The Portland daily press., 1896-04-04

were not over. His vessel had not been
announced at the Custom House, and of
course, the revenue officers were soon
searching for it. The story of the impor-
tatlon soon became public and the officers
OF the United States Court joined in the
hunt.
The location of the negroes was several
times changed and the gang was broken
into small squads for easier concealment.
Day after day the canebrakes along the
river were sorutinized, but though old
camps were found none could be reached
prior to abandonment. While many of
the more conservative citizens did not
favor the importation, none wonld fur
pish any information which would tend
to imperil the neck of neighbor. Deem
ing himself secure from detection, the
superoargo, with almost unparalleled au-
dacity, mingled freely with the crews of
the searching craft, and was thus enabled
to spoil their plans in some instances. In
one case, when 1t was feared that time
would not be given for any change, if the
earohing boat got away from Mobile
promptly, liquor was smnggled on board
and given TO the crew, who all became
drunk, OBTAINING the craft until new
crew could be shipped, by which time the
camp, which had been located. was
empty. But so much valid information
was obtained regarding the matter and
Capt. Moaher's share in it, that be was
indicted by the Grand Jury at the next
term Of the United States Court and
placed on trial for piracy, the specific
charge being that he had personally i'm
ported cargo But he was able easily
to prove an alibi. He showed by persons
serving on board the Taney and others
living in Montgomery that during the
year ending with the time of the alleged
landing Of the slave he had not missed
making single weekly trip in command
as usual. In short. SO well had his plan
been laid and carried out that
CONVICTION WAS IMPOSSIBLE,
and be was released. The supercargo
was mover arrested, nor his identity pub
licly known till after the outbreak of
hostilities in 1851. But the Captains
|
| Frightened by the hunt and trial. several
who had agreed to purchase umber of
the slaves withdrew from their contract,
the trial with it's accompanying expenses
absorbed money, the schooner and it's out
fit had cost him about S35, ,000; and when
he balanced his accounts of the transac-
tion he found the sum of 100000 on the
| l.. r. 4
count. He had previously owned over
200 slaves, and now found himself bur-
dened (for they were really burden)
with about $50 mora. When the war
broke out some of them wele impressed
to work for the Confederate Government,
but many were left to shift for them
selves.
After the surrender a man of the Cap
tain's energy would not remain idle, and
he resumed busin ess, employing as freed
men most of the Africans still living near
his home. They speak Of him as being a
kind master. They were informed that
they were free, and that if they chose
they could work for him for wages; and
many of them did so, and bought from
him tracts of land about three miles from
Mobile, on which they have erected cot.
tages, thus obtaining houses of their own
perhaps sooner than any other of their
race in the vicinity.
Employed as many of the men are in
getting out timber and preparing it for
"tney spend most of their time away from
home, and Sunday visit to the settle
ment WAS necessary if I would see them.
On hot Sabbath afternoon in June in
company with MIR. Augustine Meaher.
son of Capt. AIeaher, / drove out from
Mobile to the villages. On the way we
met one man and his wife in good road
CART drawn by good horse which they
owned. en- route to church in the city.
After some conversation, during which
Mr.. Meaher stated the object of my visit,
we drove on, they stating we would not
| find many of the villagers at home. They
said II l would return the next Sabbath
| they would notify all whom they could
| and could see them. Hfo
Gas we were not far from the village,
| we drove over to it. ! found it located
on high, broken ground, half a mile or
more from the Mobile River, surrounded
by pine forests, in which could still be
seen some of the heavy earthworks
thrown up for covering the approaches to
tho city during the war. About thirty
small houses are scattered irregularly
over an area of forty acres many of them
quite comfortable structures compared
with the ordinary cabins of the country.
On adjoining land owned by Mr.. Meaher
are several others occupied by families of
country negroes working in the vicinity.
with the first generation the
OLDEST INHABITANTS OF LITTLE
AFRICA
do not seem to mingle much. Two
churches are located in the settlement
The one is a Methodist. frequented by
outsiders, and the other is Baptist mis-
sion chapel OF a city church. for the Afri-
cans.
UT,, o1noovapoa %horo ia