Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1898-07-13
HER CARGO OF "sALT."
How a Famous Filibuster Deceived
the Revenue Officers.

the Revenue officers.
Among the several small vessels,
whose flibustering expeditions to Cuba
have occasioned this government so
much annoyance and expense, few
have been the subject of as much
watchfulness, or kept customs collec-
tors awake at night as frequently, as
the Woodall
This trim little vessel has been inter-
cepted and overhauled several times;
her cargo and clearance papers were
subjected to the seyerest scrutiny; and
though government officials knew, by
a sort of intuition acquired by customs
officers (backed by floating rumors),
that the Woodall was not the innocent
craft she prentended to be, nothing
could ever be proved against her.
A story told by machinist, anent an
escapade Of the Woodall at a time
when her peculiar actions first attract
ed government attention, might throw
considerable light upon subject
whose mystery has baffied the wit of
many clever official.
Il suppose you know all about the
bayous and inlets running up from Yer
million Bay, not far from the salt
mines of southern Louisiana, where
President Cleveland goes huntingT
began the machipist "Well, l had been
doing some work at the salt mines,
when word came that vessel was
down In the bay wanting all the men 1t
could get to load up.
81 went with some other men. A
few were turned back, but most OF US
were put on to the job of loading sacks
of salt on to the Woodall. which lay
out In an arm Of the bay as close to
shore as she could get.
ut was common enough for boats to
run ND in the bays to take on salt or
lumber, but what thought queer was
a lot of box-cars laying up in the
woods on a temporary track. How they
come there an what they come for |
wanted to know. 1t wasn't so long tall
did.
1--WE hustled that salt on board lively.
tell you 1t was hard work, but good
pay Saturday the Cap'n come along
an says; Boys, l got Job for you 10
do, an every man that amt willing to
swear hell keep his mouth shut can
git
1--WE all swore.
"'See them box cars?' he says, point
ing to the track In the woods; I want
every last one O. them carloads slowed
In the Woodall before Monday morn
Ing. Kin you do IT,
"Of course we could.
"Well. sir, the first load was sur
prise. The Woodall had a false bot
tom as long an near rs wide as her
self laying up there ready for the
cargo.
"Salt! Well, should smile. Smelt
mighty like powder, an looked mighty
like guns an ammunition. We worked
an sweated all that night an all day
Sunday an Sunday night. We was
nigh dead for sleep. only snatching
minutes rest now and then, an goin'
at 1t agin. We sprinkled the empty box
cars with salt an, in fact, we wasted
good salt promiscuous around there.
could git to us, down come the custom
house officers. Got wind about extry
hands and rushed job. an they was
bound 10 find out the whole of 1t.
"Down in the bottom of the bay lay
that cargo of powder an lead, an we
was just loading the last few sacks of
salt on to the Woodall
"Steam was up an everything ready
for start. The officers took look at
the empty cars an then went on board
and overhauled the cargo Nothin' but
salt,
AT last they went away, loolSln' dis
satisfied, an one of 'em says to me:
Looks like you fellows wasted a heap
o. salt around here
"Sal's cheap says I.
"'Twarn't no time before the Wood
all had that false bottom up an in tow
down the bay.
"'Where was she goin'?' Ask me
somethin' / know. "--Leslie's Weekly.