The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-10-14
RiverDays Before the uar,

3Ri1erDays Before the uar,
6ss~sssesseeeeesseseese4
nKURRELL, the chief of Murrell's
wi gang, took pattern after Mike
Fink, Sam Gritty and ''Col. Plug" and
hisa depredations were as terrible and
fsr-reaching as any of the pioneers Of
his profession. :.:E r >-F
~ Mark Twain, in his Life on the Mis-
sissippi," calls Murrell 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
majestic following of 1000 men, sworn
to do his evil will"
Murrell seems to have been a most
dexterous, as well as consummate
villain. When he Travelled his disguise
was that of an itinerant' preacher, and
it is said that his discourses were very
soul-stirring and so interesting to
hearers that they forgot to look after
their horses, which were carried away
by his confederates while he was
preaching. But Murrell's most lucra-
tive occupation was stealing slaves to
sell them in another quarter. He had
a peculiar way of managing that part
of his business. One of his men would
tell negro, for example, to run away
from his master and allow him to sell
him to another, whereby he could Sc
cure half of the money paid for him.
Then the negro was advised to run away
the second time, return to the ganga and
be sent to free state by them, where
he would be safe. Many. poor wretches
compiled with this request, hoping to
obtain money and freedom. They
would be sold in this manner three or
four times, until the Murrells 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 to
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 canebrakes. Though
It was we'll known that Murrell 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
ing home sufficient evidence against
Murrell to send him to the peniten-
tiary for II years.
It was found that good many men
who bore respectable names in the Sec
tions in which they lived were connect
ed with Murrell's 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. E. 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 it was told him
by Murrell himself at the time he was
In his confidence.
Il collected all my friends about New
Orleans" said Murrell, "at one of our
friends houses at that place. We sat
in council three days before we got all
our plans to our notion. We then de-
ter7nined to undertake the rebellion at
Ii a11Fhazards, and make as manysfrienls
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 it is well known. Suf.
fee it to, say that We carried off thou.
sands of dollars in horses, cattle, and
other movable property, and killed PEG.
pie without number who were in ou1
way"
Another noted outlaw in the early
part OF the century was Mason, the high.
wayM4an of the Natchez Trace, who in
tested the eanebrakes 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 prominent merchant of St. Louis, q
most estimable gentleman, who was al
one time m Indian trader OH the uppe,
Missouri. The elder Mckenzie had mar.
ried squaw, Indian fashion, and raised
- family of half breeds, part of which
4 he took to the states and educated.
Young Mckenzie. then about 80 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-.
acamped on the bank opposite where the
boat was discharging. They all had
access to the boat, and were constantly
passing to and fro.
,ee The bar on the boat had been closed
by the order of Charles P. Chouteau
the owner of the line, and no excessive
drinking was allowed. They had on
board as a passenger all the way from
St. Louis Mr.. Clark, formerly from
Philadelphia, q quiet, gentlemanly man
nfs edncafion who for ten or twelve