Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-12-10
River Days Before the liar.
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far-reaching as any of the pioneers OF
bis profession.
Mark Twain. IN his Life on the Mis-
sissippi." calls Murrell a wholesale ras-
cal TO distinguish him from Jesse James
retail rascally deeds. What are James
and his half dozen vulgar rascals COM
pared with this stately old criminal
with his sermons, his meditated insur-
rections, and wary captures, and his
majesty following OF LOCO men, sworn
to do his evil will"
Murrell seems to have been a most
dexterous, as well as a consummate
villain. When he Travelled his disguise
was that of an itinerant preacher, and
ii is said that his discouyses were very
soul-stirring and so interesting 10
hearers that they forgot 10 look after
their horses, which were carried away
by his confederates while he was
preaching. But Murrelrs most lucra-
tive occupation was stealing slaves To
sell them in another quarter lie had
a peculiar way of managing that part
of his business. One Of his men would
tell negro, for example. 10 run away
from his master aud allow him to sell
him to another, whereby he could So
cure half of the money paid for him.
Then the negro was advised TO run away
the second time, return 70 the gang ana
be sent 10 a free state by them. where
he would be safe. Many poor wretches
comI>lied with this request, hoping 10
obtain money and freedom. They
would be sold in this manner three or
four times. until the MurFells had real
lied $4,000 or $4,000 from the repeated
sale of one man. After this, for fear
of detection. the method would be 10
get rid of the only witness against
them, which was the negro himself
He was murdered and his body thrown
into the Mississippi river.
The general RENDEZVOUS Of this gang
WAS on the Arkansas side of the river,
where they concealed their negroes in
the morasses and nebrakes. Though
it was we'll known that Murrel was the
head Of this gang Of outlaws, it was
difficult to obtain proof against him.
A young man named Stewart finally
gained his confidence, turned traitor
and exposed the whole concern, bring
ing home sufficient evidence against
Murreu TO send him TO the peniten-
tiary for IL years.
1t was found that q good many men
who bore respectable names In the sec
tiolDAV which they lived were connect
ed with Murrells gang. and every effort
was made TO discredit Stewards state
ments. He was obliged TO leave the
southern states in consequence.
One of the most daring deeds Of the
notorious outlaw was the rebellion he
melted in New Orleans, his object being
to raise the blacks against the whites,
taking possession of the city in the
melee and plundering it at leisure. The
story is told by Capt. +. w. Gould, one
of the oldest river captains, now living
in New York. Capt. Gould collected it
from accounts furnished by the man
Stewart, who vouched for its correct
ness, and declared that il was told him
by Murrell himself at the time he was
in his confidence.
IL collected all my friends about New
Orleans" said Murrell, lat one Of our
friends houses at that place. We sat
in council three days before we got all
our DldlS W Jul IOllOI. w lltll Ut
termined to undertake the rebellion at
all hazards, and make as many friends
as we could for that purpose. Every
mans business was assigned to him.
and when all was ready the signal was
given for the rebellion to break loose
The history of il is well known. Suf-
fee il to say that we carried off thou
sands of dollars in horses. cattle. and
other movable property, and killed peo-
pie without number who were in our
way"
Another noted outlaw in the early
part of the century was Mason, the high
wayman of the Natchez Trace, who in.
tested the canebrakes near Walnut
hills, from where they boarded many
boat, killing the crew and carrying
off the cargo.
a story well remembered by old-time
ST. Louisans is that of the murder OF
young Mckenzie on the steamer Nellie
Rogers. Young Mckenzie was the SOL
of "a prominent merchant of st. Louis, a
most estimable gentleman, who was al
one time an Indian trader on the upper
Missouri. The elder Mckenzie had mar.
ried squaw, Indian fashion. and raised
family of half-breeds, part of which
he took to the states and educated.
Yotng Mckenzie, then about 30 years
old, had returned to his tribe, the Crows
married and was living at Fort Peck
He, with his wife and young child. to-
gether with large number of Indians
of both sexes and Of all ages, had en-
camped on the bank opposite where the
boat was discharging They all had
access to the boat, and were constantly
passing TO and fro.
The bar on the boat had been closed
by the order Of Charles =. Chouteau
the owner of the line, and no excessive
drinking was allowed. They had OF
board as n passenger all the way from
St. Louis Mr.. Clark, formerly from
Philadelphia, quiet, gentlemanly man