The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-07-15
LEGEND OF LONG ISLAND.
How Private Tom johnson Made
Hrick House Creek Famous.


q trade in which men OF standing in he
covertly, there were some queer and
startling happenings along the south
coast of Long Island. More than a
century ago the legend of Brick House
creek was an heirloom in the vicinity OF
Babylon. 1t had come down from
generation to generation in company
with Deacon Tribulation Smiths con-
quest of Tackapausha, the Marsapeague
sachem.
1t was in South Jerusalem that Thorn
as johnson, more familiariy known as
"Old Col Tom" built the first brick
house on Long Island, which was then
called Mattowacs. This house stood on
the best farm on the island, and in sub
sequent years it came to be regarded
with feeling of awe by the Dutch resi-
dents in that region. "Old Col. Tom
was a man of unquestioned prestige in
the community. He enjoyed the re-
spect and homage of his neighbors be
cause he insisted upon it. In the pic
turesque cove at the mouth of Brick
ilOuSc tltth, ltN Il StdHtli, tiipESl -buiii
schooner, carrying 4 siN-pounder,
magazine of ammunition and a rack of
cutlasses. This clipper-built schooner
made occasional trips out into the
ocean, and its return was invariably fol
lowed by neighborly festivities in honor
of odd Col. TOMS prowess and in
creasing prosperity. On such OCCASIONS
~. - In
would bring out their cutlasses and
scour off certain dark spots with more
or less OStentatiOn.
There were honest and piOus people
on the island of Mattowacs in those
days, but none were disposed to criti-
else the doings of his neiThbor, es-
pccially the doings of such a neighbor
as "Old Col. Tom" The trade of water
| merchant" was regarded by popular
| sentiment AS leniently as infractions
of the excise law are now. In Smiths
| "History of New York" may be found
| this parag graph: at is certain that the
pirates were supplied with provisions
| by the people of Long Island, who for
many years afterward were so infatu
ated with the notion that members of
| that guild buried great quantities of
money along the coast, that there is
scarce d point of land on the island
without the mark of their 'auri sacra
fames.' Some credulous people have
ruined themselves by these researches.
and they propagated a thousand idle ia
bles, current to this day among our
country farmers"
The same historian is authority for
the statement that many worthy gen
tlemen of that early period invested
much property in divers small craft, i.
e.. brigantines and cutters, wherewith
they secured the seas, paying visits unto
other vessels, and carrying on a gen
eral trade after very insistent and
wholesale fashion. 1t is matter of
historical record that Capt. Kidd had
for his associates Lord Chancellor Som
ers. the duke of Shrewsbury, the earls
of Romney and Oxford, and other
equally illustrious individuals.
Tradition has it that "Old Col. Tom
grew cruel and bloodthirsty, and 1.-The
relation of his deeds made people shud.
der to hear" And when he died the old
brick house and Brick House creek
seemed to become bewitched. On
stormy nights the ghost of the dead pi-
rate held high carnivalin the house. The
window of his bedroom was always
open; no earthly hand could close it
Every Saturday night the waters OF
Brick House creek emitted sulphurous
lights and odors, and if any foolhardS
fisherman chanced to hook a fish in thai
creek on Saturday there would be {
low. rumbling noise, smell of sulphur
and the fisherman's boat would be cas-
high and dry on the bank"
.Iaac Spraay. the daredevil OF Hungr,
Harbor. laid a wager of a quart of run
with ben" Storer that he would e.
ceiling alone in Brick House creek on ;
: certain Saturday night. Jaac's Aun
Chastity endeavored to dissuade him
but he shook her off and said he'd b.
hanged if he wouldn't like to com,
across Old Col. Tom.'' Jaac went
His neighbors and his frantic wifi
searched for him all day and all nigh
Sunday, and it was not until daybreal
on Monday that they found him lyin;
, unconscious in the bottom Of his skifl
, which was high and dry on cliff mil
l away. When he came to himself Jaa
told, amid shudders and means, of
l terrible experience. He had met tn
D ghost of ''Old Col. Tom,' and had bee
. taken out to sea on a spccter pirate shiF
The fiendish ghost had compelled hi1
4 to slay old people in cold blood, an
D torture and mutilate children. FINAL
he rebelled at some atrocious command
l. and the pirates ghost summoned fou
devils with wings of blue fame, VIII
threw him into his skiff, and bore hi1
to the cliff where he was found.
Jaac Spraag lived for many years i
Jerusalem South after that eventfl
night, and he told his story over an
= over again, never varying it as to d'
tails. His children repeated the narr;
- tive, and their children and grandc1 ii
dren retold it after them. Thus we
perpetuated the legend of Brick Hous
Creek.-N. Y. Times.
The state caDifol of Texas is II