Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-02-27
BY HIS SLAVE.
A DESPERATE FIGHT IN WHICH CEN
TAUR WON HIS FREEDOM.


TAUR WON HIS FREEDOM.
How Captain Culbert of the Mississippi
River Pirates Ended His Career-A Chap
ter From the History of Boating In the
Long Ago.
"Life on the river now is not what it
was so years ago." said Captain Huff,
an old time river rover yesterday. In
those days we had great obstacles to nav
igation to overcome, besides frequently
encountering some OF the most desperate
outlaws known to criminal history, who
made the river resort and lived by rob-
berry and murder They had no regard
for life il it interfered in their obtain
ing the property they coveted
1.-The leader of one of these gangs was
known as Captain Culbert, who had his
haunts along the shores of the Mississip-
pi, where, in secluded places, he and
his men would secrete themselves and
await an opportunity to attack and plum
der trading boats or produce barges as
cending or descending the river.
SIN 1924 Mr.. Beausel, a wealthy
trader of New Orleans, loaded small
boat with valuable goods and started
for st. Louis Three slaves and himself
constituted the entire crew of this trad
ing palace. One of the negroes was an
ebony hued Hercules of superior intelli-
gence and considerable cunning, called
by his master Centaur because of his
prodigious strength and giant proper
tions. As the boat was passing desc
late point on the shore the robbers push.
ed out from the shaded banks in their
swift canoes, and surrounding the boat
with flourish of firearms forced the
Frenchman to surrender without strug-
gle. Binding the limbs of the owner,
they locked him in the cabin and pro-
ceeded to possess themselves of the rich
booty the boat contained. Centaur ex-
pressed the greatest delight at the sue
cess of the robbers and declared he was
glad they had made his master pris-
oner, for now he would be freed from
him and would love to serve and wait
upon the daring freebooters. He would
dance and sing with the greatest appar-
ent glee, and by his antics pleased his
captors, who ordered him to prepare an
elegant supper from the bountiful sup
plies on the boat
''The negro was an elegant cook, and
persuading them to release one of tho
other slaves to assist him in preparing
the meal he spread table of delicious
viands and tempting liquors that sur
passed anything the robbers had enjoyed
for many days. His ready acquiescence
to all demands and his intelligence i'll.
anticipating their every want won their
confidence, and the chief declared he
would prove very desirable addition
to their numbers While the robbers
were enjoying themselves at the table
the negro conceived plan to recapture
the boat and release his master. Com
municating his intentions to the slave
who had been detailed to assist him, he
directed the fellow what part he desired
him to perform when the time for ac-
tion should arrive After feasting and
drinking to their fullest satisfaction the
half drunken robbers assembled on the
deck to discuss what was the best course
to pursue in disposing of their prisoner
and where to land with their booty.
''Centaur, being allowed perfect free
dom, managed to consult with his mas
ter and impart to him bis plans. The
helpless trader, fearing that the robbers
contemplated taking his life, urged his
faithful slave to make a desperate effort
to accomplish his purpose and prom
ised him rich reward if he succeeded
in effec,ing lis release. The robbers
were eight in number and roamed i'll
drunken hilarity about the boat. The
river was rough, and the darkness that
ensued made it difficult for the negroes
who were navigating the heavily laden
boat to reach the point the pirates were
anxious to land at. Five of the gang
had collected about the bow of the boat
and were discussing the slow progress
they were making toward their destina-
tion, when CeItaur gave the signal
agreed upon to his comrade, and imme-
diately springing into the middle of the
assembled robbers seized the leader in
his arms and lifting him above his head
hurled the surprised fellow overheard,
far out into the swift, dark river. With
wonderful strength and surprising
speed he caught up three more of the
robbers and had tossed them overheard
into the splashing water before their
startled companions had realized what
had happened. The other two negroes,
upon receiving the preconoerted signal,
had struck down two of the robbers with
heavy oar before they could offer re-
sistance, and Centaur, grabbing up
pistol that had fallen on the deck from
the hand of one of his victims, rushed
at the two remaining robbers ON board,
and, shooting one, the other leaped into
the river to escape the fury of this col
ored Goliath.
Tossing the bodies of the three
wounded robbers overheard, the heroic
negro beat back into the river with an
oar several others who were clinging
to portions of the boat and attempting
to climb back on board. Almost help
less from liquor, the half drunken
wretches were unable to swim in the
chilling waters, and every one of them
miserably perished. Mr.. Beausei was re-
leased by his victorious slaves and pro-
ceeded on his way rejoicing; but after
selling out his cargo and disposing of
his boat, he abandoned river trading and
settled down on a plantation in Louisi-
ana. He gave Centaur his freedom for
the valuable services rendered in rescu-
ing him from the robbers, but the brave
negro would not leave his master and
remained with him as overseer of his
plantation. "-Cincinnati Enquirer.
Disguised.
Uho, tho toll MON c1ippod in front ri