The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-02

them in operation. He purchased the
schooner Cloti1de, paying $4,000 for the
vessel, and loaded her with lumber. A
reliable man was engaged who shipped
as supercargo, and the Clotilde cleared
for ST. Thomas and market. After
arriving at st. Thomas the lumber was
sold. and then the vessel sailed for
Loanda. West Africa. Here 100 slaves
were soon purchased, and the ship then
shaped her course for Mobile.
Capt. Maeher had given orders to
number of his trusted employees to keep
q sharp lookout for any news of the
vessel with instructions to report the
first tidings of her arrival Immediate
ly to him. Time went on. and still
there came no tidings Of the Clotilde
and her Illegal cargo. One Sunday
morning Capt. Maeher was seated on
the Identical gallery where he told
this story. His attention was arrested
by the sound of a horses hoofs upon
the hard clay surface Of the road. In
stinctively he seemed to comprehend
the situation but before he could rise
from his seat the messenger was at
the gate. Dismounting from the horse,
whose sides, flecked with foams bore
evidence Of the hard ride, the mes
senger FASTENED to the gallery and ex-
citedly announced In a scarcely audible
whisper, 1.-THE niggers have conner
Capt. Maeher received the startling
message without the least sign Of trep-
idation. He Immediately hurried to the
city (his plantation was about four
miles from MOBILIZE and began active
preparation for landing the negroes
out Of reach Of the government. A tug
was secured to tow the vessel in Mae
hers brother. the late Capt. Byrnes
Maeher, who at that time commanded
the steamboat Car, was instructed to
the Spanish river, which debouches
into Mobile, and there await the Clo-
tides arrival. Capt. Maeher also is
sued orders that supper was not to be
served on the packet Roger b. fancy.
his own boat, on her trip to Montgem-
cry the following Tuesday night until
he boarded the boat at some point up
the Alabama river This was done
for alibi purposes, as will be seen fur
Their along.
Having thus laid his plans, he board
ed the tug and proceeded with ell
possible Roadway to the Mississippi
sound, where the Clotilde was taken IN
tow and conveyed to the mouth Of the
Spanish river. The cargo of negroes
and the crew of>the schooner were then
transferred to the steamboat Car,
WHICH WAS III Wd1IiIl6. 1 AS NAOShAS w %
then towed into Bayou Conner, where
she was set on fire and scuttled. The
Car steamed up the Spanish river
with her cargo Of negroes and finally
landed them in a canebrake on the
plantation Of John M. Dabney. on the
Bigbee river. A few trusty men were
left to look after the negroes.
With the crew Of the Clotilde still
on board, the Gear returned down the
Bigbee river and steamed into the Ala
bama river, where she awaited the COM
ing of the Roger B, fancy, Maeher's
boat. Under cover Of night Capt. Mae
her and the Clotilde's crew were trans
ferred to the fancy. The crew Of the
SLAYER were slowed away In the upper
portion Of the boat and supplied with
cards and whisky. It was $3.50 o'clock
before supper was announced on the
Taney that night, and when Capt. Mae
her took his place at the head of the
table his face wore most nonchalant
look and gave not the least intimation
that he had been engaged in other than
the legitimate performance Of his du-
ties. When Montgomery was reached.
he did not allow, one of the crew of the
Cfotilde to be turned adrift In that city.
So officers and crew were quietly placed
on a train and sent to New York. where
they were paid of and dAachArseds ga; i
n fhn nannse w. he lAst tcaFgof OF elayeos