Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-09

unkepmt rags that partially covered
pea in big drops, The women had
evidently been crying and the men,
shackled together stood mute and sullen.
They We're trave-stained. looked weary and
were well plastered with yellow mud. Be
side them stood Babbage. AT sight of him
Wesner was little Disconnected for he
recognized in him the stranger l had
wounded the night we ran off the Fillmore
cargo. Then he was not known as Null
Babbage, but he probably had new alias
| whenever necessary to avoid the sheriff.
| Taking in the situation Wesner APP
preached cabbage and looked him over
as If he meditated purchasing him. The
man appeared i'll at ease and glanced at
the steamer.
Those negroes for sale?" inquired Wes-
ner.
"They amt mine, stranger" Dust here
| Babbage caught sight of Somes) Theirs
the gentlemen as owns en- he replied
| and leaving his charge he walked toward
the boat
Wesner hurriedly asked one of the ne
groes, Did this man buy you?"
No" was the answer.
Whom do you belong top
James Wilson, Floyd county. Ken
lucky"
This was spoken low and quick. Wes-
ner sauntered toward the steamer Somes
| and Jules had changed their position and
were standing at the head of the gangway
plank, ready to walk ashore. The cap
tain of the Aurora was leaning over the
rail on the main deck, and the mate, radi-
ating between the woodpiIe and the steam
er, alternately praised the deck hands, who
were Juggling wood on board, or cursed
them vigorously because they loaded light
and were slow Others of the crew were
loading few cotton bales at the side
plank, and, with shouting, swearing and
| running, business was lively.
AS Somes stepped ashore Wesner drew
back perhaps twenty feet and first spoke
to him:
etc
Somes started. stared around and did
not at first comprehend who spoke to him.
Then came the question, loud and dis
tinct:
you steal them
Somes reached for his pistol Instantly
Wesner had him covered.
Wink and you are dead man"
men are negro thieves. Those negroes,
standing there, were stolen from James
Wilson, Floyd county, Ky. They are TAX
ing them to New Orleans to market"
You lie." interrupted Somes
Wesner eyed him steadily and replied
Mon dieu." exclaimed somes, "why did
talk!'
Jules now Joined somes and at Wesner's
remark drew his pistol. Instantly shift
ing him aim from Somes to Jules Wesner
fired. somes sprans back to the steamer,
drawing his own pistol as he ran. Wesner
sent bullet after him, striking his arm
near the elbow. The two shots were in
! quick succession
Babbage, who appeared like one dazed,
cried out as jules was hit: "By God. the
man shoots with his gun lock filed-who
is he?'
Wesner, with his eyes still fixed upon
Somes and keeping him under the muz
ze of his pistol. continued to talk to the
captain of Aurora.
Captain, these two men. Jules and
Somes. have stolen these negroes Rab
bage brought them from Kentucky"
Babbage was standing about thirty feet
from Wesner, but at the first shot he ran
back to the negroes to protect them He
showed no inclination to take part in the
fray. AT the mention of his own name
he seemed to realize that he was a factor
in the scrimmage. He knew very well
that Judge Lynch held court on both banks
of the Mississippi, and negro stealing was
hanging crime He was a ready man
with his gun, and without a moments hes
itation he fired at Wesner, whose side was
exposed to his aim. The bullet ploushed
through Wesners shoulder, making a deep
flesh wound. Without changing position
Wesner sent two shots in exchange in
such rapid succession that Babbage struck
the ground with two caliber 3Ss in his
body.
Somes was no coward and a fair shot.
He had fed to the forward part of the
upper deck. 1t was crowded with pas
sengers, who had rushed out at the first
fire. He could not shoot from there but
the shooting of Babbage had created a di-
version in his favor. Knowing that If Wes-
ner lived he was doomed man and having
no appetite for prison life or the moose he