Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-11-12

get rid of the man. so he brought the
boat to- When the stage was launched
four rough-looking customers, who had
been conducting the various games on
the lower deck, came forward, leading
five of the race horses. They were all
armed; and, after marching the ami
them and the clerical-looking man
quietly bestrode the other, which was
the finest of all. Resistance, of course,
would have been in vain, so the boat
drew in the stage and went on her
way. When we had got a short dis
lance from the shore one of the passen-
gers remarked: That's John A. Muir
rell and his gang of outlaws. We
recognized each other when he came
aboard, but l knew it would be death
to make his identity known"
"One of the gamiest men / ever
uGdIu VI w DIS Dill oIllllll, lLol
killed one day last year at Cairo" con-
tinued the man who is evidently one
| who had passed much of his time in
| the West. This occurred over 20
| years ago. He was a barber on boats
for long time before he settled there
and went into the gambling business
| on fiatboat. Smith was a live coon,
made money hand over fist and soon
| got to own one of the biggest faro
| games in the town. Well, of course,
| the white gamblers didn't like to see Il
free Niger take the lead of them in
| resolved that it was a disgrace to the
sporting profession to have Smith in it.
and they appointed committee to call
on him and notify him to pull out and
| get away before shutdown or they
| would set his boat on fire. Smith met
them on the forecaste of his boat and
he made speech.
He said: Gentlemen, I'm half white
and free born, and I'm here to stay
again said, and if you're here then
| there'll be music in the air.
"They then went up to the saloon
and began to drink worse than ever.
all the time keeping watch upon the
boat to see if she was gone. But Smith
didn't bulge. They were all pretty full
by night time, and they got their guns
and started for the boat. They al
lowed something must be done to vim
dictate the honor of the town. for if the
darby was permitted to stay everybody
would say they We're towards and
afraid of him. So, of course, they had
to kill the niger. Then they made a rush
for the river, yelling like Indians, Get
out quick, or Wen burn your boat and
you with it,
May be you think he got scared al
this, but he didn't. He just came out
on the bow and stood there looking and
smiling like but mighty pale, and said;
: I'm half white and free born; and Tn
waiting to see you do it, Then they
yelled louder than ever, and COM
menced shooting at the boat, and they
soon filled it full of lead, and Smith
too, for there was over 100 of them
But Smith, as l said, was game, anc
, | fpJ oh nd
ting near him with bowie knife
When they found they couldn't ge
him they set fire to the boat and turned
her adrift. He kept shooting from tht
windows and calling them towards un
til the fire got to be so hot he saw h,
was gone: then he climbed up on tot
of the boat, with the blaze all arount
him, and tied heavy CRATE bar t.
himself, and, taking his tin box tina
| he had all his money in under his arm
he said, I'm half white and free born
and I'm here to stay. You may xii
me, you white-livered towards, but yol
: can't conquer me-
You could hardly see Smith now fo
{ the fire, but he never flinched and tn,
! next moment he jumped into the river
: and that was the last of him The,
= fished for his money, but they neve
: found it or him. for they both settled
: in the mud in the bottom of the rive
that night, and 1 reckon they are Their
yet"
There's taps, boys. It's time to b.
y crawling into the live geese feathe
e beds"
o Poultry Notes for November.
This is the last month in which time i