The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-03

one or two settlements on Galveston
Island, but they had been abandoned, and
now our former blacksmith and smuggler
comes out in a new role.
At that time Mexico, Central America
and many provinces OF South America
had reVolted against Spain. Revolution
airy republican governments had been
formed and had been accorded the rights
of belligerents. Don Jose Manuel Herrera
was commissioner TO the United states
from the revolutionary government of
Mexico. From him LATTE claimed to have
received the appointment as governor OF
Texas, and the probabilities are that he
did receive it, as he took possession of
Galveston Island under such authority,
and stayed there four years, exercising
authority as governor all that time Had
he not in truth received such appoint
ment, the Mexican government would
surely have repudiated him. He had a
number of ships and quite a force of ad-
Venturers He had letters of marque and
reprisal from the revolutionary govern
ment of Venezuela authorizing him to
prey upon the commerce of Spain. This
Venezuelan government as was that of
Mexico, was a recognized berigerent at
war with Spain.
As governor LATTE required all persons
on the island and the captains and own
ers of the vessels there in the harbor to
take the oath of allegiance to the Mexi-
can republic. A regular government,
with salaried officers. was established.
Vessels We're manned by the islanders
and were sent out, soon beginning to
make things lively for the Spaniards. The
profits and excitement of these eXpedi-
tions attracted numbers of adventuFesome
spirits from all directions. At the close
of the year 1877 the population of Calves
ton numbered over 1000, OF almost every
nationality.
1t can be seen how careful LATTE al
ways was TO be acting under some legits-
mate authority. The genuine pirate does
no such thing. The troubles that came
upon Latitte, there is every reason to be-
lieve,. We're occasioned by the reckless
men under him breaking the restraints
of his command. OF course Spain COM
I nj n nf 70 bot
ment, he was no more a pirate than was
our own Paul Jones and Capt. -Semmes
of the Alabama.
There were complaints of him made to
the United States, but the inaction of this
government proves that the causes could
not have been piracy. The character OF
the men gathered around him can pretty
well be imagined. They were reckless
lawless, and hard to keep under discipline.
a little incident shows them up pretty
well. A party of them captured q squaw
of the Caraucchua Indians. Orderly cit
liens don't Go such deviltry. These In
dams were brave as lions, and they
promptly ambuscaded some of Lafitte's
men out hunting and killed many of them
They crossed over TO the island and made
for the town. LATTE and his men, with
two pieces of cannon, met them at a
place called the Three Trees. There was
the hardest kind of a fight before the In
dams Tetreated. and | imagine their wo-
men were let alone thereafter by Lafitte's
ruffians
Everything went along smoothly for the
3 islanders ana roughly Tor the SDaniardS
until 1870, when an American vessel was
taken. plundered, and sunk in Matagorda
Bay. Latitte's wandering cruisers We're
suspected. and a commission from the
United States came down to investigate.
The probabilities were II was done by HE
men entirely contrary to his orders and
wishes. His whole policy negatives any
other conclusion. As a result of this com
mission an armed ship was sent under
Lieut. kearney to break up the Calves
ton establishment and make Lafitte and
his followers move on. If genuine piracy
had been committed and LATTE was re-
sponsible or guilty, the orders without
question would have been for dealing out
( far more severe punishment
LATTE met the lieutenant and escorted
MIN to his mansion. known as the Red
/ House, entertained him, showed him ev-
( cry courtesy, offered every reparation
/ for the recent unfortunate occurrence and
I endeayored by the exercise of his remark
I able powers of fascination to obtain some
\ mitigation of the sentence. But the or
I ders of the United States We're perempt-
I DRY. He had to yield
He and his men were allowed to take
/ away all their belongings. Taey were
I given plenty of time. 1t was no case
I Of surprise and confused getting awav
To my mind this settles the matter Of
/ buried treasure on Galveston Island
Z There was nothine to prevent Lafitte's
digging it up and taking il away. and il
/ would be about The first thing any man
would hink of taking.
LATTE and his men loaded their ves-