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

Judging from such evidence, ! can but
arrive al one conclusion. LATTE never
was pirate in the ordinary acceptatiOn
of the term. and never could have been
found guilty of piracy by any competent
and fair court. He never buried any treas
ure in Texas and louisiana and / append
sketch Of his true history to show the
reasons for such conclusions.
Jean Latitte was a Frenchman from Ba-
yonne. His family left France and settled
upon an estate in the island of Hayti The
Haytians rebelled against the French do
minion, and being successful, the Lahttes
lost their property and were compelled to
leaVe, taxing refuge in New Orleans
About this time the United States purchas-
ed the Louisiana Territory from France,
and New Orleans, of COURSE was part Of
the purchase. Jean LATTE and his brother
were blacksmiths and opened a shop on
st. Phillip street, between Burbon and
Dauphin. Jean was a remarkably hand
some man, Of the tall. dark type Just
such a one that a person passing would
turn to have a second look at.
All the country in and around New Or
leans and along the Gulf Coast for hun
dreds of miles is an intricate maze OF wa
terways deep, narrow channels running
everywhere, and utterly confusing to, a
stranger These channels afford the only
highways, as all else Is an impenetrable
tangle of trees, hanging vines, and
swampy growths.
Smuggling was then, as it is now, con-
sidered rather respectable crime, and
the people living along that sWampy bOr-
der We're one and all engaged in that bus
mess, the city of New Orleans afiording
a near-at-hand market In the course of
years the two blacksmiths Jean and his
brother, Pierre. became the agents and
brokers in New Orleans for smuggling YES
sells that brought merchandise and slaves
into the bayOus and inlets along the LOUIS
lana coast. OF course this sort of thing de-
moralized the legitimate trade in the city,
and complaints We're many and loud, but
the smuggling fraternity evidently pos
sessed quite pun, and 1t was good
while before any earnest steps were taken
to suppress the Illegal traffic
Meanwhile Jean LATTE had obtained
such prominence that all the coast peo-
pie looked up TO him as their leader, and
his word became law among the SNUG
Cling gentry from Lake Pontchartrain ia
the Sabine. The main rendezvous of all
these revenue dodgers was on the island
of Barataria, where there was quite a
settlement and a little fort. The United
states authorities took steps at last, and
knowing run well hat the island and fort
We're used simply as the headquarters OF
the numerous smuggling gangs, they sent
out Commodore Patterson of the United
States navy, who broke up the Barataria
1 establishment. There was no other pun
ishment than this. 1t stands 10 reason
that if there had been any real piracy
Lantte ana his Baratarians would have
been hanged from the yard arm, as pi-
rates were given short shrift in those
days
An through Laftte's career appears his
anxiety TO stand well with the United
States and TO avoid any conflict with its
laws. Just after this breaking up came
J the British descent on New Orleans. La
ftte was offered a commission in the Brit
I ISL navy ana a large sum of money pro-
Vided he and his friends would ioin with
4 the invaders. As they were perfectly ac-
qualnted with every foot of that Difficult;
country and We're brave fighters. their
acquisition would have been a matter OF
great moment, and in all probability
would have changed the result Of the
campaign. But LATTE, though his Snug
I Cling business had just been broken up.
/ joined Jackson with all his followers, and
fought with notable gallantry in the battle
of Jan. s, 1915. In consequence Of this inn
pOrtant service President Madison gave
him a full pardon for VIVA teyer nlisdeeds
/ he had committed at any prior time
But evidently the smuggling business on
the Louisiana coast was eifectually
squelched ana had no future as we short.
" hear of LATTE and q numerous follow.
ing emigrating from Louisiana and form.
ing a colony on Galveston Island His
after career shows pretty plainly that ht
left to return TO Louisiana no more. Now
would man under such circumstance
leave any buried treasure behind him2 IL
had all the time he wanted. There were
no charges against him. He left Of his
own accord. and there was no necessity
for any undue haste or leaving any valua.
bles behind him. wouldn't Lafitte or any
0tucI man OF ordinary sense. have due
up his burlel gold and taken il along.
everything Lolnls 90 the conclusion thai
Lahtte not only had common sense. but
+ was shreWd beyond ordinary.
J Prior to Laftte's arrival there had been