The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-26


II IS desired 10 cross the river but this Ia
not often done. The tub-nke craft Is
steered and half propelled by means OF
long sweeps or clumsy oars, from the
stern. II is wonderful to see the evolu-
tons the houseboat viii perform when the
sweep is In the hand of an experienced
riVerman. These travelling emporiums
used to do a thriving business a good
many years ago, but lately the railroads
and other auxiliaries of civilization have
forced them TO the rear. Ii is a very rare
tmng TO see one nowadays They belong
to past epoch
A few months ago man by the name
OF Ii. N. Ackerman, more frequently
known as Bil Alderman, came down the
river in one of these Households He was
a shrewd fellow and had realized that
there was little profit in mere buck
STEERING enterprise. His scow contained q
regular menagerie consisting of trick po-
MES, performing dogs, monkey and "a
merry go-round. l have forgotten where
he came from, but he stopped at every
town and village along the Mississippi
and he made money, for the country peo-
pie have few amusements. and almost any
thing serves TO furnish diversion for
them.
AT one of the landings. about 100 miles
above Baton Rouge he picked up a. man
and woman who gave the name of Starr
claiming 10 be man and wife. Alderman
said that he needed help In his show, and
agreed to give the pair a certain percent
age of the profits, the woman to do the
cooking and the man to help with the
performance. The trio led a sort of
-iuckeberry Finn existence, going wher-
ever they desired stopping 10 fish, and
typing up to the bank at night
1t would be hard for the average per-
son to understand the attraction such an
entertainment, poor at the best. would
have for the supplemented people who
i've along the banks of the stream. In
many cases railroad does not come with
IN nifty miles of them, and about the only
amusement they have is to watch the
steam packets going up and down the riv-
er. The majority of them never saw q
circus, and few of them have ever been
inside the smallest theater. Ackerman's
show, with its merry go-round, It's ponies
and dogs capable of performing unheard-
OF tricks, set the rural denizens wild with
delight L. T. Barnum's name would have
not been one-half as great a talisman as
that of Alderman. He absolutely owned
the community wherever no went
The prize of the whole combination
was Jocko, the monkey. Ponies and dogs
we're ordinarily domestic animals, but this
simian with its almost human face was
something irresistible. 1t furnished the
people something to talk about for DAYS
to see him leap from his masters shout
OF collection. Jocko was devoted to Ack-
erman, and was his constant companion.
Alderman never left the boat without TAX
ing his pet with him, for Jocko would have
been inconsolable in his masters absence.
The monkey had more fidelity even than
dog, and was a most intelligent repre-
sentative of his species
THE housebOat continued down the riv-
er and its approach was heralded by word
OF mouth, for Alderman depended on n
weil-satisfied public as his advance agent
When the show left DevaUs Landing in
April Ackerman was with il, but he did
not appear at the next stop. The people
asked for him, and Starr said that he had
gone North on a packet to attend TO some
business IN Southern Illinois. Several peo-
pie whO he'd seen the show farther up the
river came 10 see 1t again, and they pur-
sued their inquiries, which were met with
contradictory replies when It came to de-
tails. The actions Of Starr and his wife
grew more and more suspicious, and an In
Vestigation was made.
Finally the suspected pair were arrest
ed by the authorities of West Baton Rouge
parish, in which DevalPs Landing is To-
Gated The evidence was purely circum-
stantial 1t was true that Alderman had
not been heard of since he left the land
ing on that April night, and he certainly
had not arrived at Cairo whittier Starr
said that he was going. An ak with blood
on 1t was found in the houseboat Chips
from the skiff which was lowed behind the
craft and a bush which grew near the
waters edge, all of which had dark stains
on them, were brought for inspection They
were examined and analysed by Prof. Dos
son of Louisiana, state university, and he
said that all of them, including the ak,
were sme AIRED with human blood.
Sixteen persons gave testimony at the
trial, which took place during the month
OF September. Their evidence was damag-
ing but it practically proved nothing.
THE main witness was the monkey. Had
1t not been for him, it Is doubtful II Starr
and his wife would even have been arrest
ed. He showed a tremendous aversion to
the coup e, and would not allow them to
come near him. He chartered and uttered
shrill cries whenever he saw them He
sometimes tugged furiously at his chain
and CRASHED his teeth in impotent rage
when they were I'm his presence Knowing
the love Jocko had for Alderman, the Of
icials considered that his actions had the
greatest significance, and some even
averred that he had been witness of the
crime.
ITO cap the climax of this strange pro-
ceeding, the monkey was locked up In 4
cell at the parish jail the same as a hui
man witness He was kept there until
the trial came off, and no one who was
present at that time hesitates to say that
his was the testimony that placed the
moose around Starts neck and condemned
his female acocmplice to life term in
prison. The poor little brute, handicap
ped by reason of his dumbness, did not
fail to avenge his master. He was
brought into. the court room, dressed IN
his scarlet coat and cap, just as when he
used to make the rounds taking pennies
from the spectators in the show days on
the river. 1t was all the sheriff could do
to restrain him from leaping on Starr and
his wife as soon as his little eyes rested
on them.
These actions decided the case. The
jury listened to the arguments of the coun-
sci for both sides until late at night and
went to the room for the night They
surprised all by returning a verdict of
guilty as charged within a few minutes
The judge convened the court on the fol-
lowing day and pronounced sentence. The
man was sentenced to be hanged, and the
woman was given life term in the peni-
tertiary.
"A son-in-law of Alderman came down
from the North to attend the trial and
Tho actata Of ffla murdered m an Was falra,,