I approached the old man and
said:
This is Mr.. Ladd, I presume9'
Ives, that is my name
] gave him mine.
These are your sons, I prcsuuoec''
Some OF them
Turning to the one nearest me 1 said:
Your name?''
James
We'll, James. how do you do? I am
glad to see you. You favor your IA |
Their. Eye and forehead exactly !
- inquired tue name OF every one,
shook hands with each, complimented |
each. Here I stopped. when the old !
man said:
stranger. since you have got ac-
quafnted with all the boys. there is |
two more you ought to know. One is |
my wife and the other my daughter.
.'Marinda, Marinda, you and Zoa |
come in here" he called
explained that I had met his wife, |
and a most charming lady she was, but !
Marinda came in and ] was formally |
introduced to her. and shook hands |
with her again, and complimented her |
on her manly boys. Then the daugh- /
ter came in, who was indeed a modest, !
sweet girl of sixteen. 1 could read in |
the,face of every one of them: what |
tloes all this mean?' After I had I!
talked awhile about tho weather and |
crops, asked Mr.. Ladd to step into an |
Hsijoining room with me, as l wished to
t1lk to him privately.
OIL no. not any, it you please. If
you have any business with me blurt /
u out. This family has no accrets."
thea told him that I had heard that he |
;eNA Ind soIas trouble with Capt. Nor.